Katlyn Stewart – European Copper

Fireplace Safety for Winter

No doubt most of us will be spending more time than ever at home during the holidays and throughout this winter. And, if you’re lucky enough to have an indoor or outdoor fireplace, the experience can be quite enjoyable.

But remember, anything that involves combustion, gas or wood burning, should be approached with safety front of mind. Our European Copper chimney pots are U.L. approved for every brand and type of fireplace, setting the industry standard.

European Copper not only enhances the look of the exterior of your home, it allows you to enjoy your fireplace safely. People migrate to small fires and run from large ones.

When you and your family are gathered around the fireplace this winter, remember these tips.

Have your chimney checked before building your first fire of the season. A European Copper chimney pot can keep animal nests and other debris out of your chimney.
If possible, keep a window cracked open while the fire is burning.
Make sure your damper or flue is open before starting a fire. Keeping the damper or flue open will keep smoke out of the house.
Clean out ashes from previous fires before building a new fire.
Install both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and test monthly. Also always keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

Previous years tell us there were close to 30,000 fire department calls due to chimney fires in America. Make sure safety is your first priority every time you light a fire this winter. A European Copper chimney cap is a good place to start.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

Keep your Family Safe this Winter!

Keep Your Family Safe this Winter

Celebrity chef Rachael Ray recently had a fire that destroyed her New York home. This fire was caused by a buildup of creosote in the chimney causing a chimney fire that also spread to the roof. Rachael even noted that she gets her chimney professionally cleaned twice a year. Luckily, no one hurt during the fire. However, Chimney fires are the result of over $256 million in property damage and 80 civilian injuries every year. There are several steps you can take to ensure your family’s safety this winter while using your fireplace:

Keep your chimney clean
- It is important to get your chimney professionally cleaned at least once a year. A buildup of creosote is the leading cause of heating fires in homes.
Burn dry wood
- Wet wood can create more creosote deposits making it highly flammable.
- To create drier wood split the log lengthwise allowing more surface area to show.
- It is important to do this 6 months before burning to allow the wood time to dry.
- Don’t burn other objects such as Christmas trees. These are known to cause massive fires.
Make sure to have a chimney cap
- Designed to keep animals and pests out.
- It is important to keep animals out so they do not build nests that will later catch on fire.
- View our selection of chimney caps HERE!

To view the full article on Rachael Ray’s home fire visit the link HERE.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

Home Improvements Increase During Pandemic

It’s no surprise, that thousands of homeowners are putting their resources into home improvements during this pandemic. That’s especially true for home exteriors since it’s much safer for workers to be outside your home, rather than inside as Covid-19 numbers continue to rise in a number of states.

Many homeowners have been forced to give up their summer vacations so they’re putting those dollars to work on creating an enhanced environment at home. Summer projects have included a focus on pools, spas, outdoor kitchens, and landscape design projects. Others are using their time and resources to make structural and aesthetic additions to their home, which can not only prove to be more pleasing to the homeowner, but to also increase the value of the house.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/07/pandemic-home-remodeling-is-booming-what-your-neighbors-are-doing.html

European Copper President, Patrick Keegan, says, “We’ve definitely seen an increased interest in homeowners wanting to enhance their living space, both inside and out. Our customers seem to feel putting their focus on home and hearth projects is good not only for their house, but their mental health as well.”

At European Copper, we feel with Fall and Winter coming soon, chimney pots can play an even greater role this year. Medical experts agree the colder weather ahead will likely lead to an increase in Covid-19 numbers. This of course means we will need to continue to spend more time at home. And even though we won’t be able to use our pools and outdoor spas as much, this could be a great time to add an outdoor fireplace, to increase the enjoyment of your home. Don’t forget a chimney on an outdoor fireplace needs a chimney cap for all the same reasons a house chimney needs one. We’re proud that European Copper chimney caps have set the standards for both safety and style for over 15 years.

