Honest chimney advice from our Cincinnati team, what fails first, how creosote builds up, when to reline, and how to choose a sweep.
What every Cincinnati homeowner should know about can you sweep your own chimney, explained without the sales pitch.
Read more →Creosote is the fuel of every chimney fire, and Cincinnati's damp, cool burning weather helps it build faster. Here is how it forms in a local flue, why the river-valley climate accelerates it, and how to keep it from reaching a dangerous level.
Read more →A leaking chimney is one of the most common problems in Cincinnati's older homes, and the water almost never comes in where the stain appears. Here are the four places it really gets in and how each one is fixed.
Read more →The liner is the part of the chimney that keeps your home safe, and most of Cincinnati's older flues are lined with clay tile that cracks with age. Here is how the two liner types compare and when an old flue needs to be relined.
Read more →An uncapped chimney is an open invitation to rain, birds, and animals, and around Cincinnati that invitation gets answered. Here is what a cap keeps out, why it pays for itself, and how to know yours needs replacing.
Read more →A gas fireplace and a wood one need very different chimney care, and assuming a gas appliance needs none is a common and costly mistake. Here is how the maintenance differs and why both still need a yearly look.
Read more →The slow cycle of water soaking in and freezing is the single biggest threat to a Cincinnati chimney's masonry. Here is exactly how freeze-thaw takes a brick stack apart and how to stop it before a repair becomes a rebuild.
Read more →Need a chimney looked at? Our Cincinnati crew assesses it honestly, quotes the work in writing, and lets you decide on your own timeline.