Just this past fall, I visited a homeowner near Goose Lane who mentioned her fireplace smelled “a little smoky” whenever she lit the first fire of the season. She assumed it was normal—just the usual fall dampness. But once I opened up the flue, I found heavy third-stage creosote clinging to the liner, plus a bird nest that had completely blocked part of the passageway. It wasn’t just causing the odor—it was days away from becoming a serious fire hazard.

After a full cleaning, removing the nesting debris, and restoring proper draft, her fireplace burned cleaner than it had in years. She later told me, “I had no idea something that small could turn into something so dangerous.” Stories like that are why chimney cleaning is essential in Tolland—especially with how often residents rely on their fireplaces through long New England winters.