So, as the world weathers the pandemic together, we hope you find comfort in making your house not only a safer place, but a more enjoyable one as well.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

European Copper Chimney Pots Resistance to Lightning

Every year lightning strikes cause around 22,600 fires and $451 million in property damage according to the National Fire Protection Agency. Most of these strikes happen in the summer during thunderstorm season, but of course lightning can occur any time of year. In the U.S., there are approximately 100,000 thunderstorms a year. Of those, around 10% are severe according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Here at European Copper, we often get questions about the effect of lightning on our copper chimney pots. Since chimney pots are the highest point on many homes, you might think they are most likely to be struck by lightning. That’s not the case with a European Copper Chimney Pot!
Thankfully, our pots are not grounded and lack the vertical density to attract lightning like a lightning rod. Lightning travels at 270,000 MPH. Each bolt is an average of 6 miles long, one inch wide, and is 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit or 5 times hotter than the sun. At that speed and force it will follow the path of least resistance and height, vertical density and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where lightning will strike.
A properly grounded lightning rod will move a bolt 50 feet, our European Copper Chimney Caps will only move a lightning bolt 5 feet. If our pots were made of wood, like a tree, it would have the same effect. Even if our pots are higher on a structure than a lightning rod, the bolt will connect to the lightning rod for the reasons previously stated.
Don’t leave your home’s chimney safety up to chance! Cap your chimney with a European Copper Chimney Pot for safety and style!

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

European Copper Enhances Curb Appeal

If you’re looking to enhance the curb appeal of your home, why not start at the top? Nothing packs a bigger punch than a European Copper Chimney Pot gracing your chimney. Remember, since the exterior of your house is the first thing visitors see, it can make or break their first impression. After all…there’s nothing worse than a bad haircut
for a human or a house!
Experts agree, whether you’re enhancing your current home’s exterior or building
a new structure, it’s important not to force a completely unrelated style on your home.
However, just the right exterior enhancements can significantly improve curb appeal.
European Copper Chimney Caps are like the cherry on an ice cream sundae and
just the right touch for any style home. Made from copper and lined with stainless steel,
our chimney caps are available in three styles and seven sizes. With architecture
trending more modern these days, we offer not only more traditional copper finishes on
our chimney caps, but also a more modern looking Freedom Grey finish.
Of course, adding a finishing touch to your roof is just one of the many ways to
enhance your home’s curb appeal. There are numerous options available to
homeowners, but as Houzz contributor, Laura Gazkill cautions, “deciding on changes to
the exterior can be tricky.”
The exterior often reflects the overall style of the house and the family that lives
there, therefore setting the pace for the rest of your space. We think you’ll agree that the
rooftop is one of those things that, when it looks right, you may not notice it at all — but
when it’s wrong, it’s really wrong.
And, please remember, European Copper Chimney Pots are not only beautiful to
look at, but they set the standard for safety as well. Our chimney caps are industry
standard for safety with every certification available. The best is always a better buy.
And don’t forget only 1% of all people who see a home ever go inside but 100% see the
outside.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

European Copper Chimney Pots Stand up in a Storm.

European Copper Chimney Pots Stand up in a Storm

From violent thunderstorms, to high winds and hail, we build our homes to stand up Mother Nature’s strongest natural forces. This spring and summer, more than ever, homeowners across the country are looking for building products that can withstand the wicked weather. If you’re in the market for a chimney cap that can stand up to a storm look no further than a European Copper Chimney Cap!

Consider the effects of a hail storm on a roof. The potential impact has been well documented, but the effect of hail on European Copper Chimney Caps, standing atop the same roof, is less. The average hail stone is nickel-size and because of its weight, falls vertically from above the freezing air line, approximately 6,000 to 7,000 feet in the air. As you’ve probably noticed, hail damage on cars is almost exclusively on the hood, top, and trunk. Even though a strong wind can shift the trajectory of hail, the bigger the hail stone, the more vertical the drop. The top lid of a European Copper Chimney Pot is made from 20 ounce copper and pressed into a sturdy seamless plate. The top’s lip hangs out far enough from the sides to deflect any direct hits from the falling hail.

European Copper caps are also engineered and certified to withstand hurricane force winds and in the winter can support a 10-foot snow load. All of which speak to quality and serve as a reminder that the best is always a better buy.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

Why Outdoor Fireplaces Need a Chimney Cap

Why You Should Top Off Your Outdoor Fireplace With A Chimney Cap!

A chimney on an outdoor fireplace needs a chimney cap for all the same safety and style reasons a house chimney needs one. An outdoor fireplace is typically a gathering place with family and friends huddled within close range of the heat, likely focused on not only the warmth, but the architectural details of the fireplace as well. Like icing on a cake, our European Copper Chimney Pots provide a stylish top to your outdoor fireplace, but of course they also offer much more than style points.

