chimney expert

February 2, 2024

Phillip Batts

Choosing the Right Wood for Your Fireplace

Choosing the right wood for your fireplace is essential for safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Here's a helpful guide: Hardwoods vs. Softwoods Hardwoods like oak, ash, and maple are denser and heavier, offering a longer burn time and more heat output. They are ideal for your fireplace because they produce [...]

November 17, 2022

Phillip Batts

What Is Chimney Repointing?

If you have an old chimney, you've probably had someone recommend having it repointed. In today's post, Batts' Chimney Services shares a quick guide to what you need to know about chimney repointing. (more…)

November 10, 2022

Phillip Batts

4 Tips on Making Your Fireplace Burn More Efficiently

A fireplace is a great alternative heating system for your home and can improve your home's aesthetics, but it is not as efficient as a whole-home system like a furnace. However, there are a few things that you can do to improve a fireplace's efficiency. Read on as Batts' Chimney [...]

November 3, 2022

Phillip Batts

How to Get Bats Out of Your Chimney

Bats find shelter in dark and warm spaces where they feel secure and protected. Unfortunately, chimneys are among these spaces. However, letting them stay in your chimney can result in bat urine and droppings accumulating inside, leading to odors and contaminated runoff, and may even mean bats getting into your [...]

September 29, 2022

Phillip Batts

How to Tell if Your Chimney Needs Urgent Repair

Your chimney is built to withstand extreme temperatures from the cold weather and your fireplace. This kind of wear and tear takes a toll over time, causing your chimney to eventually need repair. Unfortunately, you cannot always see the damage from the ground. Sometimes, issues are difficult to detect, causing [...]

September 23, 2022

Phillip Batts

4 Ways to Remove a Bird’s Nest From Your Chimney

A bird's nest in your chimney is dangerous because it blocks the top of the flue and traps hazardous carbon monoxide and other harmful fumes from combustion. Moreover, birds and other animals can affect the airflow and the structure of your chimney, which can present more problems.  (more…)

August 3, 2022

Phillip Batts

Should You Clean Your Chimney on Your Own?

If your chimney could use a good cleaning, you might think that doing it yourself is a cost-effective solution. Inspecting your chimney may be doable, such as checking to see if the chimney damper is open, but cleaning it is best left to a professional. Remember, your chimney is full [...]

July 20, 2022

Phillip Batts

Chimney Downdrafts: Signs, Causes and Fixes

Chimney downdrafts can cause your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to go off. In extreme cases, they can lead to severe health problems as they can contaminate the air you breathe. Fortunately, you can call a chimney contractor to help you figure out if you have downdraft problems and what [...]

July 13, 2022

Phillip Batts

What You Should Know About Chimney Fire

A chimney fire is dangerous and will leave you wondering when you can safely use your fireplace again. You're also probably thinking of expensive repairs that will create a dent in your budget. Don't worry because chimney fires are usually manageable. Just make sure to immediately call a reliable chimney [...]

July 6, 2022

Phillip Batts

The Difference Between Flue Cleaning and Chimney Sweeping

The chimney and flue are two different components that require regular cleaning and maintenance. That said, make sure you don't use the terms flue cleaning and chimney sweeping interchangeably. (more…)

June 29, 2022

Phillip Batts

Addressing Lint Buildup in Your Dryer Vent the Right Way

The clothes dryer is an essential part of our lives. It can be found in almost every household across the country as it has become part of the standard way of taking care of the laundry. But to ensure that the dryer keeps drying efficiently, you'll need to keep the [...]

June 8, 2022

Phillip Batts

Summer Cleaning and Maintenance Checklist for Your Chimney

With the summer season in full swing, it's the perfect time for chimney maintenance. Doing this during summer can ensure your chimney is clean, safe and ready by the time fall and winter weather sets in again. It's also better to do it sooner so that you won't have to [...]

June 2, 2022

Phillip Batts

Why Your Gas Fireplace Still Needs a Proper Chimney Cleaning

A traditional wood-burning fireplace requires regular cleaning to clear out the ash and carbon that have collected in the firebox and chimney. This can be tedious and costly at times, which is why many homeowners switch to gas fireplaces instead. But because they don't burn wood, do gas fireplaces still [...]

March 9, 2022

Phillip Batts

Chimney Chase Covers: A Quick Overview

Understanding the parts of your chimney and their respective functions allows you to properly maintain the entire system. One important component you should know about is the chase cover or chase pan. It is the square or rectangular piece of metal that is fitted on top of your chimney chase.  [...]

August 24, 2021

Phillip Batts

How to Hire the Right Chimney Sweep

Proper care and maintenance of your chimneys, wood stoves and fireplaces can help protect you from unnecessary fires and carbon monoxide poisonings. When trying to hire someone to clean your fireplace chimney, you may run into some issues, not knowing where to start. The details can often be overwhelming. (more…)

August 3, 2021

Phillip Batts

Why It’s Important to Close Your Damper in The Summer

People rarely use their chimneys in the summer, so most of them do not even give these structures much attention. This is the time for chimney repair and maintenance, and it is also when you would close off the chimney., though some people make the mistake of leaving the chimney dampers open [...]