Fireplaces, stoves and chimneys, explained.

Plain-English, illustrated guides to how your fireplace, wood stove and chimney work, what usually goes wrong, what you can safely check yourself, and when it’s time to call a certified professional.

Illustration of a brick fireplace with a fire, a firewood rack, a wood stove and a chimney rising through the roof

Start with what you need help with

Pick a topic. Every guide explains how the system works before getting to what to check.

Fireplaces

Wood, gas and electric fireplaces: how they work, what they cost and how to use them well.

Stoves & Inserts

Wood and pellet stoves and fireplace inserts: efficiency, clearances, cleaning and fixes.

Chimneys & Flues

Draft, liners, caps, creosote and cleaning: what keeps smoke going up and out.

Firewood & Safety

Seasoning, storing and burning firewood, plus alarms, ash handling and fire safety.

Start here

The guides we start with for the questions fireplace and stove owners ask most.

Our first guides are on the way.

Latest guides

New illustrated guides every weekday.

New guides are on the way.

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