Q: What is the best way to waterproof my chimney? The bricks tend to absorb water, and I get some leaks. A: Bricks do not usually absorb water, unless the bricks are common and old. In the old days ...

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 ...

Question: I'm looking for advice on how to cap off an unused chimney. Last season I replaced my extremely old oil furnace with a high-efficiency propane furnace. The oil furnace used the chimney to ...

Q: A while back you had a column about what to do if inside or around your fireplace shows a lot of whiteness. My brickwork shows white; there is crud inside both upstairs and downstairs fireplaces.

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 ...

Q. I own a ranch home that is about 50 years old. About 10 or 12 years ago the facing of the chimney brickwork began to spall and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick pieces began to fall off a number of the bricks ...

Q:What is the best way to waterproof my chimney? The bricks tend to absorb water, and I get some leaks. A: Bricks do not usually absorb water, unless the bricks are common and old. In the old days the ...