Ember Keepers

Ember Keepers Boone and Johnson City Certified Chimney Professionals

The black pipe between a wood stove and the chimney is easy to overlook. It's called the connector pipe—or “stove pipe”—...
10/18/2026

The black pipe between a wood stove and the chimney is easy to overlook. It's called the connector pipe—or “stove pipe”—and its job is to carry exhaust from the stove to the chimney. It isn't the chimney itself.

We just published a guide to single-wall versus double-wall stove pipe. Single-wall is one layer of steel: lower upfront cost and more heat released into the room, but it sheds heat from the smoke and can corrode from the inside. Double-wall has an inner liner and an air gap that keep more heat in the venting path. A listed double-wall connector may be allowed closer to a wall, but only at the clearance printed on that exact pipe's label.

Here's the important part: switching pipe types does not automatically change how close your stove can sit to a wall. The stove's own manual still applies. And neither kind of connector pipe belongs inside a wall, ceiling, or attic; that's where the proper chimney system takes over.

If you're replacing rusty pipe or planning a stove layout, the article walks through what to compare and why the whole installation matters. We check the connector and clearances and show you documented findings—not a one-size-fits-all answer.

Read the new guide: https://callemberkeepers.com/single-wall-vs-double-wall-stove-pipe/

10/07/2026

Good work starts with good people. 🔥

At Ember Keepers™ Chimney & Fireplace, we care about the work we do and the neighbors we do it for. We’re looking for teammates who take pride in their work, follow through, and treat customers and coworkers with respect.

Sound like you? Watch our recruitment video and send us a message to learn about opportunities with Ember Keepers.

Know someone who would be a great fit? Share this reel with them.

Kept Right, Burn Bright.

10/07/2026

A warm home. A familiar face. A community we’re proud to serve. 🔥

We’re Ember Keepers™ Chimney & Fireplace, and we believe caring for your home starts with listening, giving you honest answers, and helping you understand your chimney and fireplace.

Our new commercial is a chance to introduce ourselves. If you’ve welcomed our team into your home, thank you for your trust. If we haven’t met yet, we’re glad you’re here.

Watch the reel and share it with a neighbor who hasn’t met Ember Keepers yet. ❤️

Kept Right, Burn Bright.

10/03/2026

Almost time! Are you ready?

A winter outlook can't tell us whether a chimney is ready to use. NOAA's September 17 outlook for December–February puts...
10/02/2026

A winter outlook can't tell us whether a chimney is ready to use. NOAA's September 17 outlook for December–February puts northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina near the edge of a modest wetter-than-normal precipitation signal. It does not forecast a harsh or snowier winter at your house. A seasonal outlook cannot identify your next cold snap or storm.

That is why skipping this year's inspection is a poor bet, even without a severe-weather prediction. You would be starting another heating season without a current look at the system that carries smoke out. On a documented visit, we check accessible components, run a camera through the flue (the passage that carries smoke out), sweep ordinary buildup, and examine the roofline when access is safe. A blocked passage, a liner concern, or a cap that needs attention may not be obvious from the hearth. If everything we can inspect looks sound, we will say that too.

You get photos, plain-English findings, and a clear note about anything we could not verify. The next step stays yours. Before you rely on your fireplace this season, ask Ember Keepers what an inspection would cover for your system.

10/01/2026

A safe roof decision is part of an honest chimney inspection. Climbing is not the goal; understanding the chimney is.

The top has several parts with different jobs. The cap covers the flue opening. The crown is the sloped slab that sheds water on a masonry chimney. Flashing is the metal seal where the chimney meets the roof. On a factory-built chimney, the chase cover is the metal lid over its framed enclosure. When access is safe, we can check these parts up close and photograph what we find.

Roof pitch, surface, weather, and a safe tie-off point all affect that choice. If climbing is not appropriate, we may use drone views of the roofline and run a camera up the flue—the passage that carries smoke out—from below. Those views give useful evidence, but they do not turn an unseen area into a checked one. We show what the images establish and plainly note anything we could not verify that day.

