Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Searches
January 2, 2007
Wood Burning Concerns
FROM THE COMMUNITY: That cozy fire isn't so comfy after all; Wood smoke leads
to particle pollution, which leads to lung disease, heart attacks and strokes -- with
children most at risk
Contra Costa Times, Santa Cruz Sentinel
January 2, 2007
Jenny Bard
New Year's Eve Marks 12th -- And Final -- Spare the Air Day of '06
KCBS.com
December 31, 2006
Outdoor Furnace Bans
Communities weigh boiler rules
The Republican (Springfield, MA)
December 30, 2006
George Graham, Michael McAuliffe and Peter Goonan
Commission discusses revising outdoor solid fuel ordinance
Spooner Advocate (Spooner, WA)
December 27, 2006
Frank Zufall
Company battles 'malicious' rumors
Spooner Advocate (Spooner, WA)
December 27, 2006
Frank Zufall
Wood-burning furnace rules pushed; NIRPC panel wants state to act on popular devices
Northwest Indiana News (Munster, IN)
November 29, 2006
Lauri Harvey Keagle
Barbecue Trends
Football's (grid)iron chef: Commissioner of Tailgating set for Rose Bowl feed
**HPBA**
LA Daily News
December 30, 2006
Brad A Greenberg
Misc. Hearth Articles
No sun? No problem: Get heat on the patio **HPBA**
Newsday
January 1, 2007
Review fireplace safety tips before lighting a match **HPBA**
Gwinnett Daily Post (Gwinnett County, GA)
December 28, 2006
Rachael Mason
Home is where the hearth is
Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS)
December 29, 2006
Tammy Smith
Keeping the home fires burning
Tulsa World (Tulsa, OK)
December 30, 2006
Kim Brown
Zone control creates comfort throughout home
Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, OH)
December 31, 2006
James Dulley
Installing a Gas Insert, Woodstove or Fireplace
The Columbian (Clark County, WA)
December 28, 2006
Jim Muir, Chief Building Official
Chicken Ranch: Wood Stoves
Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA)
December 29, 2006
Charles E. Cullen
FROM THE COMMUNITY: That cozy fire isn't so comfy after all; Wood smoke
leads to particle pollution, which leads to lung disease, heart attacks and strokes -with children most at risk
Contra Costa Times, Santa Cruz Sentinel
January 2, 2007
Jenny Bard
IS THERE ANY SIGHT more comforting on a cold winter evening than a roaring
fireplace?
According to recent scientific studies, we should be anything but comforted: Wood
smoke, we now know, is hazardous to our health.
Burning wood creates significant amounts of fine particle pollution. The more scientists
have learned about particle pollution, the more alarmed they have become.
Thousands of studies link particle pollution with a host of health problems that include
asthma attacks, diminished lung function, respiratory ailments, heart attacks and stroke.
While particle pollution affects everyone, it is particularly dangerous for children -whose lungs are still developing -- and can cause bronchitis, increases in respiratory
infections and impaired lung development.
These are just a few of the reasons the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now
considers fine particle pollution its "most pressing air quality problem."
If you're skeptical that smoke from fireplaces and wood stoves could actually be a
significant source of air pollution, consider this: According to the California Air
Resources Board, residential wood burning is the single biggest contributor to winter
particle pollution in the Bay Area, contributing more particle pollution to our air than
automobiles, diesel vehicles or industry.
Last December, the air quality in the Bay Area exceeded the recently enacted EPA
particle pollution standard on one out of every three days, largely because of wood
burning.
It would be bad enough if the story ended here, but it doesn't. Wood smoke also contains
toxic and carcinogenic substances that include benzene, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons and dioxin. According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management Agency,
one-third of the total amount of dioxin in the area comes from wood burning.
It may seem hard to believe that something so familiar could actually be harmful to our
health. But just watch a movie from the 1940s, and you'll realize that cigarette smoking
was also once considered harmless, and just as ubiquitous, as wood burning is today.
EPA researchers estimate that the cancer risk from wood smoke may be 12 times greater
than from an equal amount of tobacco smoke.
The hazardous particles from wood smoke are so tiny that they can easily infiltrate
homes. While we may have effectively banned tobacco smoke from our public places,
there is currently no way to avoid something potentially far more dangerous right at
home.
