Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)

Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)

by MARTHA NEITZ Did you know that chimney sweep companies are unregulated? Anyone can go out, buy a brush, get a business license, and call themselves a chimney sweep. Since wood burning appliances can be dangerous, an unqualified chimney sweep is pretty scary. A way to find an accredited chimney sweep company is to check […]

FIRE in the House! Do you know what to Do?

Fire in the House! Do you know what to Do? Fire in the home can happen at any time. From a meal catching fire on the stove to smoke alarms going off in the middle of the night. Do YOU know what to do if that happens? More importantly, do your children know what to […]

Benefits of Chimney Flue Caps?

Although you may be familiar with chimney flue caps, you may be wondering what benefits they offer. Besides giving your chimney flue a completed look, flue caps keep your chimney functional and safe so you can keep the home fires burning. What Is A Flue Cap? A flue cap is placed over and attached to […]

5 FAQs of Dr. SOOT, Chimney Sweep – Colorado Springs

As one of the top Colorado Springs chimney professional cleaners, we get lots of questions about all things having to do with chimneys.  To answer a few common questions, we’ve compiled five frequently asked questions for Colorado Springs chimney cleaners.  Why does my chimney need to be cleaned? You may be surprised that deep inside […]

Back puffing – have you had this problem?

Specialty caps and cap dampers can solve back puffing problems. As the weather gets colder and we close up our homes, turn on the furnace and use our fireplaces, we sometimes experience smoke coming back into the room.  Why does this happen? The underlying cause of back puffing is negative pressure.  When your home is […]

Should I have my chimney checked – masonry or brick?

Do you have a masonry or a brick chimney?  Is your fireplace wood burning or is it gas?  Did you use it at all this last year?  However you answered those questions actually makes no difference.  The answer is the same.  You need to have your wood burning chimney inspected every year and swept as […]

Maintenance is key to Safety

Just like changing the oil in your car prolongs its life, the same is true for fireplaces and woodstoves. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) recommends all wood burning systems (fireplaces and woodstoves) be structurally checked annually and have their chimneys swept as necessary. Spring is the best time of year to do it because […]

Tips for buying Firewood

It’s fall and time to make sure that you  have your needed wood supply for this winter.  I often get asked, “Is it all right to burn pine?  I hear that it is not a good wood.”  Needless to say, there are lots of different kinds of wood – pine, birch, cedar, maple, etc.   All […]