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Having a fireplace not only adds value to your home, but it also serves a focal point in whichever room it is located. That is why having beautiful fireplace decor year-round is a must! Baskets are a great way to decorate your fireplace when it’s not in use, and today we’ll show you different basket and decor combination ideas.

Is your Boston area fireplace safe and clean? It is important to make sure that your fireplace has been swept and inspected in the past year before decorating and any combustible decor should be at safe distances from the fireplace opening . Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to get in touch with us about your chimney needs.

Now, we’ll share some beautiful fireplace decor ideas!

New England Fireplace Basket and Decor Ideas

Putting a wicker basket near your fireplace is a must! It can be the finishing touch in tying together the overall look of your fireplace. Luckily, there is a wide variety of basket styles that go with just about any look that you are going for. Here are a few themes that New England homeowners love.

Nautical Fireplace Decor with a White and Tan Basket 

Going with a nautical theme is a natural choice for many New England homeowners given Massachusetts’ proximity to the ocean. There are endless decor ideas when it comes to the ocean. You’ll see in the photo above that The Frugal Homemaker combined lanterns, star fish and other decor items with a white, tan, and teal color palette when decorating her fireplace. She tied the look together by filling a rectangular white and tan wicker basket with a sand colored throw blanket and white throw pillows, evoking the colors of the beach.

Farmhouse Fireplace Decor with Striped Oval Baskets

Whether or not your home is in the country, farmhouse style decor is in. The simple beauty of this decor works year-round, making it so that you do not need to redecorate with each season. A simple shift of the decor when in use will allow you to go from stylish to safeguarded with ease. This fireplace, featured on 33decor.com, combines simple greenery with two oval colored, striped baskets for a calming, symmetrical theme. The baskets pick up the black in the candlestick holders and blackboard styled farm sign, while adding a pop of darkness to the light colored room.

Classic Fireplace Decor with a Textured Woven Basket

If your New England home is historic or classical style, you can mix and match interesting pieces of art on the mantle. This intricate fireplace featured on Good Housekeeping combines framed prints, a sculpture, a decorative box and interesting lighting fixtures on the mantle with a thickly woven basket filled with wood beside it.

Care for Your Boston Area Fireplace and Chimney

Fireplace basket decor transforms the look of your fireplace from boring to beautiful. Whether your home has a nautical, farmhouse, or classic flair, there are countless amazing ideas to draw from. Remember to always focus on fireplace safety when decorating to make sure that your creativity does not compromise the safety of your home.

Boston’s Best Chimney has been serving the Boston area since 1989. We have earned a reputation as a trustworthy, full-service chimney company and we are here to serve you. If you need a chimney inspection, sweep, or installation, we are here for you! Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to contact us.

The post New England Fireplace Decor Ideas appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

Chimney flues and fireplace dampers both are related to venting and drafting a fireplace. While they engage in similar processes, flues and dampers are very different, with each having its own maintenance needs and potential damage issues. Let’s look at these two important components.

Your fireplace damper

Just above the firebox in your fireplace sits the damper. Essentially, it’s a plate system that opens and closes with a handle or device you can control conveniently. The purpose of the damper is to open fully to allow the right amount of air (oxygen) to be pulled into the fireplace for proper combustion and drafting.

When your fireplace isn’t being used, the damper should be closed tightly to protect your warm or cool inside air from cool or warm outside air coming down the chimney.

Dampers also seal off the pathway for bugs, insects and small animals who might want to take a look around your home and establish new living quarters.

Common problems with dampers include rusting, warping and general disrepair from old age. This component is part of a comprehensive chimney inspection and can be repaired or replaced, if and when necessary.

Your chimney flue

The internal area of your chimney contains tubing or a pipe that provides the channel for smoke to move from your fireplace to the outside air. This is your flue. Most modern flues contain flue liners, or chimney liners, which can be made from stainless steel, clay tiles or a poured-in-place compound.

Your chimney is only as safe as its flue. A cracked or broken flue will expose vulnerable materials of your home to fire and damage from smoke and acidic compounds such as creosote.

