Where Can I Hang My Holiday Stockings Without A Chimney?

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring. Not even a mouse. The stockings were hung from the chimney with.....wait a minute....chimney?!??! What chimney? "I live in an apartment without a chimney. Where the heck do hang my stockings?"

If I had a nickel for every time that I have heard this question, I'd be loaded. As Apartmentites, many of us do not have chimneys to hang our stockings from with care over the holiday, so I have had to come up with different ideas over the years to substitute.

If you are looking for an alternative place to hang up your stockings, try some of these:

Entertainment Center- Tacking them around your entertainment center is a great idea if you have one. You can then put a continuous looping fireplace DVD on and sit around the "fire" with the stockings hanging. Just be careful not to hang the toes in the way of your view of the television.

A Window or your front Door- Santa always came in through the chimney, right? So with no chimney, how's he going to get in? Obviously...he's going to come in through a door or a window, so try hanging your stockings around your front door (on the inside of course) or your window as your substitute for the chimney. If you are tall, make sure to duck, so you avoid hitting your head on the stocking every time you walk through the door. If you hang it on your window, its a little way of letting everyone know that you are getting into the festive spirit!

Bathroom mirror- This is a little unconventional, but a really cool alternative to the chimney idea. Tack up your stockings around your bathroom mirror. They will be a fun reminder that it's the holiday season every morning when you're getting ready.

Wherever you hang your stockings, make sure that you don't hang them up too high because Santa's little helpers might have trouble reaching them.

If your shopping isn't finished, I'd suggest you getting it done soon. It can be a headache as it gets closer to Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

For more information on apartment living or to find an apartment, check out ApartmentHomeLiving.com

Jeff's just a regular guy with a funny goatee that really enjoys people and life. On top of that he is a bit of an expert on apartments, living in them, and getting the most out of the apartment living lifestyle.

As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live & what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff's entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others. Don't forget to go and set up your own MyPlace page to really get the full Apartmentite experience!

How to Avoid Chimney Fires

A chimney is a stack of bricks and mortar so common sense dictates that it shouldn't ever catch fire. However there are more than 25,000 chimney fires in the USA each year. These fires happen because a fire produces soot which clings to the brickwork and builds up in layers. These sooty layers of carbon can ignite and cause a major house fire. The results can of course be tragic.

The simplest way to avoid a house fire is to clean your chimney. A sweep with a proper chimney brush at least once a year is absolutely necessary.

There are other ways to help minimise carbon build up too. The first is to ensure you only burn hardwoods rather than softwoods. These have too much oily tar in them which easily sticks to the bricks and is less easily removable by brushing.

Secondly avoid wet wood. This lowers the temperature of your fire. The hotter the fire, the more likely that sooty particulates will be whooshed straight up the chimney and out into the air without being able to settle on the chimney interior. Because a hot fireplace and flue is good for avoiding chimney fires, contractors these days will often inset a new insulated flue when installing a woodstove to keep the flue hot and thereby discourage carbon build up.

Finally you should never burn plastics or any man made materials other than those expressly designed for use in a fireplace. If you keep these tips in mind you can be assured of a safe fireplace for many years to come.

Find out more about wood burning stoves and all about heating your home the natural way.

Chimney Problems - Keeping It Clean

In a recent article, the dangers of an unclean chimney were the main issue. Clogged chimneys start fires and cause venting problems throughout the house. If you own a traditional fireplace, here's what you are going to have to do.

Gather your brooms, drop cloth and vacuum. You'll also want goggles and a suit for the job. You'll want to put the drop cloth down to make clean up easier when you are done. That's a trick of the old chimney sweep experts they learned at the turn of the century when it was becoming more customary to walk into a house and find a carpet rather than a wood floor. The drop cloth should be several feet wide and long so that it will be sure to catch all the soot that drops.

Sweeping the chimney isn't any harder than it sounds. Stick your broom up into the chimney and go to town. You should have different sized brooms for different locations. A small duster can handle the easy to reach areas. A broom with a long handle will reach the farther areas. Sweep until you can see through to light. Then, shine a flashlight into the chimney to look around for creosote and soot. You will also want to get on the roof to look down through your chimney.