Every winter, local offices of the American Lung Association receive phone calls from
distraught families suffering from health problems caused by wood burning. Often, they
have young children with asthma who are literally unable to breathe in their own homes.
Some of these families have had to resort to selling their houses and moving to areas with
less wood-smoke pollution.
Fortunately, there are easily available solutions. Gas fireplaces now so convincingly
imitate their log-burning brethren that it is difficult to tell them apart -- and gas is far
more convenient and cleaner-burning. Gas-burning "woodstoves" can be inserted into
fireplaces, and they put out a small fraction of the particle pollution of those that burn
wood. Electric models offer amazing realism. If gas is not an option, pellet stoves deliver
high overall efficiency and burn relatively cleanly. With improved woodstove
combustion technologies, some newer stoves have certified emissions as low as pellet
stoves.
The American Lung Association of California is working with the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District to promote the cleanest burning options and to enact effective
measures to protect the public from wood smoke pollution. The health of our community
depends on it.
But the most important change we can make is in our collective attitude toward woodburning. This will be difficult, since it has been engrained in human behavior ever since
our ancestors first gathered around a fire in a dark cave.
The first step is for us to stop associating that roaring fire with ambience and romance
and start linking it with an asthmatic child reaching desperately for his inhaler.
Bard is director of clean air programs at the American Lung Association of California in
Santa Rosa.
New Year's Eve Marks 12th -- And Final -- Spare the Air Day of '06
KCBS.com
December 31, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS) -- A Spare the Air advisory is in effect Sunday, and
continues through Monday morning. It's the 12th and final advisory of 2006.
Karen Schkolnick, spokeswoman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, told
KCBS that the advisory is partially due to the cloud cover that's keeping a lot of the
particulate matter closed in.
"Certainly, the fact that we haven't had any rain or heavy winds in the last few days has
contributed to concentration of particulate matter to build over the last few days," she
said.
A Spare the Air message was also delivered last week, on Christmas Eve into Christmas
Day, advising people to drive less, and refrain from making fires generally, and burning
wood in particular. But Schkolnick said the particulate matter readings on Christmas Day
were the highest of the season.
She said seasonal wood burning contributed to that, and District officials hope Bay Area
residents hear Sunday's alert and avoid burning wood as they celebrate the new year.
She said there are air-friendly alternatives to wood burning -- "especially for folks that
want to use the fireplace as a heat source."
One alternative is pellet stoves, which "use other kinds of renewable fuels -- specifically
pellets made from corn residuals or also wood in some cases. However, because of the
design of the pellet stove, it actually fully combusts the fuel, and creates higher amounts
of heat, rather than pollution."
Another alternative is for people who have a fireplace and don't want to switch to an
alternative type of stove.
"There's something called an insert -- there's an E.P.A.-certified insert that can be
incorporated into the fireplace, and also allows for wood burning but drastically reduces
the amount of pollution that is emitted."
She noted that the differing types of compressed logs are confusing.
"Some may contain [only] saw dust and other kinds of matter, bound through pressure,"
Schkolnick said. "But there are other logs that may contain waxes and other chemicals
which are far more dangerous than just generating particulate matter. They can also
create toxins which are emitted not only into the community, but into one's own home."
For that reason, the air district does not endorse the use of any manufactured logs.
She said information about all of these alternatives is available at www.sparetheair.org.
Communities weigh boiler rules
The Republican (Springfield, MA)
December 30, 2006
George Graham, Michael McAuliffe and Peter Goonan
WESTFIELD - The Whip City is joining the growing number of Western Massachusetts
communities seeking to regulate the use of outdoor wood-burning furnaces or boilers.
"They seem to be a popular thing right now," outgoing City Council President Brian P.
Sullivan said yesterday. "We just want to look into it before it becomes an issue."
The Building Department reports just "two or three" permit requests for the outdoor
furnaces over the past year.
Sullivan said, however, that some complaints of odor have already come wafting into
City Hall. Sullivan and incoming Council President Charles W. Medeiros made a motion
to their fellow councilors last week seeking to explore potential regulation of the outdoor
furnaces.
Some residential zones, like the densely inhabited downtown areas, may not be suitable,
Sullivan said.
The motion was referred to council subcommittee.
In West Springfield, the Board of Health recently issued a moratorium on outdoor woodburning furnaces.
Furnaces that are already in operation may continue to be used, but any new furnace is
prohibited until the board can further research the subject.
