What actually happens during a chimney fire
Chimney fires are not always dramatic. Here is what one sounds like, what to do in the moment, and why the flue must be inspected before it is used again.
Rick Lee
Rick Lee is the owner and lead chimney sweep at Zenith Chimney Service in Geneva, Illinois. He has worked in the chimney trade for 19 years and runs the company with his two brothers, Jack and Andy.
Your dryer is taking two cycles. That is a fire warning.
A load that needs running twice is the clearest early sign of a blocked dryer vent, and blocked vents are consistently identified as the leading cause of home dryer fires.
Why chimney leaks almost always start at the top
A brown stain on the ceiling beside the chimney is usually not the roof. Here are the three places water actually gets in, and how to tell them apart.
How to tell if your chimney actually needs sweeping
Annual sweeping is a rule of thumb, not a rule. Here is how to judge whether your chimney is actually due, using what you can see from the firebox.