Advice & research
What the numbers actually say about chimneys
Every figure in these pieces is sourced and linked. Where a claim gets repeated across the trade without a source behind it, we say that too — including the ones that would flatter us.
What a chimney fire actually costs
Federal fire data puts a number on it, and the number is not what most people expect. The gap between a chimney fire that stays in the flue and one that doesn't is about 85 to 1.
Read itCarbon monoxide and your chimney
A chimney's job is to put combustion gases outside. When it stops doing that, nothing about the failure is visible or audible — which is what makes it the hazard worth understanding.
Read itDoes a fireplace add value to your home?
Less than the internet says, and through a different mechanism than you'd think. The resale money in a chimney isn't the fireplace — it's what the buyer's inspector finds.
Read itRather just ask someone?
Call and describe what your chimney is doing. If it's nothing, we'll tell you it's nothing.