A compromised flue or chimney liner also can allow toxic combustion gases including deadly carbon monoxide to seep into the living areas of your home.

Flue obstructions

As noted, your chimney flue is the path for smoke to leave your fireplace. Various things can hinder this process. Falling leaves, twigs and fruit from nearby trees as well as the nests of small animals like squirrels and birds can create venting obstructions and lead to sluggish fires and backdrafts of smoke and toxins.

Obstructions can easily be prevented by having a secure full-width chimney cap installed or by repairing
a damaged cap.

Creosote buildup

Chimney flues also are susceptible to accumulations of creosote, a flammable compound that forms when smoke condenses inside the flue.

Most chimney fires are started because of ignited creosote. Some chimney fires are brief and go out on their own; others destroy chimneys and parts or all of the home, depending
on their severity.

The only way to address creosote issues is with the services of a licensed, professional chimney sweep, who uses a variety of tools and solvents to remove the substance. Annual chimney cleaning is recommended by all fire-safety and hearth-industry agencies.

Have your chimney inspected

As you can see, while both dampers and flues are involved in smoke-drafting, each has its own unique needs and potential problems to solve or prevent. If it’s been more than a year since your last chimney and fireplace inspection, now is a good time to arrange for one.

High’s Chimney Service of Gaithersburg, MD, is a Certified Chimney Reliner, and our lead chimney sweeps carry professional certifications from the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). We provide flue and damper service as well as complete chimney inspections and repairs and rebuilding work year-round.

Talk with an expert today at (301) 519-3500.

The post Chimney Flue & Fireplace Damper: Is there a Difference? appeared first on Highs Chimney.

A chimney that receives regular maintenance should give many years of safe and efficient service. But once a chimney passes into “old age,” i.e., 50 or 75 or more years old, certain problems should be expected. Still, with proper repairs and maybe some alterations, chimneys in historic homes can work as well as their much younger counterparts.

The chimney structure

The bricks and mortar that make up historic chimneys are old. That means there may be signs of cracking and decay in parts of the masonry or throughout the system.

Loose, deteriorated bricks (called “spalling”) can eventually cause an older chimney to begin leaning to one side and possibly collapse. So can decayed mortar that holds the bricks together.

A professional chimney inspector can tell you if your chimney has masonry damage needing
to be addressed through repairs such as brick repair, tuckpointing or chimney rebuilding.

Issues in the flue

Chimneys in homes built in the 1800s and early 1900s did not have chimney liners or flue liners. Commonly made of clay tile, stainless steel or a cast-in-place compound, chimney liners protect the interior masonry from mold-causing moisture and damage from heat and acidic compounds such as creosote, a byproduct of wood combustion.

With no chimney liner, toxic flue gases may seep into parts of the home where people and pets can breathe them. Of particular concern is carbon monoxide, which is invisible and odorless – and known to be potentially fatal when inhaled.

If your historic chimney has no liner or one that’s been in place for many years, a certified chimney services technician can perform installations and repairs of all types of liners.

Chimney damage from house-settling

Houses settle periodically, and homes in the “historic” age bracket have done a lot of settling over the years. This seemingly subtle movement can cause cracking within a chimney’s masonry, leading the way to water infiltration.

When moisture moves into gaps in bricks and mortar, freezing temperatures will make it expand and cause larger cracks and greater decomposition. The freeze-thaw cycles common in southern New Hampshire and other cold-weather regions ensure that damage continues until the chimney is at risk of collapse.

Problems with the chimney footing also can cause shifting of the structure – an issue often uncovered when servicing historic chimneys.

Obstructions and creosote buildup

Chimneys of all ages can harbor dangerous drafting obstructions and excess creosote, but older chimneys are particularly problematic in this area.

Without a sturdy chimney cap, debris from nearby trees as well as the nesting material of small animals and the animals themselves when they die in the chimney can block the smooth drafting of smoke.

Creosote, which forms every time a wood fire is burned, is highly flammable and responsible for most chimney fires in the U.S. each year. Creosote also can build up to the point that it causes venting problems.

