Start with the symptom
What’s wrong with my chimney, fireplace or dryer vent?
Leaks, smells, smoke, a gas fireplace that won’t light or a dryer that takes forever. Pick the symptom closest to yours to see the likely causes, what you can safely check, and which repair usually fixes it.
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Smell gas? Leave the home right away, don’t use switches or phones inside, and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
By what you notice
Symptoms that cross more than one system
A smell or a drip doesn’t always come from where you’d expect. These groups put related symptoms side by side, whichever appliance they belong to.
Water, stains and rust
Rain getting in somewhere between the roof line and the top of the chimney, or into the dryer duct.
Smells and odors
Humidity, creosote, animals, gas or overheated lint, and which of those can’t wait.
Smoke, drafts and blockages
Smoke rolling into the room, cold or hot air from an unused fireplace, and a flue that may be obstructed.
Won’t light, won’t run, won’t close
Gas fireplaces that won’t start or stay lit, stuck dampers and doors, and dryers without airflow.
Animals and noises
Birds, raccoons and squirrels in the flue, plus the sounds that point to a loose cap or a failing blower.
Visible damage
Cracks, crumbling brick, a leaning chimney, broken fireplace glass and damage after a storm.
Chimney problems
Stains, rust, crumbling brick, noises or odors? Match the symptom to the likely part of the chimney and see which signs can’t wait.
Usually fixed with chimney repair or leak repair.
Chimney problems guideWhy Is Water Coming Through My Chimney?
Water in the firebox or a stain beside the chimney after rain? Learn the usual Florida leak points and what the timing of the leak tells you.
Diagnose itWhy Are There Water Stains Around My Chimney?
Brown rings on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney? Trace the stain to flashing, crown, chase or a non-chimney source before anything gets sealed.
Diagnose itHow Do I Know If My Chimney Flashing Is Leaking?
Stains on the ceiling beside the chimney or metal pulling away at the roof line? How flashing fails and why caulk alone doesn’t hold.
Diagnose itIs a Cracked Chimney Crown a Problem?
Cracks in the concrete top of a brick chimney, or water pooling there after rain? What it means for leaks and when sealing is enough.
Diagnose itWhat Should I Do If My Chimney Cap Is Missing or Damaged?
Cap blown off in a storm, rusted, tilted or clogged with soot? What that lets in and what to do until it’s replaced.
Diagnose itWhy Is There Rust on My Chimney Chase?
Orange streaks on the chase or rust on top of the fireplace? Learn which part is corroding, how urgent it is and what it means for the framing.
Diagnose itWhy Is the Siding or Stucco on My Chimney Chase Damaged?
Swollen siding, soft trim or cracked stucco on a framed chimney? Why chases rot from the top down and how the water is found.
Diagnose itWhat Are the White Stains on My Chimney?
White powder or crust on chimney brick is usually efflorescence, a sign of water moving through the masonry. How to identify it, clean it and stop it.
Diagnose itWhat Are the Black Stains on My Chimney?
Black streaks outside, dark growth on stucco, or soot above the fireplace opening? How to tell soot from mildew and which stains matter.
Diagnose itWhy Are My Chimney Bricks Crumbling?
Flaking brick, sandy mortar or chunks on the roof? Why chimney masonry breaks down and when repointing, a new crown or a partial rebuild is the fix.
Diagnose itWhy Is Mortar Falling Out of My Chimney?
Sandy mortar on the roof, gaps between bricks or loose bricks near the top? Why joints fail and when repointing is enough.
Diagnose itWhy Is My Chimney Leaning or Pulling Away From the House?
A tilting chimney or a gap opening against the wall is a structural warning. Common causes, what to do right away and who should assess it.
Diagnose itWhat Should I Do If My Chimney Was Damaged in a Storm?
Cap blown off, chase cover lifted, bricks on the roof or a new leak after a hurricane? What to check, what to photograph and what to avoid.
Diagnose itHow Can I Tell If My Chimney Liner Is Damaged?
