How Florida Weather Wears Down Your Chimney (And Why Maintenance Matters)

October 1, 2025 | Chimney Basics

Florida’s climate is uniquely tough on chimneys and fireplaces — whether you have a traditional masonry chimney or a factory-built (prefabricated) system. Even if you rarely use your fireplace, the environment alone can cause wear and tear that leads to costly problems if not addressed.Think of your chimney like your car: even if it spends most of its time parked, it still needs routine maintenance. You wouldn’t skip oil changes and expect your car to last forever, right? The same goes for your chimney or fireplace system.Below, we’ll explore how Florida weather impacts both masonry and factory-built chimneys — and the steps that help protect them for the long run.High Humidity = Hidden DamageMasonry Chimneys: Florida’s constant humidity seeps into bricks and mortar. Over time, this weakens the structure, causes cracks, and can create musty odors.Factory-Built Fireplaces: Excess moisture encourages rust and corrosion on metal fireboxes, dampers, and liners, shortening … Continued

What Is Organic Growth on Your Chimney — and Why Is It Important to Remove?

September 16, 2025 | Chimney Maintenance

As the weather changes and moisture levels rise, you may begin to notice green, black, or mossy patches forming on your chimney. While this might seem like a harmless or natural occurrence, this organic growth can lead to serious issues if not addressed properly.At Chimney Champions, we believe in educating homeowners about potential risks to their chimney systems. Here’s what you need to know about organic growth and why it’s important to have it professionally removed.What Is Organic Growth?Organic growth on a chimney typically includes:MossAlgaeMildewMoldThese organisms thrive in damp, shaded environments—conditions often found on the north-facing sides of chimneys or in areas with poor ventilation. While it might initially appear to be a cosmetic concern, the underlying impact can be much more significant.Why Is Organic Growth a Problem?1. Moisture RetentionOrganic growth traps moisture against the brick and mortar. This ongoing exposure can weaken masonry over time, causing issues like brick … Continued

Why Hiring a Certified Chimney Sweep Matters: Protect Your Home, Your Wallet, and Your Peace of Mind

August 27, 2025 | Chimney Inspections

When it comes to home maintenance, the chimney is often overlooked. But the reality is that an improperly maintained chimney can pose serious risks—from fire hazards to structural damage and even carbon monoxide exposure. That’s why hiring a certified chimney sweep is not just a smart choice—it’s a critical one.Unfortunately, the chimney industry has seen a rise in unqualified, uninsured, and non-certified contractors offering discounted services to gain access to your home. These companies often use low prices as bait and may deliver substandard, unsafe work. As a homeowner, it’s important to know what you’re really getting.The Problem with Low-Cost “Deals”Many companies advertise extremely low prices for chimney inspections or cleanings. Once inside your home, they may attempt to upsell services you don’t need or perform work that is incomplete—or outright unsafe.Worse, many of these contractors are:Not certified by recognized industry organizationsOperating without proper insuranceLacking technical training and safety knowledgeNot … Continued

The Best and Worst Types of Wood to Burn in Your Fireplace — And Why It Matters

August 18, 2025 | *Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

There’s nothing like the warmth and crackle of a real wood-burning fire. Whether it’s for ambiance or home heating, your fireplace can be a cozy focal point — but only if you’re burning the right kind of wood.Using the wrong firewood can result in excess smoke, poor heat output, creosote buildup, and even dangerous chimney fires. Below, we break down the best and worst types of wood to burn — and why choosing the right firewood is so important for your safety and comfort.Best Types of Firewood for a FireplaceThe best wood for burning is seasoned, dry hardwood. These woods burn longer, cleaner, and produce more heat with less smoke.1. OakOak is one of the most popular firewood choices. It burns slowly and produces steady, high heat. However, it must be properly seasoned — usually 12 to 24 months — for best performance.2. MapleMaple burns cleanly and gives off good … Continued

4 Factors to Consider When Hiring a Chimney Professional

April 22, 2020 | Chimney Inspections

Your chimney is an essential part of your roof and the structure of your home. Different components of the chimney work together to keep smoke out of your home and prevent rain and wild animals from getting in. At Chimney Champions, we understand how important regular maintenance and repairs are for your chimney. While choosing a chimney professional to inspect your home may seem rather straightforward, several key factors need to be taken into consideration.

