by Mark Hudson | Aug 24, 2019 | fireplaces
Before you finish up with your summer maintenance, consider your fireplace. Does it match your home, your décor, and personality? Could it be more efficient? Safer? Perhaps your fireplace is old and worn out, hasn’t been updated or maintained in many years, and is costing you money! You don’t have to break the bank to update your fireplace before winter. Check-in with Hudson 
Chimney and we’ll tell you all about our gas and wood fireplace sales.
Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
If you have your own supply of firewood, there is no reason in changing fuel types. You may find that a new wood stove or high-efficiency fireplace can boost efficiency and safety and still offer the dancing natural flames you want in a fireplace. If you’re interested in wood fires and looking to upgrade with a new product, we can help you choose between a wood stove, wood-burning fireplace, or a wood stove insert.
Wood stoves burn efficiently and safely—many featuring a fire-viewing window. The wood stoves we sell and install at Hudson are top-of-the-line and come in a variety of styles. You can choose between traditional, rustic, and custom stoves and inserts as well as sleek, contemporary, and simplistic styles when looking at stoves, inserts, and fireplaces. Inserts are retrofitted directly into an existing firebox and vented up the chimney. Stoves and fireplaces offer more freedom for installation. Using appropriate refractory materials to protect your walls and floors, our technicians can install a stove in any space.
Gas Stoves and Fireplaces
For our customers looking for a bit more convenience and almost no maintenance, gas fires are the favorite. Our gas units are available as inserts, freestanding fireplaces, and gas stoves. For homeowners in our area who are looking to upgrade for efficiency, converting to gas is the best way to go. Gas models are beautiful, highly efficient, safer, and most are so convenient they ignite immediately and are controlled precisely with remote control! Our models range from contemporary to traditional, with beautiful fire-view windows, and even re-arrangeable logs to give the illusion of wood flame. If you want the beauty of a wood fire, but not all the hassle of firewood, ashes, kindling, and difficult-to-light fires, you want a gas unit. We have them!
Shop with the Professionals
When you’re looking to upgrade or install a new unit altogether, it’s important to only shop through the qualified professionals. Shopping online can result in wasted money, improper installations, and dangerous fires. When you’re adding a fireplace or stove to your home, you’re adding value. Make sure your installation isn’t detracting from your value!
When you shop with Hudson Chimney, you have access to the best products on the market and the most qualified technicians in the area to make your install. We are CSIA certified and experienced in repairs, installations, and more.
Whether you’re looking for gas log sets, gas fire products, or wood fire products, we can help you find what you’re looking for. Check out our sales for the best value today.
by Mark Hudson | Dec 19, 2016 | fireplaces
You may have your dream fireplace that fits your family’s needs and your home’s decor. However, even your dream fireplace may need a rebuild. The fireplace withstands the most abuse, and gets the least attention. Damage may cause you to schedule a fireplace rebuild. Also, it may be because your fireplace needs an upgrade. Whatever the reason, a fireplace rebuild can be a big job. That being said, when it’s necessary, it should not be overlooked!
Choose the Right Professional for the Job
Choosing the right chimney expert for a fireplace rebuild is as important. In fact, it’s just as important as finding the right surgeon for a knee replacement. When you choose a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS) you can be sure of these things:
- You’re getting a professional with training and experience.
- They will get the job done correctly.
- These professionals use the correct materials.
- They always have the correct dimensions.
- You will receive the most efficient burn for your fireplace.
One of the major reasons that your dream chimney may need a complete rebuild? Incorrect construction. Oftentimes, a contractor who does not have adequate training will build a fireplace incorrectly. In addition, using improper materials that cannot withstand high heat concentration.
Choosing Hudson Chimney means your firebox will not only be rebuilt, but will be rebuilt out of special firebricks. These firebricks are designed to withstand the abuse and high temperatures that exist within the fireplace. Some less-experienced or non-certified chimney sweeps may continue to repair the damaged fireplace. However, this is a waste of time and money. A Hudson Chimney technician doesn’t just fix the damage, we correct the problem at its source.
Problems That Can Lead to a Complete Fireplace Rebuild
When your fireplace has extensive damage, your chimney sweep may recommend a rebuild.
This type of damage can include:
- Water Damage
When water penetrates the chimney system it destroys masonry from the inside out. The masonry can begin spalling, cracking, and lime-leaching finishes them off.
- Heat/Smoke/Creosote Damage
Persistent problems with the chimney system lowers the efficiency. Therefore, the fireplace can’t withstand heat, smoke, or creosote. This can cause stains, cracks, and high-temperature fires.
Does your fireplace need repeated repairs, extensive repairs, or just a face-lift? You may want to discuss a complete fireplace rebuild with your trusted Jacksonville chimney sweep. Hudson Chimney has been serving the communities in Jacksonville for over 20 years. In addition, offering a full menu of services, including fireplace rebuilds by a master mason!
