Breathe New Life Into Your Fireplace: Electric Options from Chimney Champions

September 9, 2025 | Chimney Repairs

For many homeowners, a wood-burning fireplace is the heart of the home — offering warmth, charm, and the nostalgic crackle of a real fire. At Chimney Champions, we deeply value the beauty and tradition of wood-burning fireplaces. However, over time, age and wear can take their toll, making continued use unsafe or impractical.When your wood-burning fireplace is no longer suitable for operation due to deterioration, damage, or code restrictions, converting to an electric insert or log set can be a smart, safe, and stylish solution.When Is It Time to Consider a Conversion?Some common reasons homeowners explore electric conversions include:Deteriorated or damaged chimney structureUnsafe or inoperable flue systemsHigh repair costs to bring a fireplace up to current codeMoving away from solid fuel due to lifestyle or health reasonsIf your wood-burning fireplace is no longer functional, that doesn’t mean the end of ambiance and comfort — it’s just time for a new … 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

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

This is Your Chimney on Dookie!…

August 20, 2018 | Information

At Chimney Champions®, we frequently get calls about things not working properly. During one of our recent calls, a client indicated that for some reason, they couldn’t get their damper to open.⊗ WARNING! ⊗ The pictures below are not for the faint-of-heart!During the course of our inspection, we found that our client’s damper was wedged shut due to the amount of “debris” left behind by Chimney Swifts. That’s right, folks! “POOP.” “DOOKIE.” “NUMBER TWO.”Call it whatever you want – either way, it’s nasty stuff!The picture on the bottom-right shows some of the chunks that came out from the client’s smoke chamber and damper area. A total of THREE trash bags and SIX vacuum bags were used to clean up after the little guys.This excrement is extremely hazardous to your home AND your health!Birds aren’t the only things that can make their way into your chimney; Raccoons, Rodents, Bees, and plenty more environmental elements … Continued