#1 trusted chimney service company

We are a family owned and operated chimney service company with over 35 years of in the field experience, no techs or subs.
We believe that beyond cleaning, education is the number one thing we can give our customers. We wish to leave you with the knowledge on proper burning practices and the right setup to have problem free, clean burning fires. We don’t go to any job to use the NFPA211 Or IRC codes to sell liners. If you want a honest inspection and suggestions to improve your fireplace performance give us a call!
Chimney cleaning, inspections and repair.
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Q: How often should I clean my chimney?
A: It is recommended to have your fireplace inspected annually. Although we have found under the proper conditions and setup you can burn approximately 2 cords of wood between cleanings.
Q: Without a rain cap won’t I see water?
A: The main function of the fireplace flue is to exhaust the products of combustion to the outside atmosphere. Restricting the exhaust of smoke with a cap allows the smoke to condense into creosote easier and causes unsafe conditions. Durring heavy rain falls the smoke shelf will absorb most of the water and whatever water goes into the firebox will be absorbed by the bricks and mortar and evaporate.
Q: How do I clean the front of my fireplace?
A: What you’ll need is, Simple green, towels, a bucket of water, and a tire brush. Lay down towels infront of the fireplace to catch water, spray Simple Green full strength onto the bricks then scrub gently with the tire brush. It may take a few times to get it completly clean.
There are 3 main parts of the chimney, The base, the firebox, and the Flue.
The base of the chimney is built to support the weight of the structure.
The firebox is made to contain the process of combustion.
The flue is designed to exhaust the products of combustion to the outside atmosphere.
The 4” concrete slab hearth started in the 1940s. Houses constructed pre 1940s are generally built out of solid brick and mortar. In the image of the flue orientation the brick divider or wythe wasnt used durring the 1930s or older houses with tile liners.
Q: Is my fireplace safe?
A: Safety lies solely on the home owner and the operation of the fireplace. There is no product or add-on that can remove responsibility from the home owner.
Q: Glass doors or Hearth screen?
A: We prefer hearth screens for many reasons. Besides being able to tend and enjoy the fire it allows for proper air dilution to help keep the fireplace at an acceptable operating temperature.
Q: My Fireplace smokes up?
A: There are many reasons for fireplaces to smoke up. The best way to solve the issue is to give us a call and answer a few questions and hire us to inspect and evaluate the fireplace.
This is a subject we get asked about daily and is a touchy subject because many Chimney Techs have given up on service in exchange for larger jobs. Your best bet is research and education. As with a lot of things in life, sometimes the lower price ends up having the highest cost. If you’re left with a large bid and zero information on your fireplace beyond needing costly repairs, maybe question what you’ve been told.
Some pros and cons of terra cotta vs steel
Stainless steel:
Pros: If properly installed they heat up quickly to promote draft. Lifetime warranty. usually able to survive multiple chimney fires.
Cons: They’re rarely installed correctly due to chimney chase size restrictions and chase construction. They promote higher flue temperatures. you have to have a cap which increases creosote accumulation and your original damper is usually carelessly removed and you’re left with one option, a top mounted damper with cap. The liner requires annual inspections to maintain warranty whether you use it or not.
Terra Cotta:
Pros: Terra cotta has a very high thermal mass and takes a long time to gain and lose heat which makes it ideal in fluctuating fire temperatures. It’s vitrified clay which seals the surfaces and helps the smoke move and give it less to build up on. No requirements for caps or screens.
Cons: Terra Cotta is susceptibile to thermal shock from chimney fires. They‘re not a good liner for modern high efficiency gas appliances that exhaust cooler water vapor.
In the end it’s up to you on which would be best for your fireplace and what you’re willing to spend on it. If you know how to burn clean manageable fires terra cotta liners will last a lifetime.
Q: What is Top Down burning?
A: Top Down burning is the cleanest way to burn! Traditionally you see people stack wood on a grate and stuff news papers under and light it up! The problem with starting fires that way is, there’s not enough heat to dry out the entire stack of wood at once. With top down it’s only using what’s immediatly available to it which reduces the amount of smoke being created at once and what is created is mostly burned off through the flames at the top.
We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours.
Mon | 09:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. | |
Tue | 09:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. | |
Wed | 09:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. | |
Thu | 09:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. | |
Fri | 09:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. | |
Sat | Closed | |
Sun | Closed |
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