The Longmeadow Board of Health will hold a public hearing on Jan. 22 on a proposal to
ban the installation and use of outdoor wood-burning boilers. The board is scheduled to
vote following the hearing.
Earlier this month the Longmeadow board voted to ban the boilers, and is expected to
repeat that decision, but move under a different section of state law that would allow for a
fine of as much as $1,000 per day for a first-time offender. The current ban provides for a
fine of $100 per day.
A Chicopee couple recently filed suit in Hampden Superior Court, claiming their
neighbor's use of an outdoor wood-burning boiler created a nuisance and a financial loss
when they sold their home.
The suit was filed by Edward J. and Paula Nowak, against their former neighbors, Robert
M. and Andrea J. McKinney, of 21 Loveland Terrace.
The Chicopee Board of Health claims the McKinneys have failed to comply with a ceaseand-desist order to stop using their outdoor wood boiler, and face possible court action.
The board issued a ban on the boilers in November, preceded by a moratorium.
The McKinneys added the outdoor wood boiler to heat their home after receiving a
permit from the city in 2005, McKinney said.
The Nowaks now live at 73 Caddyshack Drive, Chicopee, but were living at 31 Loveland
Terrace.
The Nowaks claim they had a purchase and sale agreement to sell their home on
Loveland Terrace in April of 2006 for $222,000, but that the sale fell through due to the
McKinney's outdoor boiler. They sold the house at a reduced price of $195,000.
The Northampton Board of Health issued a moratorium through Jan. 31; its counterpart in
Holyoke did so through June 30.
Belchertown selectmen have asked that town's Board of Health to look into the issue and
Hadley is considering restrictions.
Reporters Michael McAuliffe and Peter Goonan contributed to this report
Commission discusses revising outdoor solid fuel ordinance
Spooner Advocate (Spooner, WA)
December 27, 2006
Frank Zufall
The city of Spooner’s Planning Commission met Tuesday night, Dec. 19, to consider
recommendations for revising the city’s solid fuels ordinance to reflect technological
advances of solid fuel outdoor boilers which burn corn and wood pellets and emit far less
emissions than the typical outdoor wood boiler.
Spooner Mayor Louie Villella, who chairs the commission, acknowledged the city’s
ordinance has not kept pace with technological innovations in outdoor boilers and
burners.
However, he said, the commission needs to take its time and carefully consider any
changes to the ordinance.
Villella said over the next year, before the ordinance is revised, each variance request for
a solid fuel outdoor burner outside the ordinance distance requirements should be
considered “case by case.”
The city’s ordinance uses the words “outdoor solid fuel fired furnaces.” However,
Villella said when the ordinance was rewritten in 2005, the commission was thinking of
outdoor wood burners which use a different technology than the cleaner-burning solid
fuel burners.
Section 26-48 of the city’s ordinance requires an “outdoor solid fuel-fired furnace” to be
200 feet from the nearest building not on the same property, 100 feet from the property
line, and 30 feet from any structure.
In 2005, Burns Best Vice President Terry Burns assisted the city in rewriting the
ordinance to address the older technology.
Burns said he personally would not want to see his current wood boilers used in the city
because of the potential of smoke and nuisance, but he said modern solid fuel boilers
burning corn, wood pellets and other dry “palletized fuel,” have low smoke emissions
and are suitable for residential placement.
BOA dilemma
Villella said because of the way the city’s ordinance is currently written, the city’s Board
of Appeals (BOA) had been put in a position of deciding if variances should be given
based on an ordinance that did not reflect the changes in technology.
“We have placed them in an unenviable place because it kind of got dumped on them to
be the decision maker for the community when we really felt we were doing the right
thing when we suggested this to the council,” said Villella. “I don’t think anyone is the
bad guy here, but I don’t think it is right to dump this all on the board of appeals.”
In November the BOA rejected, 5-0, a request by the Northwest Sports Complex for a
large solid fuel Burns Best corn boiler on the west side of its building.
Several residents were concerned over the proximity of the proposed boiler to the street
and homes.
However, earlier this month the BOA approved use of that same type of boiler at the east
side of Economart because the majority of the BOA members felt the greater distance
from residential buildings near the store made it more suitable for that space.
Darren Vik, a member of the BOA, was the one dissenting vote against granting the
variance. He said the Economart boiler would require an “extreme” modification from
the distances stated in the ordinance.
