They should be inspected once a year by a certified chimney sweep. `If there is more than a 1/4 inch of buildup it should be cleaned.
A inside trick is to look at there ccb #. low numbers mean they have been around a long time, Price makes the decision for some, for others its the website, does it answer your questions? Did they answer there phone. Luckily for those of you reading this you are all ready with a great company.
Chimney caps serve many purposes. Keeping the rain out, keeping sparks off the roof and keeping birds out. they are a good investment.Firwood. Hardwoods have the best heat output and bang for your buck. all wood will heat. The most important thing is it needs to cut and split and stacked for close to a year to be seasoned. Unseasoned wood will not burn well, builds up creosote and that causes chimney fires.