Champion Chimney is Amazing!

This week we finished some more items in the living room and small bedrooms. It now looks like we actually live here. Some of the items we completed were installing trim, radiator covers, and doors. We also had to install a bleeder valve in the small bedroom and add some additional length of pipe to the heating system. We got to move in some furniture and it looks much better! We are planning on installing some crown molding in the living room so we didn’t paint all the way to the ceiling.



A couple months ago we failed our first plumbing inspection because our contractor had closed up the wall before the inspection. My dad had opened up the wall and basement ceiling and fixed the support. We had our second plumbing inspection on Friday and finally passed – it’s so nice to have that completed!

Our house was very busy this weekend. A month ago we had our chimneys cleaned and the prognosis for the flues was very bad. The company sent us a quote to correct all the problems and we finally decided to go forward with it.

Joe Sweeney, the owner of Champion Chimney, showed up with two guys on Saturday and three on Sunday to do the following work:

Remove flue tile from the boiler line
Install liners in each of the three flues
Install a new crown
Install new chimney caps
Install smoke guards on the fireplaces
Install new ducting for the boiler

This was a huge undertaking – they worked all day Saturday and half day on Sunday and still need to come back this week to finish the job. We have been very happy with all the work they have done so far. At each step in the process they have taken the time to explain exactly what they were doing and why they were doing it. We would recommend Champion Chimney to anyone in a heartbeat!

I took several pictures of the work throughout the weekend and will get more when they come back tomorrow.

The boiler ducting blew apart a couple times this winter and Chris had patched it up with some new elbows and aluminum tape. When they removed the flue tiles this weekend, they had to open up this end to remove them and then replaced all the ducting.


It was tricky getting the liners installed in the two fireplaces. The one in the living room was easier but they still needed to cut out a few bricks so that they could position it properly (the basement fireplace is the reason they’re coming back this week). The mortar that they used will lighten up as it dries and won’t be as noticeable.


There were many buckets full of the old flue tiles…


And our chimney was left like this overnight before they could finish the liner installation…


While the chimney guys were working, we were able to prep, prime, and paint the dining room. The color is similar to the living room paint but a shade lighter. I’ll be sure to post some pictures of it when we get the dining room table and chairs in place in a couple weeks.

Ever since we saw this house for the first time last July, one thing that never made any sense was the double door knobs on the back door. This made it extremely challenging every time you needed to get to the backyard (which for us is at least three times a day to let Tucker out). And if you were holding something, it was impossible to open the door.

At the yard sale we attended last weekend, we found a deadbolt and bought it right away. I still have no idea why we didn’t buy one nine months ago! It is so wonderful that now we’re able to open the door with one hand!


We’re slowly, but surely, getting closer to having the main level finished. I am still amazed at how far we’ve come in such a short time – I never thought we’d be painting and finishing rooms this quickly! Hopefully soon we’ll be able to have an actual housewarming party without being too embarrassed by the state of the house!