The Economart boiler will be placed 4 1/2 feet from a building, versus 30 feet required in
the ordinance; 67 feet from another building, versus 200; and 63 feet from the property
line, versus 100 feet.
During the meeting last Tuesday night, Villella recommended the Northwest Sports
Complex boiler be placed on the north side of Walnut Street near the dormitory owned by
the complex. He said that site probably would be more agreeable to the local residents
and would offer the chance to heat the dormitory as well as the sports complex.
Villella also said after sitting through the BOA meetings in November and December that
he thought the city’s setback requirements were “very large.” He said it did not make any
sense to have a unit 30 feet from a building when the manufacturer’s specs said it could
be located much closer.
“There is really no good reasons why we should be more restrictive than the state or the
manufacturer’s recommendation.
“I think when we originally wrote this ordinance we were thinking of the old pot-bellied
burners we were trying to avoid. Everything has kinda of changed with the new
technology,” he said.
Mike Spafford, who chaired the December BOA hearing, said he agreed with Villella that
the distance restrictions appeared to be too great, and he said manufacturers’ guidelines
should be taken into consideration.
Spafford also asked the commission to reconsider language that restricts outdoor boiler
use outside the months of September through May.
Villella said the ordinance was originally written to discourage burning garbage during
the summer months, but he said some businesses could use the hot water in the summer,
such as the Northwest Sports Complex heating its pool.
Spooner Building Inspector Dennis Quinn said another reason for restricting summer
burning is that people are outside more in the summer and humidity keeps odors closer to
the ground.
Quinn said other municipalities from southern Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio that deal
with wood burner complaints have requested a copy of the city’s ordinance.
Burns Best input
The commission offered Burns Best an opportunity to make recommendations to the
city’s ordinance.
Burns reiterated that he supports the current ordinance for conventional wood boilers
because “they do smoke a lot, and they could be a nuisance.”
But he advocated changing the ordinance to reflect new, cleaner technology.
“But the fact is we have new technology that deals with solid fuel, pelletized corn boilers,
wood pellet boilers, that should not be under this ordinance,” said Burns. “That is an
entirely different test, entirely different product. It doesn’t smoke; it doesn’t annoy a
neighbor. It should not be categorized with wood boilers.
“It doesn’t belong there. It got thrown in with this because you use the word ‘solid fuel’
rather than ‘outdoor wood boiler’ that is what you were thinking when you wrote the
ordinance, but somehow the word ‘solid fuels’ got in there, which includes everything
other than gas and oil. That’s too bad, so it is time to address this issue.”
Burns pointed out he could buy an indoor pellet stove and operate it inside a home and
the ordinance would not apply. He asked why the requirements are so different just
because the unit is outside.
Burns said if smoke is not an issue with the newer technology, then the distance
restriction needed to be omitted.
Burns said it is safer to burn outside than inside, and the new technology offers
homeowners choices on how they want to heat their homes, saving them money and
offering energy independence.
Villella also pointed out that the city could not control placing an old wood barrel inside
to burn wood.
Burns Best engineer Ben Binversie offered several recommendations for changing the
ordinance:
• Adopt the definition “further processed solid fuels, referring to raw material such as
distiller’s grain, switchgrass, and wood that is transformed through cubing or pelletizing
into a usable fuel form.”
•Adding the following language on the types of units permitted for use: “listings by a
reputable third party testing laboratory (example includes Underwriters Laboratory,
Intertek, PFS Corporation, or factory manual) stating the unit performs as described by
the manufacturer.”
•“Outdoor solid fuel-fired furnace” as used in the ordinance with distance requirements
changed to “Outdoor wood fuel-fired furnaces”
However, Binversie said that in a year or two very clean wood-burning stoves would be
on the market that may require reconsidering and changing the ordinance for those types
of units.
Burns said he has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the last
year on setting higher emission standards for wood boilers, requiring the boilers to burn
70 to 80 percent more cleaner than they are today. He said the standard is due to be
published Jan. 21, and the state would take the federal standards and adopt them as
mandatory standards.
•Add the language “upon approval of the city council” to allow solid fuel-fired furnaces
to operate beyond the September through May timeframe for activities such as heating
pools.
Burns suggested that a conditional use permit be applied to summer usage with the rider
that if the usage becomes offensive or a nuisance, it would have to stop.
