Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Searches
March 26, 2007
Hearth Trends
Removing fireplace's brick facade not so hard
San Francisco Chronicle - San Francisco, CA
March 24, 2007
Bill Burnett, Kevin Burnett
Alternative Heating
Sensible Home | Thermal mass cuts utility bills
Philadelphia Inquirer - Philadelphia, PA
Contra Costa Times - California
March 25, 2007
James Dulley
REMEMBER EXTRA COSTS WHEN BUYING A COTTAGE
Times Colonist - Victoria, British Columbia
March 24, 2007
Kathy McCormick
Burn Ban
The great smoke-out
Fort Wayne News Sentinel - Fort Wayne, IN
March 26, 2007
Kevin Leininger
Smoking ‘in any manner or form’ Ordinance’s definition of terms is too broad
Fort Wayne News Sentinel - Fort Wayne, IN
March 24, 2007
Kevin Leininger
Removing fireplace's brick facade not so hard
San Francisco Chronicle - San Francisco, CA
March 24, 2007
Bill Burnett, Kevin Burnett
Q: I have a question regarding my old fireplace, built in the 1920s with a brick facade
that was added in the 1950s.
The brick facade has been painted white and is as ugly as can be. The fireplace also has a
threshold that is 2 inches high; 5 feet, 2 inches wide; and 1 foot, 9 inches deep.
I want to remove the brick surround and the threshold, freeing the fireplace of some of its
weight and then refinish the facade with either tile or stone squares. I plan to refinish the
threshold in the same material, except that this will now be flush with the rest of the floor
so as to add more continuous space to the room.
How does one go about removing these bricks? Can we carefully remove the brick
ourselves? And, if so, what tools do we need? My husband and son are ready to tackle the
project.
A: Of course a picture is worth a thousand words. So when our reader offered to send a
photo along, we gladly accepted. We were also curious about the reference to the weight
of the facade and wondered if there might be some settling involved or some other
structural problem.
Happily, she reported that there were no problems with the fireplace settling and that the
motivation for the fix was purely cosmetic. One look at the soot-stained white brick
facade and hearth, and it's apparent that a makeover is in order. Fortunately, this
makeover is not too extreme.
Removing the brick should be a pretty easy job. The only tools needed are a cold chisel
and a stout hammer. A 3-pound sledge hammer should do the trick. This is also known as
a "single jack" -- named for its use by a single hard-rock miner in conjunction with a star
chisel to bore holes in rock for placement of dynamite.
Start by removing the wood mantle that sits on the top of the brick. Place the cold chisel
in the mortar joints of one of the end bricks. There should be a joint where the brick
meets the wall and there is a joint between the top brick and the second course below it.
Work on both joints until the brick is loosened, then lift it off. Work gently so the bricks
don't fall and damage the floor or your foot. Work from the top to the bottom in this
manner until you've removed all the bricks. The brick you see on the fireplace is a facade.
It is attached to the firebox by mortar. You'll be able to clean up the brick behind the
facade and cover them with a new flat mortar bed to install the tile or marble.
After all of the facade bricks are out, remove the hearth (threshold) in the same way with
the same tools. You'll probably find the hearth is set in a bed of mortar. The mortar base
will provide a good substrate to set your tile.
As far as putting the fireplace front together again, unless you have some experience
installing tile, consider hiring a tile setter or mason to do this part of the job.
Sensible Home | Thermal mass cuts utility bills
Philadelphia Inquirer - Philadelphia, PA
March 25, 2007
James Dulley
Question: I am adding a room and doing some general remodeling in my home. I have
heard that adding thermal mass to the house can lower my utility bills and improve
comfort.
How can I do this in the old and new rooms?
- Dean S
Answer: What you heard about adding thermal mass is correct. The primary energy
savings come from the increased comfort that results, which allows you to set your
furnace's thermostat lower during winter and your air conditioner's higher during
summer.
Thermal mass can actually reduce heat loss, particularly in the kitchen and bathrooms,
where heat is generated by cooking or bathing.
It's the same concept that keeps log homes fairly comfortable in all types of weather.
Even though walls constructed of logs have a low insulation R-value relative to an
insulated framed wall, log homes stay comfortable because less heat gets out in winter
and less heat gets in during summer. That's because of the tons of thermal mass of the
heavy logs.
Every object in your house absorbs heat when the furnace or boiler comes on. Once the
furnace stops, these warm objects radiate heat back to the air and to your body. An object
with higher thermal mass can hold more heat energy.
