Blog

Once the furnace starts running daily, whatever is sitting in your ductwork circulates through the house with it. Here is what actually collects in there, when cleaning is worth it, and when it is not.

The lint trap catches only part of what comes off your laundry. The rest travels into the duct. Here is how quickly that accumulates, what it does to your dryer, and the warning signs worth acting on.

September is the last stretch of the year when weather, scheduling and repair timelines all still work in your favor. Here is what an early-fall sweep finds and why waiting for the first cold night costs you.

The clay liner is the barrier between fire and your framing. Here is how to spot deterioration before it becomes a safety problem.

Gas fireplaces are low-maintenance, not no-maintenance. Here is what a tune-up covers and why late summer is the time to book one.

A smoking fireplace is a draft problem, and draft problems have a short list of causes. Here is how to work through them in order.

Birds, raccoons and squirrels treat an open flue as prime real estate. Here is how to tell what is up there and why a cap is the permanent fix.

Creosote comes in three forms, and they are not equally removable. Understanding the stages explains why one chimney is swept in an hour and another needs specialist work.

By Dan Joel, Elite Sweepers Inc. If you own a fireplace in Orland Park, late summer and early fall are the smartest time to get your chimney checked. Booking an inspection now means any repairs are finished long before you want that first fire. Our insured and bonded team runs this same check on every…

The crown is the concrete slab at the top of your chimney, and it fails quietly. Here is how to assess yours from the ground before Illinois freeze-thaw season.