Whether attached to your home or a stand-alone version away from the house, if your outdoor fireplace isn’t protected by a chimney cap, you’re inviting unwanted guests. Water, leaves and other debris, not to mention animals, especially birds, along with bird droppings, will likely enter your chimney and fireplace, without the protection of a chimney cap.

At European Copper, our chimney pots have a “roof” to keep water from entering your outdoor chimney and fireplace, as well as a screen mesh to prevent any “uninvited guests” from entering.

When it rains or when snow melts, without a chimney cap, the water will run down your chimney and into your outdoor fireplace. When water mixes with ashes in the fireplace, it produces caustic lye and can also rust your fireplace grate.

Squirrels, opossums, and other back-yard critters often think of an outdoor chimney as a great place to set up house. Sturdier than a tree and safer from predators, a chimney serving an outdoor fireplace looks like a perfect place to raise the little ones. Once the critters have claimed your chimney as home, you’ve not only a nuisance but also a potential for a fire. Nesting materials within the chimney, even if you can’t see them, are a fire hazard A European Copper Chimney Cap, fastened to your flue or to the top of the chimney, will keep out even the most troublesome animals.

Also consider this, birds sitting atop an outdoor chimney without a chimney cap will use the flue much like a toilet. Bird droppings can prove dangerous to humans. And they don’t get any less dangerous when they are burned in the fireplace: Inhaling the smoke containing burning bird droppings is toxic.

Another possible danger is allowing sparks to exit your chimney. These sparks can possibly catch surrounding leaves, grasses and other plants on fire. In the worse-case, they can set you home afire. The screen mesh in a European Copper Chimney Cap helps prevent embers and sparks from escaping your outdoor chimney.

Safe and stylish, we think you’ll agree, A European Copper Chimney Pot is worth every penny.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

Chimney Safety Tips for Winter

Few things are more comforting on a cold winter night, than a warm, wood-burning fire in the fireplace. But with that comfort comes concern for safety. Last year there were almost 30,000 fire department calls for chimney fires, all resulting in property damage and some relate to injury and death as chimney fires spread into house fires. At European Copper we take chimney safety very seriously.

We know certifications are extremely important. That’s why our chimney pots are U.L. Listed and approved to exceed every fireplace manufacturers standards. We also have the only U.L. Listing for standard masonry fireplaces.

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (https://www.csia.org/chimneyfires.html) some signs of a potential chimney fire include:

loud cracking and popping noise
a lot of dense smoke, and
an intense, hot smell

Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are only the chimney fires you know about.

There are a number of important steps to ensure keeping your family safe and warm as the temperatures drop. Neglected chimneys accumulate creosote, a combustible byproduct of charred wood, along their walls. Add to that a high internal flue temperature and you’ve got a potentially dangerous chimney fire on your hands.

The best way to avoid a house fire caused by the fireplace or chimney is to hire a professional chimney sweep to inspect for cracks and loose bricks. He’ll also clean your chimney. Chimney inspections are typically broken down into three different types.

A standard, annual inspection for chimneys that have no major changes. The chimney inspector will examine the interior and exterior, as well as the chimney connection. The general soundness of the chimney will be examined, and any obstructions will be noted.

The second type of inspection is one that follows a change in fuel type or changes to the shape or materials in the flue.

The third type of inspection is rare. These inspections are conducted when a hazard is suspected. Typically, part of the building or chimney is removed to examine the chimney thoroughly.

Chimney Safety Tips for Keeping Warm this Winter:

European Copper wants you to keep your family warm and safe this winter by following important guidelines for chimney safety.

Once your chimney gets the all-clear, you should follow some basic safety tactics when it comes to your chimney and the vicinity of the fireplace or woodstove:

Keep the area in front of the fireplace clear of paper and debris. It can be tempting during the holidays to place decorations close to the fireplace, but keep them at a safe distance.
If your fireplace doesn’t have a glass door, use a wire mesh screen.
Use seasoned hardwoods that have been split for six months to a year. “Green” wood creates more creosote. Don’t burn your Christmas tree (pine creates more creosote) or be tempted to throw wrapping paper, boxes, or trash into the fireplace.
Keep the area near the chimney clear. If you have trees that hang over the house near the chimney, make sure branches and leaves are at least 15 feet away.
Cap your chimney. A top that has wire mesh along the sides will keep out rain and snow, birds, and other critters that might be running around on the roof.
Think small. If you try to burn too much wood, the chimney can crack and you run the risk of creosote build-up. Burn wood on a grate placed near the back of the fireplace.