It's like cleaning a rifle. You'll have to make several runs until you can see that you have cleaned everything. Cleaning up several times throughout the process helps you see if you are getting any closer to finishing. Simply vacuum as much soot from the drop cloth as possible so that when you make another pass at the chimney, you can see if anything is still coming out.

But, there are carcinogenic materials that you need to be aware of when you are cleaning your chimney. So, the best thing to do is call a chimney sweep expert who is going to come with all the right equipment. They know what they are looking for when they clean. They know how to detain the mess so that your house comes out spotless. And they know the dangers involved. But, they come with a price and chimney sweeping should be done at a regular basis.

But, what if you could have a fireplace without all that hassle? A ventless gel fireplace doesn't need a chimney. It's ventless. It produces a water vapor instead of soot. It burns like a candle, only it puts out some major heat. And it looks just like a fireplace without all the hassle. Most traditional fireplaces run between $5000 and $7500 to install. A ventless gel goes as low as $300 to have the complete fireplace experience.

Fireplaces are quite an expense. The chimney is just another part of the overall hassle you will have to endure to enjoy your fireplace experience. But, a ventless gel takes all the objections away. Cost effective, hassle free fireplace experience. You'll notice the difference right away!

Jessica Brylan is a home improvement expert. She loves remodeling homes. She has even built a few. In all her work, she has split off into interior design every once in awhile. But, actual construction is her first love. She knows enough to get by with the big guys.

Inspecting Your Chimney and Its Liners

If you have a chimney, when was the last time you replaced your liner? If that question stumps you, then it might be time to investigate the situation a little and probably even consider having your chimney inspected. You may be due for a new liner.

Although chimneys are designed to withstand nearly anything, it would seem, the truth is they aren’t quit as indestructible as we might think they are. The liners in particular could easily lose their former stability and be a factor in a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning by permitting the escape of gases and/or burning embers.

If you do, indeed, find that you need to have new liners installed, there are a number of different options open to you. The fireplaces of today are not the fireplaces of old – which is a good thing for homeowners. The fireplaces of today are not necessarily simply made of brick. Many are made of a variety of more supple materials. This allows you to replace the liners without essentially rebuilding the entire chimney.

But first, of course you will need to find out if you actually need a new liner. To do that it is best to have your chimney inspected by someone who knows what they’re looking for. And where would you go for such a service? Well, to a chimney sweep. Though many may have the idea that chimney sweeps don’t actually exist anymore, the truth is they are as popular as ever. As more and more homeowners are putting fireplaces into their homes, the business of chimney sweeping as become an important element in making sure we keep our homes safe. A chimney sweep will install, clean and maintain your chimney so as to keep it in working order and safe to use.

One of the chimney sweep’s main jobs is to look for potential fire hazards, as well as blockages in your chimney. This is especially important for those who have a gas fireplace. If a homeowner with a gas fireplace has blockage in their chimney, the fumes can easily build up inside the home. A chimney sweep may do an initial inspection of your chimney, and then depending on what they find, they may suggest a more in-depth inspection.

Although there are chimney sweeps who do this type of inspection for a living, you should keep in mind in most localities there is no government oversight or industry regulators. In addition to asking friends and neighbors for suggestions of someone they trust, you might also call your local fire department or even the appropriate local government office to see what they recommend.

This article on chimney liners and fireplaces was brought to you by FireplaceBasics.com. Fireplace Basics covers every fireplace-related topic under the sun. Come visit us and see for yourself!

Chimney sweep

Living in a home, your house will require maintenance. No matter what type of furnace you have, chances are that you have a chimney of some type. The chimney should be cleaned every few years to prevent the build up of dust, particulars, and to prevent any failure in how the chimney works to protect your home. A chimney sweep is one that is experienced in cleaning and in maintaining a chimney. The chimney sweep in your local area is one that is going to service, clean and make any recommendations to you about the condition of your chimney.

How do you find a chimney sweep?