•Adding the statement “Shelled corn and ‘further processed’ solid-fuel fired furnaces
shall be located away from other structures in accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendation.”
Complaints
Quinn and Alderperson Mary Chido, who was in the audience, said they had heard a few
complaints about odor of the Burns Best boiler on North River Street.
Burns responded that no one had complained to him about odor, and he had even talked
to the resident closest to his plant and that resident had no complaints.
“We have not had any registered complaints,” added Villella.
Burns said corn smoke is not an offensive smoke and it does not hang on clothing or
present a carcinogenic risk like wood smoke.
Burns suggested the commission look at two operating units in Hayward that use wood
pellets to see for themselves how clean-burning the units are.
Company battles 'malicious' rumors
Spooner Advocate (Spooner, WA)
December 27, 2006
Frank Zufall
Three of the outdoor boilers offered by Burns Best are displayed outside its
manufacturing headquarters in Spooner. The Genesis Corn and Biomass Burner (far
right) which burns corn and wood pellets, is manufactured in Spooner.
Last week a rumor spread across parts of Washburn County that Burns Best of Spooner
had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on either Tuesday or Wednesday, Dec. 19 or 20.
In fact, Donna and Terry Burns, president and vice president, say they have not filed for
bankruptcy.
“For the record, we are not on default on any loans with the county, with the state, with
the city, with the bank,” said Terry. “We are not on default or a day late on a single loan.”
On Friday, Bankruptcy Court for Western District of Wisconsin in Eau Claire confirmed
that Burns Best had not filed.
The Burns say they are paying their employees and have a good relationship with
vendors, who they acknowledge are “working with the company.”
Janet Ullom, Washburn County treasurer and member of the Washburn County Industrial
Development Agency (WCIDA), said the Burns are “current” in paying off two $100,000
loans from the agency’s revolving loan fund.
Ullom said the Burns also received a $500,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of
Commerce. She said when those funds are fully drawn down, they will become part of
the agency’s revolving loan fund balance owed by the Burns, but she said until they are
totally drawn down the Burns are not required to begin paying them off.
The rumors of a Burns Best bankruptcy may have been spurred by a recent layoff of 34
employees on Friday, Dec. 15. The Burns said the layoff was planned and the workers
knew about it in advance, but they added, two of the employees already were brought
back on Wednesday, Dec. 20, bringing the current workforce for the company close to
60.
On its Web site, Burns Best describes itself as the “largest distributor of renewable
energy products in the United States.”
In 2005, Burns Best leaped from strictly distribution to manufacturing.
In 2006, months behind schedule, Burns Best presented its own burner manufactured in
Spooner: Genesis Corn & Biomas Burner, a burner the company touts as “user-friendly,
cost effective, clean-burning dependable heating system” that burns shelled corn and
wood pellets and can save “75 percent on heating cost.”
The Burns says the company has experienced several of the first-year problems of
beginning manufacturing, including production “snafus” and cost overruns.
They say their market slowed across America because of lower heating fuel prices in
early fall when most homeowners consider using “alternative fuels.”
In particular, Terry said, in the Northeast United States the market softened by as much
as 70 percent as consumer put off the purchasing wood boilers until new Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines are published which will affect the type of outdoor
units allowed.
He said much of the press in the Northeast was negative and failed to acknowledge that
industry leaders, like Burns Best, had been working with the EPA in creating new air
emission standards for outside boilers.
“They are waiting for the next generation of wood boilers which we are working on,”
said Terry.
For the year, Burns Best’s projected sales are off by $2 million.
Determined to ride out the storm, the Burns have said they will bring in a partner,
possibly a West-Coast venture capitalist, to help them over the hard times and even
expand the product line.
“I need a million dollars to bring two more inventions to market,” said Terry.
Malicious rumors
Adding to the stress of a new manufacturing plant, the Burns say that an “unnamed”
governmental official, has spread “malicious rumors” about a pending bankruptcy.
Terry said he began hearing rumor even before the company relocated from Minong. He
said he has “thick skin” and usually just ignored the rumors but feels now they have
affected local sales.
Terry said he recently appeared before the Washburn County Economic Development
Corporation to request assistance in confronting the individual alleged to have spread the
rumors. Terry said he offered to supply the names of potential clients who could identify
the alleged “governmental official” spreading the rumor.