Professional chimney sweep services performed annually will significantly reduce the amount of creosote in your historic chimney’s flue. Having a quality chimney cap installed will keep debris out of your chimney.

Historic chimney inspections

If it’s been more than a year (and certainly if it’s been decades) since your historic chimney was last inspected, now is the time to arrange this service. Your inspector will evaluate the entire system and its components and let you know what chimney repairs are needed to restore safety and top performance.

Black Moose Chimney of Antrim, NH, provides CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, chimney inspections and historic chimney restorations and repairs. Get the right solutions by calling New Hampshire’s fireplace and chimney experts at
(603) 525-7905.

The post Common Problems with Chimneys in Historic Homes appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Almost every home has a chimney. There is also a lot of information about chimneys both online and offline. The unfortunate thing is that many homeowners make a lot of mistakes with their chimneys. This prevents their chimneys from lasting for a long time. It also puts the homeowners at great risk of fire. Here are some of the chimney mistakes made by many homeowners.

Ignoring unused chimneys

An unused chimney is clean, right? Quite the contrary.  When you are not using your chimney you attract birds and other animals to stay in the chimney. Birds build nests that clog the chimney putting it at the risk of fire.

Regardless of whether you are using the chimney or not you should clean the chimney regularly.

Most chimney sweeps recommend that you should clean the chimney at least once a year. If you are using coal you should clean the chimney twice a year. If you are using wood you should clean it four times.

Hiring the wrong chimney cleaning professional

There are many chimney contactors in the market thus you have many choices to make. Many homeowners go for the cheapest chimney cleaner that they find thinking that they will get cheap, high quality services. Just like anything else in life, you get what you pay for.

For your chimney to be professionally cleaned, you should hire an experienced and certified chimney contractor. While you will pay more for the services, you will get excellent results.

Cleaning the chimney by yourself

If you can clean the house you can also clean the chimney, right? While you can do it if you have the right tools and skills, you won’t achieve the same results as those of a professional.

In addition to cleaning your chimney, a chimney contractor also undertakes chimney inspection where he/she inspects to see if there are any damages, whether the chimney is leaning and if the bricks need re-pointing. If the chimney is damaged the professional undertakes chimney repair.

Burning the wrong wood

Research has shown that up to 80% of homeowners with wood burning fireplaces use the wrong fuel. Many homeowners have been shown to use softwood which not only burns slowly, but also gives a lot of soot which increases the number of times that you need to clean the chimney. A lot of creosote also puts your chimney at the risk of fire.

To be on the safe side you should use hardwood such as oak, elm, hazel, and birch.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com

Your chimney is a cozy and stylish feature of your house that keeps your family warm and makes you feel cozy and secure. Have you ever thought about the importance of your chimney’s safety and security, though? There are many chimney components at work that protect it from becoming unstable or malfunctioning. This, in turn, keeps you safe from common fireplace hazards. Today, we’ll go over some of the chimney components that protect your chimney.

Are you interested in getting your Boston area chimney inspected or serviced? Boston’s Best Chimney is a one stop chimney service company specializing in every aspect of chimney maintenance and repair. Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to get in touch with us!

Now, we’ll discuss the important components that protect your chimney.

Protective Chimney Components

Chimney Flue

Smoke and exhaust leave your home through the chimney flue, making it essential to your chimney’s safety. It is important that your chimney flue is lined to help to keep you safe when your heat is on. If your chimney cracks and you do not know it, fumes and carbon monoxide can leak out. A flue liner can help protect you from this. Be sure to have your chimney flue inspected and swept annually by professionals.

Chimney Crown

A chimney crown covers most of the chimney. It plays an essential role in keeping  your chimney system safe by protecting it from outside rain, ice, snow, and sleet. Chimney crowns also protect the chimney’s masonry.

Chimney Cap

Not to be confused with the chimney crown, the chimney cap is a small hat that covers the chimney. Its function is to keep leaves, branches, and other debris out of the chimney. It can also prevent small animals from entering your chimney. In addition, chimney caps are like spark guards, protecting your home against fires. Check out our Ultimate Chimney Cap Guide to learn more about this important component of your chimney.