That distinction matters: you should know what was observed, what remains uncertain, and whether closer access is a next step to plan. If your roof is steep, metal, or difficult to reach, mention it when arranging an inspection so we can plan the approach with you.

09/29/2026

When you invite a chimney crew into your home, the question isn't only "Will the flue get cleaned?" It's also "What happens to the soot?"

We start with clean drop cloths around the hearth. A soot-blocking cover seals the fireplace opening. HEPA vacuums use fine-particle filtration and draw air into the fireplace while soot is being loosened, helping keep it from drifting into the room. Turning off ceiling fans and the heating and cooling system while we work reduces air currents that can move dust.

A little prep helps: moving fragile items away from the fireplace clears space for protection and equipment. A nearby rug or cherished piece of furniture may call for another layer of covering. We vacuum our way out and roll up the cloths when the work is done.

Before-and-after photos of the flue—the passage that carries smoke out—show what the sweep addressed inside. We explain what we observed in plain English and distinguish that from any area we could not reach. Room protection and clear documentation are both parts of a careful visit.

If there's a rug, heirloom, or access detail we should plan around, tell us when arranging the visit so we can note it.

09/28/2026

Smoke at startup deserves an explanation, not a shrug.

A cold flue—the passage that carries smoke up and out—can work against upward flow before the chimney warms. Air movement from fans or your heating and cooling system can also affect how a fireplace draws. The timing of the smoke is useful information, but it does not prove the problem is harmless or identify the right repair.

Useful details include whether smoke appeared only at startup or continued, and whether fans or the heating and cooling system were running at the time. What you have already observed is useful; there is no need to light another fire to demonstrate the problem.

An inspection can check the damper, the metal plate that opens and closes the smoke passage; use a camera inside the flue; and document the cap and chimney height when roof access is safe. Firebox and flue measurements help evaluate whether the smoke passage fits the fireplace opening. Cap design, chimney height, flue sizing, and venting gaps can all be part of the picture.

We show the evidence, explain findings in plain English, and note what could not be reached. We do not perform draft, carbon monoxide, or gas-leak tests.

If smoke has entered the room, hold off on burning until the system has been evaluated. If startup smoke is part of your fireplace story, tell Ember Keepers what you have noticed and ask what an inspection can check.

09/27/2026

Before the first fire of the season, give your alarms a closer look. A smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm answer different questions. Smoke alarms respond to smoke from a fire. CO alarms respond to a gas you can't see or smell that can come from fuel-burning equipment when something isn't working or venting properly. Some units combine both functions; check the label rather than assuming one alarm covers everything.

Test each alarm monthly according to its instructions and keep it maintained. Working alarms are an important warning layer, but they aren't a condition report for the fireplace and chimney. A documented inspection is a separate look at accessible components, with camera images, photos of findings, and an explanation in plain language. We do not measure CO or test gas lines.

If you're getting ready to use your fireplace, ask us what an inspection would cover for your particular system.

09/25/2026

What's behind the camera view inside your chimney?

The flue is the passage that carries smoke up and out. Its liner is the inner surface that forms that path. A sweep removes ordinary soot and brushable buildup; a camera inspection answers a different question: what condition is that passage in?

Depending on the system, images can reveal cracked or separated liner sections, open joints, offsets, or a blockage. We also measure flue size against the fireplace opening when that applies. A masonry fireplace, factory-built unit, insert, and freestanding stove don't all have the same components, so the checklist should match the actual system.

Good documentation labels the exact location of a finding, shows a photo, and explains what it means in plain English. It also notes any area the camera couldn't verify. A camera view is evidence of what it sees, not a promise about hidden construction.

If your report mentions the liner, ask to see the image and how the finding relates to your fireplace before deciding on next steps.

Address

5124 US-19E
Hampton, TN
37658

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30am
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+18778757668

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ember Keepers posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ember Keepers:

Shortcuts

Share

Category