Like fire, carbon monoxide can be a deadly threat. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, invisible toxic gas that kills about 400 people per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and sickens many more. There are also almost 70,000 fire department calls for carbon monoxide poisoning in homes each year.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can come from poorly maintained chimneys. The chimney and chimney connector serve as a furnace’s exhaust system. If debris is blocking the chimney, carbon monoxide can accumulate inside the house.

Perhaps the most important rule of all when it comes to chimney maintenance is to install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors inside and outside of bedrooms. Replace the batteries each season and test the detectors regularly. If the detector is more than 10 years old, replace it.

When it comes to keeping your home warm this winter, don’t ignore the importance of following these valuable guidelines for chimney safety. And don’t forget, a European Copper Chimney Pot is not only safe, but stylish. Our chimney pots add curb appeal and architectural interest to your home but their most important function is to safely carry dangerous flue gasses from your fireplace, wood stove, and furnace out of your home.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

European Copper Chimney Pots are Hurricane Proof!

We’ve all heard details of the devastation caused by recent hurricanes. The damage to homes and businesses will result in billions of dollars in losses. But without strict building codes such as those in Florida, the damage would be even greater. The verdict on Florida’s building regulations was evident after Hurricane Irma ripped through the state in September. About 80 percent of homes in its path had been built after the state revamped construction codes as a result of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. This is according to a building-code survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.

Officials learned from Hurricane Charley in 2004 that houses built after the mid-1990s better withstood the winds. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/classified/realestate/os-bz-florida-home-construction-20180319-story.html

At European Copper we work with clients in Florida and other hurricane-prone states. That’s why we take great pride in knowing our chimney pots are hurricane proof as verified in this signed and sealed letter from Joseph Smith, Laufer Energy Chair and Director of the Energy Research and Development Center, Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The King European Copper Chimney Pot was subjected to a high wind producing a 30 pounds per square foot force on the device. The report concludes: “The cap/shroud did not reduce the surface area by more than 10%, sustain sufficient damage to affect use, or damage the flue liner or disengage the cap/shroud from it”

It is my opinion that this test demonstrates that the Chimney Pot is able to withstand a high velocity hurricane force wind.”

This letter is in addition to our multiple U.L. approvals for hurricane force winds. To date, European Copper is still the ONLY hurricane proof chimney pots in the market.

Even though not all states will be subjected to winds of such intense forces, almost every area experiences some degree of wind. With a European Copper chimney cap you can be assured our product can withstand this sometimes formidable force of nature. Don’t take a chance with your home, make sure your chimney pots are up to the test.

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart

Summer Chimney Maintenance Tips

For most of us, a home is likely our biggest investment. But, like any investment, a home requires regular maintenance to guard against deterioration and also to ensure safety standards are updated. This is especially true for the chimney and fireplace system of the home.

Even though the summer heat still lingers, using your home’s fireplace may be the last thing on your mind, but completing some basic maintenance jobs can ensure your home is ready for the colder moths to come. That’s why summer can be a great time for not only cleaning your chimney, but updating safety standards and installing a new Chimney Cap as well.

Along with warm weather, come bugs, insects, and little critters all which love to find refuge in a warm, inviting chimney. Keep them at bay by installing a European Copper chimney cap to protect the inside. Our chimney pots can also help prevent an excess of leaves and other debris from clogging the chimney during the fall season.

Here are some more tips for ensuring your chimney is ready when the first cold snap arrives:

PREVENT CHIMNEY FIRES
The best way to prevent a chimney fire is to have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps. Don’t skip getting your chimney cleaned just because you waited and couldn’t get an appointment before you wanted to light that first fire. That’s why summer maintenance is so important.

CATCH ANY PROBLEMS EARLY
Chimney and fireplace problems can quickly go from small and insignificant to major in just a short time. This is another important reason to catch problems early. Have your chimney professionally checked for any problems that need to be addressed. If you need repairs, ask for an estimate and a long-term care plan.

DOES YOUR FIREPLACE SMELL?
As the days get warmer, you may be noticing an unpleasant odor from your chimney. If your chimney is leaking from the heavy rains, it may be mixing with the creosote and causing a nasty smell to come out of your fireplace. Contact a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep expert to inspect your chimney for leaks and remove the source of any odor.

Remember, in spite of summer’s sizzling temperatures, winter will be here before we know it. Act now to ensure building warm, safe fires for your family to enjoy in the colder months ahead!

in Uncategorized Posted by Katlyn Stewart