Guides written by working Chicago sweeps, the signs of trouble, the creosote risk, masonry care, and smart hiring.
What every Chicago homeowner should know about do chimney cleaning logs really work, explained without the sales pitch.
Read more →Switching a North Side fireplace from wood to gas is a popular upgrade, but the flue it vents through was built for a different fire. Here is what a gas conversion actually does to your chimney and what it needs to vent safely.
Read more →The crown and the cap are two separate parts at the top of your chimney that do two different jobs, and confusing them costs homeowners money. Here is what each one is, how each fails, and why both matter on a North Side stack.
Read more →Two-flats and three-flats are everywhere on the North Side, and their chimneys carry problems a single-family home never sees. Here is what shared stacks, multiple flues, and decades of changes mean for these buildings.
Read more →When a chimney has problems, the honest question is how far gone it is. Here is how we tell a contained repair from a reline from a full rebuild on a North Side stack, and why the answer is rarely the most expensive one.
Read more →When a fireplace pushes smoke into the room or the chimney sends odors through the house, the draft is the problem. Here is what causes poor draft on North Side homes and how each cause gets sorted out.
Read more →A North Side winter is hard on a chimney, and the time to deal with it is before the burning season, not after a leak. Here is the honest pre-winter checklist for a Chicago chimney and why the order matters.
Read more →Thinking about your chimney? Our Chicago crew runs a camera up the flue, photographs what we find, and backs it in writing.