Bricks

As the foundation of your chimney’s stack, bricks are responsible for the integrity of your chimney’s structure. If the bricks are old or deteriorated, water can seep through and mold can grow over time. Getting your chimney inspected annually gives professionals the opportunity to detect if your chimney’s bricks are in poor condition or in need of replacement. Besides having your chimney inspected by professionals, we recommend staying ahead of your fireplace and chimney maintenance in between regular cleanings and inspections.

Damper

Dampers often become damaged or worn out over time. Their role is to control airflow in and out of the chimney and they are supposed to remain closed when you are not using your chimney to avoid drafts. Being aware of the state of your damper is essential to ensuring that your fireplace and chimney are in proper working order.

Protect Your Boston Area Chimney

Taking the right steps to care for your chimney regularly will allow you to enjoy it over time without worrying about the safety of your family or the condition of your chimney. At Boston’s Best Chimney, we recommend having your chimney inspected once a year and cleaned annually or as needed. Our reputation of integrity has made us stand out in the Boston and Greater Boston, Massachusetts community since 1989. If you would like to get in touch for a chimney cleaning, inspection, or service, click here or call (781) 893-6611.

The post What Protects Your Chimney? appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

There are three main reasons why you may need a chimney liner: if your chimney doesn’t have clay tile chimney liner, the clay tile is damaged and if you need additional safety especially when you are installing a new heating unit.

When you need a new chimney liner you should contact a chimney professional to come and install it. If your old liner has been damaged the professional should be able to undertake a chimney inspection and find out the faulty areas that need to be addressed.

Categories of chimney liners

There are three categories of chimney liners that you can go with: heavy, high performance and light. The heavy category is the thickest and strongest and the most expensive. Your chimney liner professional should choose the most ideal category to install.

To ensure that you are on the same page with the professional, you should ask him/her why he/she has made the choice. Before you part with your money to buy the liner the professional should give you a solid reason why he/she made the choice.

You should note that stainless steel liners may have to be insulated for them to fit the chimney flue. To do this the chimney professional may have to remove the existing clay flue tiles. To avoid misunderstanding you should enquire about this beforehand.

Guide to buying chimney liner

As mentioned, you should work closely with your chimney expert when installing the chimney liner. It’s also recommended that you buy the liner while in the company of the expert. If the professional isn’t around and you have to buy the liner on your own, you need to be cautious and ensure that you buy the right one.

One of the factors that you should consider is the size of your flue. Before making the purchase you should take the flue measurements and ensure that the liner you buy is the right size. You should note that buying a smaller liner might result to smoke getting back to your house thus making the house uninhabitable.

To get a refund in the event the liner develops problems, you should buy chimney liners that have a warranty. You should note that these liners require that they are installed by a certified chimney contractor.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com

Your chimney and fireplace are designed to withstand the test of time if properly maintained and looked after. One of the most notorious variables in determining your chimney and fireplace’s longevity is its level of moisture resistance. A chimney with poor moisture resistance can mean costly repairs to your chimney and your home, time without your fire, and even the need for a complete rebuild!

Water Intrusion & Your Chimney

Whether you have a Pre-Fab or Masonry unit, your chimney is constructed of many materials, all of which are adversely affected by moisture. This means that if water penetrates your chimney’s exterior, it can destroy it from the inside out. A leaky chimney can result in:

• Rusted chimney and fireplace components (damper, chimney flue, utility flue, gas line/valves)
• Deteriorated metal or masonry firebox assemblies
• Rotting internal or nearby wood framing
• Water stained walls and ceiling
• Stained chimney exterior
• Decayed interior and exterior mortar
• Cracked or deteriorated flue lining system
• Collapsed hearth support
• Tilted or collapsed chimney structure
• Compromised chimney stability

A leaky chimney, if not repaired in a timely fashion, can cause immense damage to other areas of your home as well. Beyond the costly repairs that a leaky chimney can create, it can also create breathing/respiratory issues for family members; both with and without a history of respiratory problems. Once the moisture has made its way in, and warmer months set in, your home is now susceptible to mold/mildew/unwanted growth.