Terry said the Economic Development Corporation members responded they were not
“court” and were not in a position to investigate.
“A certain governmental person in an influential position in reasons unbeknownst to me
would like to see this company fail,” said Terry. “This person has stated malicious
rumors to this company’s determent, making it difficult to operate within this
community.”
Donna said even local vendors had been contacted and told not to do business with Burns
Best.
However, Terry said vendors and his bank have been understanding and working with the
company.
“Money is tight but our vendors are working with us,” said Terry. “Everyone of our
vendors has said ‘We want to see you succeed.’ There is nobody out to get us. Our
vendors are great. Our bank is 100 percent behind us.
“Our goals were not reached so we had to readjust our labor force. We are focusing our
sales in other parts of the country, outside of Washburn County and as we get those sales
back up again we will be bringing our production workers back on,” he said.
He added, “I am not going to blame my problems on somebody else, but on top of all the
things we were dealing with, this [malicious rumors] is the last thing we needed. Like any
entrepreneur we have made our share of mistakes, we acknowledge that; we’re human,
but this has made it difficult.”
Optimistic
Still, the Burns say they are optimistic because the forces that have made alternative fuel
attractive – lower heating cost and less dependence on foreign fuel – will continue to
drive the market.
Terry has been working with the EPA for the last three years in creating industry
standards for outdoor boiler air emission, standards he says Burns Best will surpass,
positioning the company well when state agencies adopt them.
And the Burns say, overall, the company has not be affected as badly as some of its
competitors because Burns Best has wide network of dealers from the Rocky Mountain
states east in the northern states and sell a wide range of products.
Wood-burning furnace rules pushed; NIRPC panel wants state to act on popular
devices
Northwest Indiana News (Munster, IN)
November 29, 2006
Lauri Harvey Keagle
PORTAGE | A Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission subcommittee
examining outdoor wood-burning furnaces is planning to push the state to regulate the
devices.
The subcommittee plans to ask Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Commissioner Tom Easterly about the state's plans for regulating outdoor wood-burning
furnaces at Thursday's NIRPC Environmental Management and Policy Committee
meeting.
The group also plans to ask the EMPC to encourage the full NIRPC board to petition
IDEM -- and possibly state legislators -- to enact regulations on the devices.
"We have to hold IDEM accountable and IDEM has to ask the EPA to do their jobs
efficiently and effectively," said Conni Clay of the Save the Dunes Council, who sits on
the subcommittee. It is drafting a sample ordinance to regulate the devices for Lake,
Porter and LaPorte counties and their municipalities.
Outdoor furnaces burn wood to heat water or air that is pumped back into the home.
When the units burn things other than recommended fuel -- generally clean, dry wood -they can emit thick, black smoke at ground level.
Currently, there are no regulations for the devices at the local, state or national level.
The Indiana Environmental Quality Service Council met in November and discussed a
plan by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which was expected to be unveiled
Dec. 15. But subcommittee members said Thursday the plan is now expected to be
released Jan. 22, or possibly later.
The EPA plan is expected to include two phases: a model state ordinance recommending
emissions standards and suggestions to manufacturers to create cleaner-operating
products. Any action taken by the states or manufacturers would be voluntary.
IDEM requested public comments on a proposal for rules governing outdoor furnaces last
year, but the state has yet to take any action.
"Despite what the EPA is doing at this time, we are continuing to move forward with a
draft ordinance to protect the environment and the residents of Northwest Indiana," said
Emerson Delaney, a Chesterton resident who owns one of the furnaces and serves on the
subcommittee.
Football's (grid)iron chef: Commissioner of Tailgating set for Rose Bowl feed
**HPBA**
LA Daily News
December 30, 2006
Brad A Greenberg
PASADENA - It was three days until the big game, but Joe Cahn's RV was already in
line Friday morning outside the Rose Bowl.
He'd been near the front since arriving late Thursday from the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
in San Diego, 15 hours before the parking lot would open for a weekend of tailgating for
the Rose Bowl game between Michigan and USC.
Cahn does not bleed maize and blue, or cardinal and gold. He doesn't have a ticket for
Monday's game - and he doesn't want one, either.
In the same way that David Stern isn't an ordinary basketball executive and William
Bratton isn't simply a police officer, Cahn is not just another football fan.
"The first year after going to every stadium in the NFL," Cahn said of 1996, "I was
declared the King of Tailgating."
