Real chimney know-how for Philadelphia, sweep frequency, flue fires, leaks, caps, liners, and how to hire a sweep.
What every Philadelphia homeowner should know about how to chimney sweep, explained without the sales pitch.
Read more →A fireplace that rolls smoke back into a South Philly rowhome is almost never cursed and almost never just dirty. Here is what is actually happening, why these houses are prone to it, and how the problem really gets fixed.
Read more →When a furnace or water heater pulls its exhaust back into the house instead of up the flue, it is a safety problem, not a quirk. Here is why tight South Philadelphia rowhomes are prone to backdrafting and what to do about it.
Read more →Many South Philly chimneys are simply too short for their block, and no amount of sweeping fixes that. Here is how flue height drives draft, why rowhome stacks come up short, and when raising the flue is the real answer.
Read more →A fire needs air, and a tightly sealed rowhome may not give it any. Here is what makeup air is, why renovated South Philly houses run short of it, and how to feed a fire without pulling smoke back inside.
Read more →Switching to high-efficiency gas often leaves an old chimney flue mismatched or abandoned, and that is a real safety issue. Here is what happens to the flue after a conversion and why it needs attention.
Read more →Many South Philly rowhomes share a chimney stack with the house next door, and Philadelphia winters work hard on that shared masonry. Here is how freeze-thaw damages a party-wall stack and what caring for it involves.
Read more →One call to a real Philadelphia chimney sweep and we looks it over, tells you what we find, and never sells you work you do not need.