What You Should Do

Listen for the sounds of running water near your fireplace and chimney during heavier rains. Conduct your own visual inspection around the exterior of your chimney, from the ground, and take note if you notice any sort of discoloration or growth. If you hear or see evidence of water intrusion, call our office today so we can schedule your chimney and fireplace inspection!

What Southern Chimneys Will Do

Southern Chimneys will come out and conduct a full, 18-point inspection on your entire fireplace and chimney system. We will trace the water intrusion and we will get the issue resolved! We work alongside a team of skilled roofers and siding contractors, so in the chance that your water intrusion isn’t directly linked to the chimney, we will get you in contact with one of our partners!

The post What is all this rain doing to your chimney? first appeared on Southern Chimneys. This post first appeared on https://southernchimneys.com

A leaky chimney can be confusing, dangerous and possibly quite expensive to fix if the problem isn’t taken care of in the early stages. When getting estimates to have your chimney leak repaired, consider working with licensed, certified chimney professionals, who bring a wealth of knowledge to every job.

Here’s some of that knowledge.

What causes a leaky chimney?

Chimney technicians generally consider any situation in which water is infiltrating the chimney system a “chimney leak.”  This includes water coming in from the top of the chimney due to damaged or missing chimney cap or water getting into bricks and mortar.

Here are some common direct and indirect causes of chimney leaks:

• Damage to the masonry
• Issues with the chimney cap or no cap in place
• Cracked chimney crown
• Warped or deteriorated chimney flashing
• Earthquakes, house-settling, major hail storms
• Improperly built chimney footing
• Chimney fires
• Gale-force winds
• Ice dams around the chimney base

Get chimney leaks fixed quickly

What starts as a small leak in the chimney system will eventually turn into a major problem that could include widespread masonry deterioration as well as damage to building materials of your home near the chimney structure.

Leaky chimneys don’t get better – they get worse. Fortunately, a skilled chimney services professional can perform a thorough inspection and determine why the leak is happening, where it’s centered and what will be required to resolve it.

Spotting a leaky chimney

If you notice any of these common chimney-leak signs, now is the time to address the problem:

Water in the firebox – could be from major leaks in the masonry or water coming into the top of the flue

White staining on exterior bricks – usually means that water is penetrating the bricks, possibly through cracks

Crumbling mortar on the roof near the chimney – mortar-joint damage doesn’t necessarily mean the chimney is leaking, but it means it may start to before long

Damp sections of walls and ceiling – could point to a leak within the chimney system or some part of the roof

Musty smells coming from the fireplace – creosote and soot inside the flue will give off strong odors when excess moisture is present in the chimney liner

Chimney leak repair

Professional chimney companies have a variety of methods they can use to address and solve chimney leaks including:

• Chimney waterproofing
• Tuckpointing to replace compromised sections of masonry
• Brick repair or replacement
• Flashing repair or installation
• Chimney cap repair or replacement
• Chimney chase top repair or installation
• Chimney crown repair or reconstruction

Start with a chimney inspection

If you notice any of the signs of a leaky chimney we listed above, your first step is to schedule a chimney inspection with a licensed professional. Do this prior to using your fireplace again.

Chimney inspections will zero in on the leak, and they also will spot other types of damage or malfunction within your chimney system that you may not know about. A good inspection is like a scorecard: it tells what’s working, what’s not and what it will take to get everything running safely and efficiently.

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace of Kansas City, KS, provides CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, chimney inspections and all types of leaky chimney repair and other repair and rebuilding services. Talk with a chimney expert today at (913) 236-7141.

The post What the Pros Know About Chimney Leaks appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Chimney and chimney cleaning are popular topics and just like other popular discussions, they are marred by many myths. Here are some of the most common chimney myths:

Pine and other soft woods cause excess creosote

Although, softwood may result to more creosote buildup than hardwood, it doesn’t mean that softwood is the main cause of excess creosote buildup in the chimney. Studies have shown that the main cause of the buildup is burning wood (softwood or hardwood) before its ready for burning.

