Are your logs dry enough?
If your flue is tarring up, your fuel is usually the reason. And the word “seasoned” on a bag of logs tells you almost nothing.
The only number that matters is 20%
Wood should be under 20% moisture content when you burn it. That’s it — that’s the whole test. Everything else is marketing.
When to book your chimney sweep
Almost everyone books their chimney sweep in September and October. It’s the worst possible time to do it — here’s why, and when you should be booking instead. What happens every autumn The first genuinely cold week arrives, everyone thinks about their fire at the same moment, and every sweep in the region is booked […]
Signs Your Chimney Needs Sweeping
Most people don’t think about the chimney until it starts misbehaving. Here’s what to look for, what each sign usually means, and which ones mean stop using the fire now. 1. Smoke blowing back into the room The most obvious one, and the most commonly misdiagnosed. A blocked or heavily sooted flue will do it […]