If you have a need for a chimney sweep, you can look in the yellow pages online or offline for good leads. Chimney sweeps, those are certified and trained, are also found in chimney sweep directories. Affiliations and memberships to unions and to trades that are specifically chimney sweep related are regional and national.

Your chimney is important to the over all function of your home. Poisonous gases that can be emitted from the fuels that are burned in your furnace are meant to escape the home through the chimney. When your chimney is clogged with soot, damages or dirt, the gases, smoke and fumes will enter into your home.

When you have too much soot in your chimney, you could find smoke through out your home. When smoke enters your home, your contents, walls, and everything in your home could become soot covered. This would require a lot of work to clean up. Many times an insurance company is going to pay to have your home cleaned, but it is an inconvenience you could avoid if you were to have your chimney cleaned every few years.

A chimney sweep often times is going to give you the best results in the summer months. Don’t wait until it gets cold outside to call in a chimney sweep, you will find they are very busy during that time of the year. A chimney sweeps is going to have more free time during the summer months when people are thinking about their furnace or using their heat.

A chimney sweeps is often times going to be a mason as well. Ask if your chimney sweep can repair the brick on your chimney or put up a new chimney if needed. If you find that your chimney has been struck by lightening, a chimney sweep can inspect the interior of the chimney, completing a chimney scan to tell if you have additional damages.

A chimney sweep will be able to provide you with an estimate of how much it will cost to inspect your chimney. A chimney sweep will also be able to provide you with an estimate of how much it would cost to clean out your chimney. If there is anything you do not understand about a chimney sweep, what they do, or if you really need their services, do not be afraid to ask the chimney sweep that you contact in your local area. You will find this is a very select group of people, that take their time and inspect all chimneys, as a chimney sweep knows just how vital their job and their services are for those who need a chimney.

http://www.chimneysweepsite.com

Why Sweep a Chimney?

Chimneys are swept to remove residues in the chimney which can block the flue and prevent proper drafting, and to remove flammable deposits which can cause a chimney fire. All types of appliances which burn fuel and vent to the outdoors should be inspected annually and swept when needed such as:

Chimneys that need annual inspection

Fireplaces that burn wood or gas

Chimneys serving wood stoves

Water heater flues & furnace flues

Vented gas hearth products: gas fireplaces, gas freestanding stoves, gas logs & gas inserts

WOOD BURNING FIREPLACES & WOOD STOVES

Wood smoke occurs because not all the chemicals in wood can be burned by your fireplace or wood stove. Smoke contains tiny, unburned but flammable solid particles which adhere to the walls of your chimney which are called creosote. As these deposits accumulate, a stray spark from your fire can ignite them causing a chimney fire.

Chimneys and connector pipes (such as the black pipe connecting a wood stove to the chimney) are designed as a passageway for smoke which passes through at relatively low temperatures they are not built to withstand chimney fires, which can burn in excess of 2000 degrees. A chimney fire can destroy the mortar in a masonry chimney which can cause a chimney to collapse or allow the fire to spread to the framing members of your home. Sometimes a first chimney fire will "only" crack the flue tile liners. This situation is dangerous because a subsequent chimney fire now has an easy pathway to the walls of your house, allowing for massively destructive and dangerous house fires. When you have been advised that your flue tiles are cracked, it is time to take action and have the chimney repaired!

PREFABRICATED FIREPLACES

Pre-fab fireplaces are a particular concern to chimney sweeps. Although highly regulated and safety tested in the lab, too often we find hidden dangers due to improper installation. Installation defects such as improper clearances, improperly connected pipe and substitute components combined with overfiring and general deterioration can lead to home fires. A prefabricated fireplace system that has suffered a chimney fire should never be reused and should always be replaced according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

FURNACE FLUES & WATER HEATER FLUES

Furnaces that use oil or gas also produce dangerous byproducts. First, the fumes that are being vented are generally more dangerous than wood smoke because they contain higher levels of carbon monoxide than wood smoke. Leaky connector pipes, improper flue sizing and other chimney problems such as cracked flue tiles, oversized flues or undersized flues and structural defects or deterioration can all lead to fumes entering your home. Carbon monoxide cannot be seen and cannot be detected by the human nose.

