To install a mantel on a stone fireplace, you'll need to install a cleat (concrete sleeve anchor) on the stone that will enable you to mount the mantel
This is a pretty difficult DIY task- it might be best to hire it out to a pro
Jump down to a video demonstrating the process
Start by assembling a...
Chimney sweeping logs are marketed as a cheap alternative to a pro doing a sweeping for you
The way they work, as the logs burn, their smoke will loosen up the creosote, which then falls into your fireplace for easy removal
However, it often fails when used on chimneys that do not have straight, vertical flues
In that...
A coal fireplace insert is a sealed firebox — burning anthracite coal instead of wood — installed into an existing masonry fireplace opening. Coal burns hotter, longer, and more steadily than wood (often 10-12+ hours on one loading), but it produces carbon monoxide just like any other solid fuel, and not every insert or stove is rated to burn...
According to the National Fire Protection Association, dryers, as well as washing machines, create an average of 15,970 fires annually (Source)
Dryers cause 92% of them- and account for $238 million in property damage.
The most common cause is the failure to clean and maintain the dryers- accounting for 31% of the fires
Experts recommend proper and regular...
Air-drying firewood the traditional way — stacked, covered, and left alone — works, but it takes months, sometimes a full year depending on species and climate. A kiln speeds that up dramatically by using trapped solar heat and forced airflow to pull moisture out of the wood in days to a couple of weeks instead.
A wood kiln doesn't need...
You should position the mantel flat against the wall, where you want to install it.
Then trace a pencil line on the wall to mark where you want the height of the mantel to be
Next, get a stud finder to find the studs behind the drywall along the pencil line
Make a mark along the...
Look for the manufacturer's name embossed on the stove itself, often on the door — Charter Oak, Glenwood, Queen Atlantic, Walker and Pratt, Barstow, and Acme are among the well-known old stove brands.
Look for a patent number, often near a "PAT." marking — you can look up any U.S. patent issued after 1790 directly through the USPTO's...
Vent-free (also called "ventless" or "unvented") gas logs are a gas-log insert designed to drop into an existing wood-burning fireplace and burn without any chimney or flue connection — the combustion air comes from the room, and the combustion byproducts go back into the room too. That's a meaningfully different product from a built-in ventless fireplace (covered in our...
Good chimney caps can keep out rain and other forms of precipitation, which prevents an unfortunate wet surprise
A chimney cap is a piece of metal on top of the chimney that usually has an angle to it. This slope allows rain to slide away from the chimney which can decrease moisture inside
If your chimney crown becomes...
We've gathered some great fireplace bench examples and ideas below
Check out MyOutDoorPlans if you want to DIY one, or Wayfair if you want to buy one
If you're looking to add a cozy and inviting touch to your home, look no further than a fireplace bench. They provide extra seating around the hearth, but they can also be...