Convos and beverages with friends under the stars. Roasted weenies and s’mores. Fire pits bring the party to your backyard. But like anything where fire is involved, there’s a safe and an unsafe way to enjoy your fire pit. We’re going to talk about that right now, as we dive into some fire pit safety tips and FAQs.

#1 Where should my fire pit be located?

First things first. Let’s talk fire pit placement. You’ll need a flat surface, but do not place your fire pit directly on the grass. Ideally, you want your fire pit raised at least 6-10 inches off the ground on some type of a metal or other non-combustible base.
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Now let’s talk distance from your home. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need to place your fire pit at least 10 feet from your home, storage shed, fence, or any other structure or dwelling.

​Hello, wood burners! Welcome to your ultimate guide on firewood and what you can + can’t burn in your fireplace. We’re going to cover everything from wood types and the moisture content of properly seasoned wood to creosote logs, wood storage, and safe burn practices.

Let’s get started!

​Even if you grew up with a fireplace in your home, there’s always more to learn about how to properly use, maintain, and enjoy your fireplace. You likely have questions about how to get the most heat and efficiency from your fireplace, how to know if it’s safe to use your fireplace, how to improve draft, etc. Well, we’re here to help.
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Here at CSIA, we believe that the more homeowners know about fireplaces, the more empowered they’ll be to safely use them. That’s why we put together this Ultimate Guide to Using Your Fireplace.
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In it, we’ll cover:

• Common questions around chimney and fireplace use and maintenance
• Tips on using and maintaining your wood-burning fireplace, stove, or insert
• Tips on using and maintaining your gas-fired fireplace, stove, or insert

Let’s dive in.

So, you want to know what you can be doing to keep your chimney and fireplace in great shape. Great! There are a couple of things you can DIY, but some things are best left to the professionals. We’ve included both here because they’re *vital* to chimney/fireplace performance, safety, and longevity.
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Alright, let’s dive in and look at the top five things you can do to help your chimney and fireplace perform well (and as safely as possible), stand strong, and look great through the years…

Chimney ownership comes with its own challenges, and you may not know what to do in every situation. We’re here to help by going over some of the most common ‘Uh oh’ scenarios of chimney ownership and what you should do in each situation.

Plus, we’ll cover why you might find yourself in these types of situations in the first place and what you can do to prevent them in the future.
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Let’s get started…

Most of us grew up with HVAC systems, so it’s not surprising that we often take the comfort they provide for granted. Typically, we don’t even think about these systems until there’s a problem, right? But the truth is, just like any other area of your home, your furnace and the venting system it relies on require routine care. And when you neglect the chimney venting your gas or oil furnace, boiler, or water heater, you can run into trouble…

Not only will your appliance itself suffer in terms of performance and efficiency, but you may also see an increase in fire and carbon monoxide risks, as well as bigger repair bills down the line.

We want to help you avoid expensive repairs and unnecessary risk, and we believe education is the key. So, let’s dive into what you need to know about gas and oil furnace flue maintenance.
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Ready? Let’s get started.

​A leaky chimney is more than just an inconvenience – if it’s ignored, it can end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars to fix. Unfortunately, many homeowners are under the impression that chimneys – masonry chimneys especially – are unbothered by weather and impenetrable by water.

Not true. Masonry chimneys may look and seem indestructible, but they’re not. They’re constructed of a variety of masonry and metal materials, including brick, mortar, concrete block, stone, flue tile, steel, and cast iron – all of which (except stone) are adversely affected by direct contact with water or water penetration.

Masonry materials deteriorate even more rapidly when exposed to the freeze/thaw process, in which moisture penetrates the materials and periodically freezes and expands, causing undue stress. And depending on where you live, your chimney may be exposed to the freeze/thaw process for as many as six months or so.

Here’s the key takeaway: Water is your chimney’s biggest enemy, and a leaky chimney can lead to both interior and exterior deterioration and costly damage if neglected.

But what causes chimney leaks?

We get a lot of questions about chimney sweeping logs and creosote logs, like:

• Do chimney sweeping logs really work?
• How do chimney cleaning logs work?
• If you use a creosote log, do you still need a chimney sweep?

Well, we’ve got answers! Let’s dive in.