Tile pieces in the fireplace or an inspection that flagged the flue? What a cracked or deteriorating liner means and when relining is needed.
Diagnose itHow Much Creosote in My Chimney Is Too Much?
Black flakes, tar or a shiny glaze in the flue? When soot and creosote buildup becomes a fire risk and what removal involves.
Diagnose itHow Do I Know If My Chimney Is Blocked?
Smoke pouring back in, no daylight up the flue or nesting material on the damper? Signs of a blockage and what not to do.
Diagnose itWhy Does My Fireplace Smell, Especially When It’s Humid?
Campfire or musty smell from the fireplace on humid days? Find out what causes it and which fixes actually stop the odor.
Diagnose itWhy Is My Chimney Making Noise?
Chirping, scratching, rattling or ticking in the chimney? A sound-by-sound guide to what it usually means and which noises need action.
Diagnose itWhat Should I Do About Birds in My Chimney?
Chirping in the flue or a bird stuck in the fireplace? What Florida law allows, how to free a trapped bird and when the nest can come out.
Diagnose itWhat Should I Do About an Animal in My Chimney?
Raccoon, squirrel, bats or a snake in the chimney? What Florida rules allow, who removes live animals, and how to seal the chimney afterward.
Diagnose itFireplace problems
Smoke in the room, a cracked firebox, a stuck damper or a gas fireplace that won’t light? Symptom-by-symptom checks and what can’t wait.
Usually fixed with firebox and panel repairs or damper repair.
Fireplace problems guideWhy Is My Fireplace Smoking Into the Room?
Smoke rolling into the room or a fireplace that won’t draw? The common causes, what you can test yourself and when the flue needs a look.
Diagnose itIs My Fireplace Safe to Use?
Bought a home with a fireplace or haven’t used yours in years? A pre-fire checklist, the red flags, and which inspection to ask for.
Diagnose itIs a Cracked Firebox Safe to Use?
Hairline or hazard? How to judge cracks in firebrick and prefab panels, and the red flags that mean the fireplace should stay cold.
Diagnose itWhy Is My Fireplace Damper Stuck?
Stuck open, stuck shut or leaking air? The common reasons a fireplace damper jams, safe checks with a flashlight, and why you shouldn’t force it.
Diagnose itWhy Is Air Coming Out of My Fireplace When It’s Not in Use?
Humid air, odors or AC escaping through a fireplace that isn’t lit? Why air moves through the flue and the safe ways to stop it.
Diagnose itIs It Safe to Use a Fireplace With Cracked Glass?
Cracked glass on a gas fireplace or wood-fireplace doors? Why you shouldn’t run it, why it cracked and what replacement involves.
Diagnose itWhy Won’t My Fireplace Doors Close Properly?
Doors that sag, stick or won’t latch? Why fireplace doors stop fitting and when it’s a repair or a new door set.
Diagnose itCan a Rusted or Damaged Prefab Fireplace Be Repaired?
Rust, warped metal or water damage inside a factory-built fireplace? When prefab units can be repaired and when they need replacing.
Diagnose itWhy Is My Electric Fireplace Not Working?
Electric fireplace dead, no heat, or shutting itself off? The usual causes, the safe checks and when to unplug it.
Diagnose itGas fireplace problems
Won’t light, shuts off, sooty glass, a low flame, strange noises or a smell? Gas fireplace symptoms sorted, with the few checks that are safe.
Usually fixed with gas fireplace troubleshooting or annual gas service.
Gas fireplace problems guideWhy Won’t My Gas Fireplace Light or Turn On?
Gas fireplace won’t start after the Florida off-season or a power outage? See the usual causes and the only checks a homeowner should make.
Diagnose itWhy Won’t My Fireplace Pilot Light Stay Lit?
Pilot light goes out when you release the knob? Learn what the thermocouple and thermopile do and what a healthy pilot flame looks like.
Diagnose itWhy Does My Gas Fireplace Turn Off by Itself?
Burner lights, then shuts off after a few minutes, or cycles on and off? Settings, sensors and parts that cause it and what not to bypass.