The keys to lowering your utility bills with thermal mass are selecting the right materials
and locating them so they absorb excess heat and then slowly release it to the room air.
The thermal mass of various materials is rated by their heat capacities. Water has a high
heat capacity of 62.4 per cubic foot, compared to drywall at only 1.3 per cubic foot. Wet
soil rates about 55, concrete is about 31, brick is about 27, and stone/tile ranges from 18
to 36, depending on type.
For your new construction, install a thick concrete floor even if it is over a basement or
crawl space. Precast concrete panels are a good choice. Using radiant floor heating is
effective with this design. Use decorative solid brick or stone for the interior wall where
the new room attaches to the existing house. Tile flooring will add still more thermal
mass to the room.
To increase the thermal mass in existing rooms, consider installing a ceramic tile floor in
the foyer. This is particularly effective if the sun shines in through windows in the door.
The thickness and weight of the tile are more important than its color, although darker
colors will be slightly better.
Brick panels can be added to interior walls. Although they are not as thick as a new solid
brick wall, they add some mass and look realistic. If you use a fireplace, build a thick
raised-brick or stone hearth. In the kitchen, install thick granite, marble or slate
countertops and tile backsplashes to absorb the excess heat when cooking and baking.
Houseplants with large pots of moist soil create thermal mass. If you store water in jugs
for emergencies, store them in a closet or under the sink instead of in the garage or
basement. After taking a hot bath, let the water cool down first before draining the tub.
Q: I have been looking at various wood-burning stoves, corn stoves, and gas heaters.
When I compare them, some list "overall efficiency" and others list "combustion
efficiency."
Which is higher? Which should I use?
- Cheryl D.
A: When you compare the specifications on combustion-style heaters, be careful. They
can mean almost anything, and it's difficult to know whether the figures are reliable.
In general, though, combustion efficiency refers to how completely the fuel is burned. A
unit can have a high combustion efficiency but a poor heat exchanger, so little heat
actually gets into your room. Overall heating efficiency is a better figure for comparison.
REMEMBER EXTRA COSTS WHEN BUYING A COTTAGE
Times Colonist - Victoria, British Columbia
March 24, 2007
Kathy McCormick
RECREATIONAL PROPERTY - If you're planning to buy a recreational property, be
sure to consider all costs when budgeting what you can afford, says a real estate expert.
Additional costs add up, says Douglas Hunter, author of The Cottage Ownership Guide.
Boat storage, annual road maintenance fees, fuel for the ski boat, and septic system
pump-outs are just some of the added costs to consider, he says.
WARM UP TO ENERGY SAVINGS
HOME HEATING - A setback or programmable thermostat can result in as much as five
to 15 per cent savings on your home's heating bill, says a federal agency.
The thermostats allow people to program an automatic change of temperature setting
during the night and during the work days when occupants are not in the house, says
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
Research says the greatest savings are made when temperatures are set back at least six
degrees, it says.
FIXING UP THE NEST REMAINS POPULAR
RENOVATIONS - While homebuying intentions are waning, Canadians still want to
renovate, according to a recent survey.
Only 10 per cent of renters said last year they were going to buy, compared to 14 per cent
in 2004 and 12 per cent in 2005, says the FIRM Survey released by Altus Clayton
(formerly Clayton Research).
By contrast, 16 per cent of homeowners said they were planning on renovations. The
recently released survey was undertaken last June.
MORE COVERAGE FOR CONDOMINIUM OWNERS
INSURANCE - An insurance company has come up with a new policy aimed at better
protecting condo owners.
Created by Chubb Insurance Company of Canada, the policy features coverage for
additions and alterations to a condo unit that might not be covered in the condominium
corporation's policy.
"Canadians in record numbers are attracted to the convenience of the condominium
lifestyle," says company president Paul Morrissette in a news release. --
The great smoke-out
Fort Wayne News Sentinel - Fort Wayne, IN
March 26, 2007
Kevin Leininger
Kevin Leininger points out a definitions problem with the city's new anti-smoking
ordinance:
Romantic candlelight dinners could be a thing of the past. Wood-burning or gas
fireplaces, too, along with any kind of food cooked over charcoal or an open flame.
City Council may not have intended to outlaw cherries jubilee and smoked ribs, but they
have. That would be my argument, at least, if I was earning $200 an hour to challenge
government’s latest effort to protect us from ourselves.
