Nearly 3,000 Books Collected for Schools in Need

A small part doing a big job It is totally understandable if you’ve never heard the term “throat damper.” It’s a component most homeowners never think about until something goes very wrong: a gas smell in the house, logs that scorch and overburn, or a fireplace that just doesn’t seem to draft the way it should. Understanding what a throat damper is, why it matters, and how to tell if yours is installed correctly can save you from all three. What is a throat damper? A throat damper is a metal

Cheap to build, costly to ignore. If you live in a condo, townhouse, or HOA community, there’s a good chance the fireplace in your home isn’t a traditional masonry fireplace at all. It’s likely what’s known as a prefabricated fireplace. These are often called factory-built or ‘prefab’ fireplaces, and many are designed as zero-clearance systems. Understanding how these units work (and where they tend to fail) can save you a lot of frustration, and potentially prevent a real safety and fire hazard. Recently, Priddy Chimney converted an inefficient prefabricated fireplace to

Not all chimney caps are created equal. Most chimney caps do one job: cover the flue opening. A hip and ridge cap does something broader. It covers the whole top of the chimney, and for the right chimney, that’s a meaningful upgrade. For many others, a standard cap is exactly what you need. This guide explains the difference so you can tell which situation you’re in. What Is a Hip and Ridge Chimney Cap? A hip and ridge chimney cap is a custom-fabricated cover built to fit the full top of