Call Hudson Chimney at 904-282-4159 or contact us online for your convenience.
by Mark Hudson | May 23, 2016 | fireplaces
If you have a prefab fireplace, you know how important it is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions so that it works safely. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) says that using your prefab fireplace properly is critical to operate it efficiently and safely. Even though these types of fireplaces are not built to last as long as masonry fireplaces, you can prolong the life of your factory-built fireplace with regular maintenance and service. One of the most common problems with prefab fireplaces has to do with the firebox. Over the years, the lining of the firebox can suffer from rust corrosion, which can cause the firebox to crack. When this happens, your home is at a greater risk of an accidental fire because the cracks and gaps allow fire and heat to reach the combustible materials in the walls that surround the fireplace. Hudson Chimney has years of experience in repairing damaged fireboxes in prefab fireplaces, and we would like to tell you more about what can damage your firebox.
WATER LEAKS
The main reason a firebox in a prefab fireplace suffers from rust corrosion is exposure to water. When you have a prefab fireplace and chimney that is covered with a chase, you need a chase cover to keep water out of the chimney. If the cover is damaged or missing, water from rain can easily enter your chimney, and this is how your firebox becomes corroded with rust. Hudson Chimney can not only repair your damaged firebox, but we can also install a new chase cover that will protect your chimney and fireplace from water leaks.
FREQUENT USAGE
Prefab fireplaces are designed to be used occasionally, and if you burn fires in your prefab fireplace everyday, it can lead to firebox damage. This type of fireplace is not made to handle daily exposure to extremely high temperatures. If you want to use your fireplace everyday during the winter, Hudson Chimney can help you upgrade to a fireplace insert that is manufactured to be used more often.
WRONG PART INSTALLATION
When certain parts, such as the damper and smoke dome, of your prefab fireplace and chimney need to be replaced, it is essential that those parts match the brand name and model number of the original parts. If these parts are not replaced with parts that match the originals, your prefab fireplace will not operate safely and properly. You could end up experiencing a house fire in this situation. Hudson Chimney will take the time to find the exact parts needed for your prefab fireplace.
If your prefab fireplace is calling out for help, Hudson Chimney is here to solve the problem. Contact us to schedule an inspection of your prefab fireplace today.
by Mark Hudson | Jul 15, 2014 | chimney maintenance, fire safety, fireplaces
It’s important to know what could happen if you keep on ignoring your chimney’s needs. Negligence on your part might bring you to regret not taking care of it.
If you have ever wondered why the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), along with numerous other fire safety and government health organizations, recommend an annual chimney sweeping and inspection, “dirty chimneys kill.” While we are not trying to scare you into scheduling your yearly chimney cleaning, Hudson Chimney would like to tell you exactly why you need an annual chimney sweep and inspection, so you can understand the urgency behind following this important step of chimney maintenance.
1. A chimney sweeping removes the buildup of creosote from the walls of your chimney.
If you burn wood, creosote will occur naturally during condensation from when smoke, gases, and vapors from your fireplace exits the upper, cooler walls of your chimney. Sticking around as a residue, creosote can be black or brown and varies in appearance. Whether it is shiny and hard, crusted and flaky, or gummy and tar-like, creosote is highly combustible. If enough of the creosote residue builds up in your chimney and the internal flue reaches high temperatures, you have the makings of a dangerous chimney fire. An annual chimney cleaning from a CSIA-certified company like Hudson Chimney can remove creosote deposits before they can become large enough to ignite a fire.
2. A chimney inspection will alert you to any water penetration damage that might exist in your chimney.
If you own a masonry chimney, you should know that the CSIA has called water the number one enemy of the bricks and mortar of your chimney. For good reasons, water penetration can cause extensive and expensive damages and repairs to masonry fireplaces and chimneys. From loose bricks and mortar to rusted appliances to serious structural deterioration, the destruction caused by water can be alarming. Hudson Chimney can find the leak that is causing the damage, repair the leak and damage, and then apply a waterproofing sealant to prevent any more water penetration of your masonry chimney.
3. A chimney sweeping and inspection can prevent toxic gases like carbon monoxide from entering your home.
Unfortunately, cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are on the rise, due to the focus on energy-efficiency. While the temperate air is sealed in, saving you money, the toxic by-products of combustion are also sealed inside, as air flow has been restricted. If there is not enough oxygen coming in to completely burn the fuel, carbon monoxide is produced, and since you cannot see, smell, or taste it, you and your family could be breathing it in for quite a while. A CSIA-certified inspection from Hudson Chimney will ensure the drafting and venting is working to keep the air flow going through the house, bringing oxygen to the heating source. A sweeping will also remove any possible blockages like animal nests to prevent another source of carbon monoxide invading your home. If you and your family develop flu-like symptoms that do not disappear, ask your doctor for a carbon monoxide blood test to be sure your health is not at risk.
