While your fire burned all winter, it released byproducts that rose up and out of your chimney. Remnants of these materials coat the inside of your chimney flue, and result in a buildup if left unchecked. Soot and creosote will always coat the chimney flue when wood is burned, but the

Your chimney system has a specific purpose. It is to safely and efficiently vent your home’s fire heat. How well your chimney system works depends a lot on how well it’s properly maintained. Your chimney, when constructed, should be equipped with a properly-fitting chimney

The chimney is built to last a lifetime. Specifically, it’s built to outlast your house. Although your house is built to outlast you, it takes routine maintenance and repairs to do so. Likewise, even a properly-constructed chimney and fireplace will only last when it’s pro

To ensure your fireplace will be ready to use on the first cool day of fall, The Mad Hatter recommends that you schedule your annual chimney sweeping and inspection appointment in the summer. You will have a much easier time scheduling these maintenance services on a date and time tha

Spring is finally here, and that means spring cleaning is on your mind. The arrival of spring is an occasion to rid your home of that dusty winter air, and your fireplace and your chimney should not be left off your spring cleaning list. After using your fireplace all winter to warm y

One of the leading causes of chimney fires, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), creosote build-up is a dangerous fact of life when you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove. Removing creosote deposits from your chimney walls plays a big role in your annual ch

Have you ever experienced waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of animals going in and out of your chimney? Isn’t it just annoying? It’s not only disturbing, it can also destroy the inside of your chimney. Yes, it can cost you a fortune, and all because of some animals th

At best getting a swipe from a feather duster in most homes, baseboard and overhead vents don’t seem to get a lot of attention. Yet air vents are exactly where all the dust goes if they are working as they should, so it is another of life’s ironies. Hopefully, this spring, you w