Visible soot in the house is one indication of a problem with your furnace and it's venting system. Visible soot means you need to call your furnace repair company, but also your chimney sweep! Your chimney exists to carry fumes and soot away from the living space, so even a faulty furnace should send soot up the chimney. Sooty walls may indicate a problem with the furnace, but this ALWAYS indicates a problem with the venting!

Oil soot is particularly nasty to deal with. It is harder to remove and we use specialized equipment to deal with it. Soot from gas furnaces and water heaters is less likely, but an annual inspection can help identify problems and correct them before a small problem becomes hazardous.

Annual cleaning and inspections are very important to the safe and efficient operation of your home's central heating system. The chimney sweeping process averages one to two hours.

*Article reprinted with permission of Victorian Fireplace Shop

Karen Duke is a fireplace, chimney and hearth industry expert of over 25 years in both the retail and service sectors. She is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and has numerous hearth industry certifications. She is the founder and webmaster of http://www.TheFireplaceChannel.com and she is the co-founder and webmaster of http://www.TheVictorianFireplace.com, which is one of the largest online fireplace retailers in the world. She makes her home in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Karen's contact information can be found on either of the above sites.

Chimney Drafting Problems and Solutions

No two fireplaces are alike when it comes to smoking chimneys. There are many factors as to why a chimney doesn't draft properly and your home gets filled with smoke. Chimney height. Every chimney should abide by the 10ft - 2ft rule. Under normal conditions your chimney should work fine if this rule is met but there are always exceptions. Measure out 10ft horizontally from your chimney to the nearest object (roof line, peak, room addition etc), once you have the 10ft mark go vertically 2ft up and that should be the height of your chimney. See diagram.Your chimney should be at the proper height with the stack high enough to catch the wind. Your chimney doesn't have to rise above the peak unless the peak is within the 10ft clearance. As the wind blows across your homes roof line it should create an updraft bringing the smoke with it. Sometimes a negative pressure situation might occur where the wind causes a downdraft and you may have to look at raising the height of your chimney. Recently some new products have arrived on the market to help ease the cost of raising a chimney. Flue extenders are a chimney cap that is raised up to 3ft with long sheet metal sides.

They come in stainless steel or copper and have proven to solve many drafting problems.They a relatively inexpensive compared to having a brick mason come out and raise the flue tiles.Another great product are chimney pots. These have been used in Europe for centuries and were usually made of clay. A new line of chimney pots are made out of copper. The copper chimney pots are expensive but the unique design and the beauty are very pleasing to look at. Copper ages to a beautiful verdigris green after it is exposed to the outdoor elements and will give your home great Curb Appeal. If you have a metal zero clearance fireplace you will have to get the manufacturers name and the model number off a plate inside the firebox to determine which size and brand pipe you will need to purchase to raise the chimney another 1 - 3ft. Some cities require that the pipe be enclosed in a chase and you might have to rebuild the chase up to the new height. While raising the height of your chimney will solve most of the problems some chimneys may need more help.

Other great products on the market for solving drafting problems are the Vacu-Stack and the Windbeater chimney caps.These chimney caps are designed to create an updraft as the wind blows. The cap itself stays stationary and this causes the wind to circulate creating the updraft. This solution works well with masonry, metal chimneys and even the solid pack chimney pipe for wood burning stoves. They come in several sizes and adaptors are available for masonry chimneys. The picture at the right shows a Vacu-Stack with the adaptor installed on a masonry chimney. With a metal chimney no adaptor is needed. If you have a air cooled chimney pipe one where there are 2 or 3 pipes inside each other just measure the inner one for the cap. The Vacu-Stack for the air cooled, double or triple wall pipe comes with a collar to cover the outer pipes. The Vacu-Stack and the Windbeater caps also come in smaller sizes to fit furnace and hot water tanks to solve their drafting problems.

This article is continued at The Log Rack

http://www.thelograck.com