Month: September 2026

Hearth extension size and clearance to combustibles are where remodels go wrong. The fireplace measurements Wonder Lake homeowners should check.

The 3-2-10 rule explains a surprising number of draft complaints. How Bull Valley homeowners measure chimney height and what to do if it falls short.

A camera scan shows cracked tiles, gaps and blockages a flashlight cannot reach. When an Oakwood Hills chimney warrants one, and what the video shows.

White staining on chimney brick is salt left behind by moisture moving through masonry. What it tells Prairie Grove homeowners, and what to do next.

A cricket diverts water around a wide chimney where it meets the roof. Why Island Lake chimneys leak without one, and how the saddle is built.

Pilot and thermopile basics for a gas fireplace that will not light, what a Lakewood homeowner can safely check, and where a service call starts.

Glass doors cut heat loss when the fire is out and can hurt performance while it burns. How Fox River Grove homeowners should actually use them.

The wrong vent cover traps lint and the wrong guard blocks airflow. What belongs on the outside end of a McHenry dryer vent, and what does not.

Cardboard, treated lumber, wrapping paper and driftwood all damage a flue. The burn list every Woodstock household should keep near the fireplace.

Chimney waterproofing only works with a vapour-permeable sealer. Why the wrong product traps water and damages Cary brick faster than doing nothing.