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Fireplace Superstitions and Old Wives’ Tales

How superstitious are you? Do you go out of your way to avoid walking under ladders? Do you take care…

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Gas Logs For Your Fireplace

Have you ever looked at a fire burning away in a fireplace, assumed it was wood-fueled, and then suddenly realized…

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Hatchlings, Nestlings, and Fledglings: How to Tell if that Baby Bird Needs your Help.

Picture this: you’re taking a walk through your neighborhood, your backyard, or a local nature trail, and you find a…

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How to Do a Neat Science Experiment in your Wood-Burning Fireplace

Here’s a fun fact: when set ablaze, certain substances can produce unusual colors of fire. No, we’re not talking about…

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What is Creosote and Why is it So Dangerous?

Longtime readers of this blog may notice that we talk about creosote on a fairly regular basis. Creosote is bad:…

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Fireplace First Aid: Treating Burns and Other Common Injuries

In case it’s not obvious, at Chimney and Wildlife Specialists, we’re big fans of safety. It’s why we encourage homeowners…

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What Are (good) Chimneys Made of?

It stands to reason that, if a structure is going to encounter fire, smoke, and extreme heat on a regular…

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How Wild Animals Cope With Cold Weather

Over the last few millennia, humans have come up with a variety of ways to keep warm when it’s cold…

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Are Fireplaces a Cost-Effective Way to Heat Your Home?

Back in the days before central heating, a wood-burning fireplace or stove was often a house's only source of heat.…

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Is It Too Cold For My Dog to Be Left Outside?

Regular readers of this blog may recall that, a few months ago, we discussed keeping dogs outside in hot weather.…

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