Chimney contractors recommend that you should ensure that the wood that you burn is dry and seasoned. This way the wood will burn effectively and with less creosote regardless of whether it’s hardwood or softwood.

You don’t need to inspect the chimney if you haven’t been using it

While many people may feel that their chimney is in perfect condition and doesn’t require inspection as they haven’t been using it for a long time, this is wrong—you need to undertake regular chimney inspection whether you have been using the chimney or not.

Even if you haven’t been using it, animals may build nests, the chimney liner may develop cracks, and water may damage the chimney. To be on the safe side you should contact a chimney expert to take a look at the chimney and have a look at it.

You can easily clean the chimney by yourself

While the internet has many valuable videos and tutorials on how to clean the chimney, it’s not as easy as you read or see it in the videos. You need to ensure that you use the right tools to achieve ideal results. You also need to be cautious and keep your house clean throughout the cleaning process. To achieve a clean chimney you need to rent or buy the right chimney cleaning tools. You also need to put in a lot of time and energy into the work.

To avoid this trouble, you should seek professional chimney cleaning services. The chimney cleaner will not only clean the chimney, he/she will also repair chimney defects that might be present.

Conclusion

There are many more myths surrounding chimneys and chimney cleaning that can derail you. Always remember that you should inspect and clean your chimney regardless of whether you have been using it or not. To achieve ideal results, always hire an experienced chimney cleaning company to do the cleaning work for you.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com

If you live in a home that was built without a fireplace, there are many practical reasons to install one in your home. Fireplaces are like individual works of art that not only add character to a living space all year long but provide much-needed warmth and comfort during the winter. Fireplaces have also improved considerably and are now more energy-efficient than ever before.  There are energy-efficient wood, pellet, gas, and electric fireplaces. There are also zero-clearance and ventless fireplaces for living spaces that are too small for a traditional fireplace. With energy costs on the rise, a fireplace can reduce your home heating costs when you need it the most. Here are a few more reasons to install a fireplace in your home.

Ambiance

Fireplaces are a charming focal point of the room that naturally draws people into its warm and inviting atmosphere. They are available in a wide assortment of shapes, sizes, styles, and even colors, allowing homeowners to create the perfect ambiance in their home. Whether it’s a traditional wood-burning fireplace, modern gas or pellet fireplace, or a sleek electric fireplace, they are an architectural element that will add character to any living space.

Lower Heating Costs

According to a recent study, Kansas has the 23rd highest utility rates in the country. Installing an energy-efficient fireplace can reduce heating costs and dependency on the utility during the winter. Fireplaces can also be used for zone heating. Instead of heating the entire home with a central heating system, fireplaces warm the occupied rooms. Depending on the model, a fireplace can heat up to 1,000 square feet or more of living space.

Affordability

Fireplaces are more affordable than many people may realize. Just like any other home improvement project, the cost can vary depending on a variety of factors such as location, whether a chimney or vent is required, and type of fuel, for example. While a traditional masonry fireplace is often the most expensive option, pre-fab fireplaces and fireplace inserts are lower-cost alternatives making the addition affordable for any budget.

Increases Home Value

A fireplace is a desirable feature that may even increase your home’s value. A 2016 Angie’s List survey of real estate agents found that a fireplace can increase a home’s value from $1,000 to $4,999.  In a recent home buyers survey, the National Association of Realtors stated that heating and cooling costs were the most important environmental feature. Also, The National Association of Home Builders found that 51% of home buyers consider a gas or wood-burning fireplace to be a desirable home feature.

Stay Warm During a Power Outage

Winter storms and power outages seem to go hand-in-hand. If your home relies on central heating, your ability to stay warm goes out until the power is restored. On the other hand, gas and wood-burning fireplace don’t require electricity and will keep your space warm and cozy and give some light to the room during a power outage.

The post Reasons to Install A Fireplace appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.