Category Chimney & Vent Tips

Oak, ash, maple or pine: how firewood species changes heat, coaling and creosote in a Frankfort fireplace, and why the softwood myth is backwards.

Grilles above and below your fireplace move heat into the room. Why they clog, rattle or blow weak air in Mokena homes, and what to clean yourself.

A gas fireplace smell on the first fall fire is usually dust burn-off. How Bolingbrook homes tell burn-off apart from a gas leak or exhaust spillage.

Shared chimneys can let furnace exhaust drift into the fireplace flue. Signs of flue crossover, why flue tops are staggered, and fixes for Shorewood homes.

A slow dryer is not always a clogged vent. How dryer sheet film seals the lint screen and coats moisture sensor bars, and how Plainfield homes can test it.

Kitchen range hood ducts collect flammable grease, not dust. Where it builds, what it costs you in airflow, and how it gets cleaned in New Lenox homes.

Attic insulation packed against a chimney breaks the required air gap to framing. How clearance works, why it matters, and what we check in Lemont.

Second-floor and closet dryers have hidden vent routes and tight spaces that trap lint. Warning signs, air needs and cleaning for Romeoville laundry rooms.

A wood-framed chimney chase can rot at siding seams and roof flashing even with a sound cover. Signs of water damage and repair options for Joliet homes.

Dark streaks around ceiling vents or carpet edges point to a soot or dust source. How Crest Hill homeowners can find the cause and clean the marks properly.