One of the most important components of your chimney and venting system, a damper is essential for proper ventilation of smoke and other byproducts of combustion out of your home. Serving the same purpose as a window, a opened damper allows air to flow out through the...
One of the best tools to prevent water penetration of your chimney, a chimney cap keeps water from rain and melted snow out of your chimney flue. Not only does a chimney cap stop water from getting into your chimney, but it also prohibits birds and animals from...
A popular option to update the look of your fireplace or to convert an old wood-burning fireplace to a more efficient fuel source, gas fireplace inserts and stoves have many benefits and advantages. However, you should never take a chance by attempting to install a...
Has your chimney become a nesting home for chimney swifts? Protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is illegal to remove these birds from your chimney by a professional chimney cleaner like The Mad Hatter. Fortunately, these birds will leave on their own in...
The essential ingredient to a successful fire, the right firewood can provide you with convenient, effective, and safe heat all winter long. Many homeowners with a fireplace know very little about choosing and storing firewood correctly. Our customers at The Mad...
The most important maintenance task to ensure fireplace safety, chimney sweeping should be done at least once a year. According to The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), and other fire safety organizations, an...
All homeowners should be aware of the dangers that can lurk inside their chimneys. Many deprioritize chimney maintenance in favor of other, more easily accessible household chores. This is a huge no-no! Your chimney may appear fine on the outside but could be...
Parging 101: All You Need to Know First things first. Let’s define parging. What is it really? Parging is the age-old way of protecting, caring for, or the decorating of any wooden or masonry layer with a stucco material. To parge enables the structure to last years....
It is important to keep animals out of your chimney for many reasons, but we find that most of our customers don’t truly understand this until they have an animal that lives—or one that has died—inside their chimney. Not only are animals a nuisance in terms of the...
Many homeowners don't prioritize the maintenance of dryer vents. They often deem it as unimportant and not a top priority. But the fact is, dryer vents actually need to be cleaned regularly to reduce the risk of fires in your home.
