Q: I used my masonry fireplace as often as possible during winter to cut my utility bills. What should I do to minimize the amount of creosote buildup and what chimney problems should I look for now?

Kelly has over 10 years of experience writing about home design and improvement for many prominent publications. She also spent several years working at a tech startup for an interior design game ...

Dear Jim: We use our wood-burning fireplace for heat. It has not been cleaned out for years and we noticed bad spots on the outdoor chimney brick. What maintenance steps can we do ourselves? -- ...