Sneak Peek at a Level II Chimney Inspection

February 25, 2019 | Information

People contact Chimney Champions® every day looking for a service to their fireplace/chimney. But not everybody realizes that there are different levels of service that we offer! To help provide a better understanding of what takes place during some of our services, we’re going to provide you with an inside look at a Level II Inspection and Sweep.During our inspections, our CSIA-Certified Chimney Sweeps® perform a visual assessment of every safely accessible area of your chimney system (in your attic, crawlspace, roof, etc). In the first picture (below), you can see lead technician Michael Wood assessing the chimney flue for ‘clearance to combustibles’ – very important for fire-prevention! When accessible, we also look for proper installation and clearances around the firestop in the attic – an area that is often overlooked, but can be a serious hazard. The flue liner often comes with a label that can be found on the outer flue … Continued

Lower Temps, Higher Risk!

January 22, 2019 | Information

When it’s chilly outside, it’s nice to make your home warm inside. This is the time of year when everyone looks to use their fireplaces for quick warmth and relaxing ambience. Unfortunately, however, this is also the most common time of year for house fires caused by dirty fireplaces. Just this past weekend, Savannah Fire Rescue had to cut holes in a Tatem Street home to put out a chimney fire. The fireplace was dirty, and long overdue for a professional cleaning and inspection; however, it was used anyway.Firefighters everywhere see this sort of problem more than you may realize – even in Florida!This is a common danger that can be easily prevented by having your chimney professionally cleaned and inspected by a CSIA-Certified Chimney Sweep, and making sure it is safe BEFORE using it. Call Chimney Champions® at 904-268-7200, or book online to schedule your service today!

DIY Chimney Sweep – Tips For Cleaning Your Fireplace

October 10, 2018 | Information

You should always hire a CSIA-Certified Chimney Sweep® to perform annual services on your fireplace. But what do you do in between those regular services? Some of the reasons to hire a professional: Chimney-cleaning is a obviously a very dirty job, but it’s also a dangerous one! There is great value in hiring a qualified and skilled Chimney Sweep who possesses the proper training and experience, and who uses state-of-the-art tools to ensure this work is done properly. You can avoid the risk of injury or illness (the nasty stuff you can breathe in is no joke!) by contacting Chimney Champions® today!At Chimney Champions®, we want you to always put safety first. THESE ‘DO-IT-YOURSELF’ TIPS SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN PLACE OF PROFESSIONAL SWEEPS, BUT ARE RATHER TO BE USED AS HELPFUL INFORMATION TO REFERENCE FOR IN BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL CLEANINGS. If you are going to perform supplemental cleanings to your fireplace … Continued

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SAFETY WEEK 2018

September 12, 2018 | Information

SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 6, 2018 IS NATIONAL CHIMNEY SAFETY WEEK!According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are over 20,000 residential chimney fires each year, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs… AND PREVENTABLE INJURIES AND DEATHS!Keep your dryer vents clean, always make sure your home has Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors, and change their batteries regularly! You should always keep fire extinguishers in your home, but be sure to check them periodically for recalls! While fire is an obvious danger that we should all take seriously, it is not the only hazard to our fireplaces. Click here to check out one of our recent blog posts, and see for yourselves just how bad a system can get when vulnerable to animal intrusion.These are some of the reasons Chimney Champions® wants to help you protect your home and family. Be sure that your fireplace is CLEAN AND SAFE before using it this … Continued

Chimney Crown – Chimney Cap – Chimney Cover… What do they all mean?

September 1, 2018 | Information

You may have already seen the recent Chimney Champions® blog posts discussing the differences between a CHIMNEY CAP and a CHIMNEY CHASE COVER. But what about a CHIMNEY CROWN?…Despite what its name may lead you to believe, crowns are not just for fancy chimney systems! A chimney crown is a concrete or masonry slab, and its purpose is to seal off the top of a chimney. While crowns do provide great protection to the systems when present and in good condition, a Chimney Cap is still a very necessary component.It is important to know that not all systems are the same. Different chimneys will have different styles and sizes of caps and other parts. And not all chimneys have chimney crowns.One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to a proper-functioning chimney and fireplace. To make sure YOUR system is in the best possible condition, click here to contact … Continued