Where the law is concerned, definitions are key – which is why most legal documents
contain a slew of them. The city’s ordinance is no different, defining smoking as
“inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, weed, plant ...”
So far, so good.
But then it adds, “... or other combustible substance in any manner or in any form.”
Supporters of the ordinance acknowledge the problem but say it won't really be a
problem. Nodody will really enforce it that broadly, says Don Schmidt. If it becomes
troublesome, says John Crawford, then the language can always be changed. That seems
a little cavalier, since they've got until June to fix the thing. Maybe they add a grandfather
clause to take care of the restaurants that spent thousands of dollars to comply with the
current version of the ordinance. But they've been a little cavalier about that, too.
Smoking ‘in any manner or form’ Ordinance’s definition of terms is too broad
Fort Wayne News Sentinel - Fort Wayne, IN
March 24, 2007
Kevin Leininger
City officials began a public-awareness campaign for their new anti-smoking law this
week, threatening to fine restaurant and bar owners up to $2,500 every time they allow
somebody to light up after June 1.
But if you read the ordinance literally – and lawyers earn big bucks to do just that –
“lighting up” could be interpreted to mean far more than smoking.
Romantic candlelight dinners could be a thing of the past. Wood-burning or gas
fireplaces, too, along with any kind of food cooked over charcoal or an open flame.
City Council may not have intended to outlaw cherries jubilee and smoked ribs, but they
have. That would be my argument, at least, if I was earning $200 an hour to challenge
government’s latest effort to protect us from ourselves.
Where the law is concerned, definitions are key – which is why most legal documents
contain a slew of them. The city’s ordinance is no different, defining smoking as
“inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, weed, plant ...”
So far, so good.
But then it adds, “... or other combustible substance in any manner or in any form.”
In other words, flames of any kind must be doused at midnight May 31. No exceptions.
That’s what “in any manner or in any form means.”
“But no one will enforce it in that fashion,” said City Councilman Don Schmidt, R-2nd, a
supporter of the ban who is trying to inject some rationality into what any lawyer would
tell you should be a strictly legal affair.
“It’s a loophole that could be creatively manipulated,” said Bill Fishering, attorney for
the Allen County Commissioners, who last year passed a less-restrictive smoking ban
that also will take effect June 1.
According to the county ordinance, which unlike the city’s will exempt bars, smoking is
the “carrying or holding of a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or any other lighted smoking
equipment, or the inhalation or exhalation of smoke from any lighted smoking
equipment.”
Ah, but what exactly is “smoking equipment”? Does it include those little flame pots at
Chinese restaurants?
But that’s a column for another day. At least the county specifically exempted the
burning of incense from the ban. Bishop John D’Arcy will be very happy.
Some restaurant and bar owners, on the other hand, are not happy.
“We’ll comply with the law,” said Bud Hall of Hall’s Restaurants. “But we’ve got charbroilers, and candles on some of our tables. Call the fire department.”
The Fort Wayne Fire Department will include smoking compliance in its regular
inspections, Capt. Jim Murua said this week. Additional enforcement will be complaintdriven, he said, and is not expected to require any additional manpower.
But what if some wise guy starts phoning in complaints about the noxious and possibly
illegal emissions from gas stoves and ovens? Any combustion, remember, violates the
ordinance. Will city firefighters refuse to respond? If so, will they be accused of selective
enforcement? If they enforce the ordinance literally, who will want to eat smokeless
barbecue?
Even Schmidt knows this could get ugly.
“I’d like to think people will rely on common sense here, but more and more we’re
getting a shortage of common sense,” he said.
Murua will have to sort through this mess, watching out not only for smokers but also for
smoke of any kind. He doesn’t think the law’s verbiage will cause headaches for his
inspectors, but he may underestimate the determination of some restaurant and bar
owners, who have vowed to fight the city with any means at their disposal.
“This is like making sausage,” said City Councilman John Crawford, R-at large, the
ordinance’s chief supporter, referring to Otto von Bismarck’s famous maxim about how
unappetizing it can be to know too much about how some foods – and laws – are made.
With a little more than three months to go before the ordinance is scheduled to take
effect, some people have begun to look at its language very closely indeed. Some see an
opportunity. Others see a loophole that should perhaps be closed before it can be
exploited.
“If the definition of smoking is a problem, we can change it,” Crawford said.
Good. I like my sausage the way I like my occasional cigar:
Smoked.