Rumford fireplaces hold lots of paradoxes, not the least of which is the generally accepted superiority of its advanced design relative to modern ones. The unusual and highly efficient dimensions and curves of these revolutionary fireplaces were conceived by an...
We'd like to talk about what to call the maintenance of the mortar between the bricks in masonry construction. Technically, repointing is putting mortar between joints. Pointing is putting the mortar between the bricks to begin with, and tuckpointing is achieving a...
Even outdoors around a campfire, no one wants to be downwind of the smoke it puts off. It is more likely a survival instinct than watery eyes that causes all of us to keep moving as the wind shifts. Smoke, especially from wood, can impart a nice flavor to food but...
The dragging out of spring that we are experiencing this year is probably causing lots of unseen problems. One that we are aware of is the burning of wet wood, which produces more smoke, and which puts more toxic carbon monoxide in the air. Outside, this is an...
As we have recently learned too well, water can be as destructive as fire; our hearts still go out to those who suffered Sandy’s devastation. For chimneys, water can be more damaging than fire, and it does not have to reach flood level to cause it. Water is what...
Chimney swifts have been protected by federal law since 1918 with the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Interestingly, since they migrate over the Canadian border, they were first covered by a treaty between the United States and Britain. Part of the...
Why is a roof important on a house, besides, of course, the obvious? All joking aside, chase covers perform a similar function, closing your chimneys to intruders and weather. If either your roof or your chase cover fails to do that, the entire house is compromised...
So small and seemingly inconsequential, chimney caps are more than just icing on a cake, performing a critical function. No more a merely decorative detail than the roof on a house, the chimney cap is what protects the chimney. Somehow, that often gets forgotten when...
The threat to home safety posed by a clogged dryer vent is what makes its regular cleaning so important. There are other benefits that come with dryer vent cleaning, but that improvement in home safety is unquestionably where its importance lies. Along with chimneys,...
It is finally time to fire up the chimney for a nice romantic night at home with your significant other. The setting is perfect, except as soon as the fire starts to burn, an awful odor enters the room through the fireplace. In just a few moments, the entire home is...
