How Does Santa Claus Get Down the Chimney?

Each Christmas, the question many children around the world have this: “How exactly does Santa Claus get down the chimney?” After all, the chimney flue isn’t that big, and Santa Claus is a plump, old fellow. Plus his bag of toys is pretty big, too. It’s a perplexing question, and one that many parents may…

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Christmas Traditions – The Yule Log

While many Americans burn fires in their fireplaces or wood-burning stoves during the holidays, the Yule log is an old Christmas tradition that most Americans really don’t celebrate. So what is the Yule log? In medieval times, before Christianity became widespread, people in Northern Europe would burn the Yule log on the Winter Solstice, the…

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Childproof Your Fireplace to Keep Your Kids Safe

A warm fire in your home’s fireplace on a chilly night can be cozy, but when you have small children, your fireplace can be quite dangerous to curious little ones. Little hands can reach for the brightly colored flames, causing burns. Or, toddlers learning to walk can trip and fall, hitting their head against the…

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Creosote Buildup Can Cause Fires

When was the last time you cleaned your chimney? A year ago? A few years ago? Never? Did you know that creosote can build up on the walls of your chimney over time? Creosote is the leading cause of residential chimney fires in the U.S. each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Creosote is…

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6 Benefits of Gas Fireplaces

Do you want the warm, cozy ambiance of a roaring fire on a cold winter night without the hassle of seasoning the firewood, starting the fire and cleaning up the ash afterward? A gas fireplace can be a great alternative to a traditional wood-burning fireplace. If you’re not sure whether a gas fireplace is the…

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Reduce Winter Allergy Symptoms with Air Duct Cleaning

Did you know that Americans spend about 90% of their lives indoors? Now that the weather is turning colder, this is certainly true. And with the arrival of colder weather, most Hoosiers have turned on our homes’ forced-air heating systems to keep warm. But did you notice after you cranked on your heating system that…

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Burning the Right Firewood Matters

Have you ever burned wood in your fireplace or wood-burning stove that caused your home to fill with smoke, or produced a bad odor, or irritated your skin? The firewood you choose can affect: The efficiency of your fire. You and your family’s health and safety. Environmental protection. The safety of your home due to…

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Carbon Monoxide—The Invisible Killer

Each year over 400 people die from accidental, non-fire-related carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and thousands of people become ill from it. In fact, in 2010, U.S. fire departments responded to over 80,000 CO incidents in which CO was present in the building. Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion. While most people think you can…

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19 Fireplace Safety Tips

On a chilly autumn night, there’s nothing like a crackling fire in the fireplace. While fireplaces are designed to provide comfort, warmth and relaxation, if they’re not maintained properly, they also can lead to damaging residential fires. In fact, from 2008 to 2010, over 56% of residential fires were the result of fires from chimneys…

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Chimney Caps Help Prevent Chimney & Yard Fires

Autumn is a beautiful time of year when the leaves change colors to brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. But those leaves eventually fall off the trees, piling up on roofs, yards and anywhere else they land. Autumn also is the time of year when people start using their fireplaces for warmth and maintaining the right…

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