If you have not scheduled your annual chimney sweeping and inspection this year, contact Hudson Chimney today. Proper chimney maintenance begins with this important step.
by Mark Hudson | Jun 27, 2014 | chimney maintenance, fireplaces
Can’t bear that unpleasant odor coming from your fireplace? It’s time for an inspection and thorough cleaning. Schedule an appointment today.
If your home has the strong, musty, smoky smell of an old cabin in the woods—but that’s not exactly the effect you were going for—and the origin of the smell seems to be your chimney and/or fireplace or stove, there is hope.
Being the owner of a well-loved and often-used fireplace does not mean you have to live with that overpowering fireplace odor. A trained chimney sweep will be able to suss out the cause of the smell and plot an effective plan for removal.
Why Does My Fireplace Smell?
Even though odors don’t usually vary much from fireplace to fireplace—hence most people know exactly what we mean when we say “that campfire smell”—this smell can actually be caused by a number of factors. The important thing to focus on isn’t why your chimney smells smoky; it smells smoky because it has likely accumulated soot and creosote from the fires you burn. Instead, you should focus on why this smoky odor is being dragged into your house. Ordinarily there is a problem with proper venting or with air pressure—both issues that can easily be addressed.
If you live in or around the Jacksonville, Florida, area—where we have worked for more than 30 years—one of Hudson Chimney’s certified chimney technicians will be able to determine the origin of your chimney’s odor. In the meantime, here are a few possible culprits:
- Dead animals or animal infestations are in your chimney; once the animals are removed, this problem can be easily remedied by adding a chimney cap or top-sealing damper to prevent animals from entering in the future.
- A clothes dryer, bathroom vent fan, or another appliance is exhausting air outside your home, and as a result negative air pressure is drawing outside air into your home through your chimney.
- If you have two or more chimneys, they may be competing for air pressure. This is known as “smoke crossover,” and occurs when a fire is exhausting from one chimney, causing the other chimney to draw in air and drag smoke in along with it.
How Do I Deodorize My Chimney?
If it’s been a long while since your chimney was professionally inspected and cleaned, those of us at Hudson Chimney will probably recommend that you start there. It’s kind of like having a physical if you haven’t been to the doctor in a long while. A thorough chimney and fireplace cleaning and sweeping will see to it that excess creosote and combustion byproducts—all of which are strong-smelling—are removed along with any animal nests or blockages.
If there is a backdrafting issue, no thanks to the recent addition of a range hood or energy efficient-windows, for example, your chimney technician will be able to recommend ways to allow your house to “breathe.” Beyond that, there are many proven methods for deodorizing and preventing chimney odors.
Have questions about chimney odors? Call Hudson Chimney today.
by Mark Hudson | Feb 14, 2014 | fire safety, fireplaces
Know how to remove ash the right way.
Once burned, solid fuels like wood, coal, and pellets will leave homeowners with ashes to remove. The amount of ash and frequency of removal will depend on several factors including the type of wood burned (softwoods or hardwoods, anthracite coal or bituminous, etc.), the type of fuel, and the appliance itself. For instance, if you burn coal you’ll have much more ash than you would from burning wood. Ash will also contain different substances depending on the fuel. Coal ash contains things like cobalt and boron that are toxic to humans, animals, and plants.
Precautions must be taken both during and after ash removal, and believe it or not, there may be ways to reuse your ash once you’ve removed it. Perhaps in your garden! Read on for all the basics of ash removal or feel free to call Hudson Chimney with any questions you may have. Also refer to the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s guide called “To Remove or Not to Remove Ash.”
How to Remove Ash
We would venture to say that the majority of homeowners who scoop ash do so into a simple metal pail. This pail then gets set outside. This isn’t a great idea, especially if it’s being set outside onto a wooden porch. Because hot coals can survive buried beneath ash for even a few weeks it is imperative to treat ash very carefully, as a hot pail can char a wooden deck. We’ve also seen coals be blown onto a deck, where they may catch fire.
The answer to these potential problems is to purchase a dedicated ash pail or ash holder, which should have a large handle and a bottom that’s slightly offset from the very bottom so that it doesn’t make contact with the surface on which it’s resting. Most importantly, the pail or holder should come equipped with a lid that closes tightly. There are numerous options for ash pails and holders in many styles so you don’t have to sacrifice style for safety.
And if you have ashes from burning wood, you may want to consider adding the ash to your garden to diminish its acid content. Wood ash has a high content of potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus and can help decrease the acid level of your soil if need be. We recommend testing your soil prior to adding wood ash, however, as it may not prove helpful if your soil is very dry to start with.
If you live in northeast Florida and need your fireplace, stove, and/or chimney professionally cleaned, contact Hudson Chimney. We handle everything from simple sweeps to complete restorations.
If you’re interested in ease of cleaning, you may also want to read about our chimney clean-out doors, which allow you to clean your fireplace and chimney flue.
