How To Use a Fire Extinguisher
If anyone knows how much comfort and joy a fireplace can bring to a home, it’s us! We’ve made fireplaces and chimneys our business, and not only are all our lead technicians certified not only by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), but we’re also...
My Power’s Out! What Are Alternate Heating/Lighting Options?
You’re going about business as usual, when you suddenly find yourself in the dark. The hum of the fridge and other electronic noise is silenced. As you fumble for your flashlight, you’re probably wondering how long you’ll be deprived of the modern conveniences you...
Why Do We Like To Stare at Fires?
Fire can be mesmerizing. Gazing at a fire is a relaxing activity that can be almost hypnotic, and it’s fascinated humans for millennia. Now, we recognize that fire can be harnessed as a tool for heating, cooking food, or producing light...or embraced in cultural...
The Strange (But True) History of the Chimney Sweep
It’s that time of year again – it’s annual chimney inspection time! As you watch a chimney technician from Owens Chimney Systems break out a cleaning brush and ascend the ladder to scope your chimney, the thought hits you: How did chimney sweeping even start? Chimney...
How Many Smoke Detectors Do You Need? Where Should You Install Them?
Few experiences are more jarring than being abruptly woken in the night by the sharp, incessant beeping of a smoke detector. But, do you know what’s definitely worse? The alternative: waking to the smell of smoke signaling a fire ablaze in your home. That’s why...
Should I Be Worried About Ice on My Chimney Cap?
Chimneys often bear the brunt of winter's fury, but it's too easy to get caught up in the cold season's beauty and look past crucial red flags. Although the thought of ice covering your chimney cap may seem like a picture-perfect snapshot at first, it could be a...
Choosing the Right Fireplace for Your Home
If you’re thinking about adding, replacing, or updating your fireplace, a little research will reveal a buffet of options. Whether that buffet seems enticing or a little daunting, the question is the same. Where to start? If you're like most, you'll type in "fireplace...
Wintertime Fireplace Checklist
As winter’s chill rolls across the landscape, there’s nothing quite like the cozy embrace of a crackling fire’s radiant heat in the fireplace. To make the most of it, there are a number of good practices to consider. These range from how you store your firewood to how...
Fireside Holiday Traditions Around the World
All around the globe, you’ll find a rich variety of customs, traditions, and celebrations that fill the holidays with joyful warmth. Since fireplaces are linked with gathering and togetherness, it’s not surprising that the hearth plays a role in many. Whether deeply...
How To Safely Decorate My Fireplace
A fireplace in a room draws attention. It’s a structural feature that infuses character to a home on its own merit, and when the fire is going it can become positively mesmerizing. It makes sense, then, that a homeowner who’s fortunate enough to boast a fireplace will...