Sammy

I climbed up on my own roof three winters ago to install the first chimney cap on our 1920s brick chimney. The raccoons had moved in, the damper was rusting, and rainwater was getting into the firebox every time it stormed. After replacing that cheap big-box cap within 18 months, I went deep on materials, … Read more

I learned the hard way that a regular shop vac is a fire hazard around hot ash. Two winters ago I cleaned out my wood stove with a household shop vac, and the fine dust clogged the filter so badly the motor started smelling like burning plastic. An ash vacuum is built differently. The metal … Read more

Anyone with a wood-burning fireplace knows the frustration of flimsy tools that bend under heavy logs. I have tested dozens of fireplace tool sets over the years for my own home and for friends who asked for recommendations, and the difference between a decorative piece and a genuine workhorse shows up the first time you … Read more

Choosing the best hearth pads for your wood stove or fireplace is one of the most important safety decisions you’ll make as a homeowner. After a long winter night, your stove can radiate intense heat downward into your floors, and a single stray ember can scorch hardwood or ignite carpet in seconds. Our team spent … Read more

Wood stoves have been heating homes for generations, and the right stove pipe makes all the difference between a warm, safe home and a potential fire hazard. I’ve spent countless hours researching and comparing stove pipes for my own wood stove installation, and I’ve learned that not all pipes are created equal. Whether you’re installing … Read more

If your chimney is more than 15 years old, you’re probably overdue for a liner inspection. I learned this the hard way when my heating contractor showed me the crumbling clay tiles inside my 1920s chimney during a routine service call. The best chimney liners aren’t just a safety requirement; they’re the difference between a … Read more

I spent the last 60 days testing eight of the best gas fireplace inserts you can buy right now, and the results surprised me. I lit each unit in a controlled 1,200 sq ft living room space, tracked heat output, measured fan noise, photographed flame realism, and even measured how warm the floor stayed after … Read more

If you have an old fireplace that barely heats your living room, a pellet stove insert can change how your home feels all winter. Our team spent the last three months installing and burning through eight of the top-rated pellet stove inserts on the market, tracking heat output, hopper runtime, noise, and how often we … Read more

If you are shopping for the best pellet stoves in , you are not alone. Pellet stoves hit a sweet spot between the work of a wood stove and the ease of a furnace. They light themselves, feed pellets from a hopper, and push warm air through a built-in blower. After running pellet stoves in … Read more

Swimming in a warm pool shouldn’t mean a sky-high electric bill every month. After spending the last three summers testing different solar pool heating systems on my own 18,000-gallon inground pool, I’ve seen firsthand what works and what wastes money. The best solar pool heaters can extend your swim season by 2-3 months while slashing … Read more