Diagnose itWhy Won’t My Gas Fireplace Respond to the Remote or Wall Switch?
Remote or wall switch does nothing, or the fireplace won’t turn off? Batteries, receiver settings and pairing, and when to call.
Diagnose itWhy Is the Flame on My Gas Fireplace So Low?
Flames smaller than they used to be, uneven, or shrinking when the water heater runs? Settings, pressure and burner causes.
Diagnose itWhy Is My Gas Fireplace Making Soot or Burning Yellow?
Black soot on the glass or logs, or flames darker than before? What incomplete combustion means and why the unit should stay off.
Diagnose itWhy Is the Glass on My Gas Fireplace Cloudy?
White haze on the glass of a gas fireplace? Why it forms, how to tell it from soot or etching, and how it’s safely cleaned.
Diagnose itIs It Normal for My Gas Fireplace to Make Noise?
Clicking, ticking, humming, whooshing or a bang when it lights? Which gas fireplace sounds are normal and which mean turn it off.
Diagnose itWhy Does My Gas Fireplace Smell Like Gas?
Rotten eggs, burning dust or a chemical smell from your gas fireplace? Know when to leave the house and which odors are normal at start-up.
Diagnose itDryer vent problems
Slow drying, a burning smell, no air outside or water in the duct? Match the symptom to the part of the vent and know when to stop the dryer.
Usually fixed with a full vent cleaning or duct repair.
Dryer vent problems guideWhy Is My Dryer Taking So Long to Dry Clothes?
Loads taking two cycles? How to tell a clogged vent from a dryer fault, with safe checks and the warning signs to act on.
Diagnose itWhy Is My Dryer Overheating and Shutting Off?
Dryer too hot to touch, scorching clothes, or stopping partway through a cycle? Why it overheats and when to stop using it.
Diagnose itWhy Does My Dryer Smell Like Burning?
Scorched, rubbery or electrical smell from the dryer? What each smell usually means, what to do right now, and when it’s the vent versus the machine.
Diagnose itWhy Does My Dryer Vent Keep Clogging?
Clean vent, clogged again? The run length, duct type, sags, screws and caps that keep catching lint, and the fixes that end repeat cleanings.
Diagnose itWhy Is There No Airflow From My Dryer Vent?
Barely any air at the outside dryer vent? How to test it safely, which vent is really the dryer’s, and whether it’s a clog, a stuck flap or a split duct.
Diagnose itWhy Won’t the Flap on My Outside Dryer Vent Open or Close?
Outside flap won’t open, won’t close or is packed with lint? Why the cover matters for airflow and pests, and which covers work.
Diagnose itHow Can I Tell If My Dryer Vent Is Disconnected or Crushed?
Lint behind the dryer or in the attic, a humid laundry room or a squashed hose? How vents come apart and what a proper repair uses.
Diagnose itHow Do I Know If My Roof Dryer Vent Is Clogged?
Dryer vents through the roof and drying has slowed, or lint shows on the shingles? Why roof vents clog and why the cap matters.
Diagnose itWhy Isn’t My Dryer Vent Booster Fan Working?
Booster fan not turning on, alarming or rattling? Why it fails, what to check and why the dryer shouldn’t run without it.
Diagnose itWhy Is There Water in My Dryer Vent?
Drips behind the dryer, soggy lint or a ceiling stain under the duct? How to tell condensation from a rain leak, and the fix for each.
Diagnose itFAQ
Questions about diagnosing a problem
Straight answers. If yours isn’t here, send it with an estimate request and we’ll answer it directly.
Which chimney, fireplace or dryer vent problems can’t wait?
Why can the same symptom have different causes in two similar homes?
Is it the dryer or the vent when clothes stay damp?
Already know what you need? Browse chimney, fireplace and dryer vent services, read the maintenance guides or check the FAQ. After a storm, start with storm damage signs.
Next step
Don’t see your problem?
Describe it in your own words. We’ll tell you what’s likely going on and what a visit would involve.
- 1Tell us the symptom
- 2We inspect and explain
- 3You approve the plan first