Dander and pet hair collect in return ducts and come back out when the furnace starts. Why Crystal Lake homes with pets feel dustier every autumn.

What a chimney inspection should cover when you are buying or selling a home in Marengo, and why a general home inspector cannot tell you the flue is safe.

When mortar joints fail, sweeping will not help. How Wonder Lake homeowners recognise a chimney that needs tuckpointing, and what the work involves.

Masonry and prefab chimneys look alike from the curb but need different repairs. How Bull Valley homeowners tell which one they actually have.

Ash holds live coals for days. The safe way to remove and store fireplace ash in an Oakwood Hills home, and the shortcut that starts house fires.

Dropping a wood stove into an existing fireplace only works if the flue is sized for it. The rules Prairie Grove homeowners should check first.

A rough smoke chamber makes rooms fill with smoke and collects creosote. What parging is, and when an Island Lake fireplace actually needs it.

The crown is the slab on top of the chimney, and cracks there let water into the whole structure. Repair or replace, for Lakewood homeowners.

An insert changes the venting, the liner and the maintenance. What Fox River Grove homeowners should understand before converting an open fireplace.

A summer of cooling leaves dust, pollen and moisture in Huntley ductwork. What builds up, what it affects, and whether cleaning is worth doing now.