Jeff Somers is a freelancer who has been writing about writing, books, personal finance, and home maintenance since 2012. When not writing, Jeff spends his free time fixing up his old house. He has ...

Where to start with chimneys? Probably here: A chimney is not just an elongated window, not just a portal from inside to outside with deep, brick sills. A chimney, in fact, is a machine for generating ...

A fireplace can be an asset in a home, even if it hasn't hosted a roaring blaze in decades. Inactive fireplaces supply charm, rather than warmth. But as lovely as they are, chimneys -- both inactive ...

OK, things have come to a head, and I need something to keep animals out of my chimney. I have two flues, (one for the livingroom, one for the basement) that come out of the same chimney. Since I'm ...