By whom, he is asked.
"By myself."
A new title
Cahn goes by a different title now. Kings can be overthrown and presidents voted out, but
commissioners are appointed for life.
And so Joe Cahn, a 58-year-old retiree who has tailgated at 44 collegiate and professional
football games this fall - sometimes four in a weekend - has branded himself the
Commissioner of Tailgating.
"I think every man would aspire to such a job, but there's only room for one. And I don't
know if anybody could really fill Joe's shoes," said Bill North, one of Ford Field's
"tubgaters" in Detroit. "He's too good at it for anybody else to try to compete with him."
Short, stocky and resembling actor-director Rob Reiner, the commish is a bit of a
comedian. He promoted himself in 2004 as a write-in candidate for president.
The best party
"I felt the Republican Party is a good party and the Democratic Party is a good party, but
there is no party as good as the Tailgate Party - because that is a party," he said.
"I'm still contesting the election. There were a lot of ballots smeared with mustard and
barbecue sauce."
Cahn began his journey in 1996, a year after divorcing Karen Cahn, whom he is engaged
to remarry next Nov. 16 - their original wedding date.
After visiting all 29 National Football League stadiums, Cahn found a calling. He's since
become an ambassador for weekend warriors, a fan's favorite in scores of cities, big and
small.
But his status in tailgating isn't universally known or accepted. A quick survey at the
Rose Bowl demonstrated that much.
"Do you know how I know the Commissioner of Tailgating?" asked Alan Meda.
"Because that is him right there."
Meda was referring to fellow University of Michigan alum Dave Moen. Meda reversed
course, however, after being told of the man who drives the land in search of the best pregame parties.
No hometown
Cahn's nomadic nature has left him without a hometown.
His house on wheels is a 40-foot silver Country Coach. The top-of-the-line recreational
vehicle is complete with slides that expand the coach's center into a spacious living room,
with a couch on one side and a cherry-wood desk on the other. A plasma TV hooked to
satellite and showing the NFL Network hangs above the leather captain's seats.
"In Southern California and New York, people say, `My God, it's bigger than my
apartment,"' Cahn said.
He paid $250,000 for the RV last year and has driven it 72,000 miles; this year he's
burned through 12,834 gallons of diesel fuel.
He doesn't like to talk money, but said he gets by on a few corporate sponsorships
(Stanley Thermos bottles and the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association), occasional
speaking engagements (the upcoming Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show) and savings
from the New Orleans School of Cooking, which he sold in 1993 for "well under $10
million - well under $10 million."
Surprisingly, he's attended only four games this year - 10 percent of those at which he's
tailgated. Tickets are expensive and so is the food and beer.
Besides, Cahn views his role as a conservator of "the last great American neighborhood,"
which he finds on Thursdays and Saturdays and Sundays and Mondays on blacktops and
grassy knolls.
"It is the job that everybody wants. Forget about the perks of being the commissioner of
football," he said. "The perks of the parking lot are the best - the perks of family, food
and football."
No sun? No problem: Get heat on the patio **HPBA**
Newsday
January 1, 2007
According to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, patio heaters, a relatively new
product in the outdoor heating market, are quickly gaining popularity.
These appliances can run on liquid propane or on a direct hookup to natural gas. They
can produce 35,000 to 45,000 BTUs and radiate heat 20 to 25 feet in all directions
(farther than a fire pit).
Patio heaters can be stainless steel (most durable, if high-grade), cast aluminum or
painted steel, and prices range from about $300 to $700.
While most patio heaters are free-standing, some smaller ``table-top'' units produce up to
10,000 BTUs of heat.
Review fireplace safety tips before lighting a match **HPBA**
Gwinnett Daily Post (Gwinnett County, GA)
December 28, 2006
Rachael Mason
Now that the weather has cooled off a bit, you’re thinking about using your fireplace.
Perhaps you want to create a romantic atmosphere for a special occasion or maybe you’re
just thinking about warming up the living room for a party.
Before you strike a match, however, you need to make sure it’s OK to use your fireplace.
We’ve compiled a list of fire safety tips that covers everything from the chimney to the
hearth.
You should have your chimney inspected every year, according to the Hearth, Patio and
Barbecue Association. If it needs to be cleaned, hire a chimney sweep certified by the
Chimney Safety Institute of
America.
If your chimney doesn’t already have a cap at the top, install one. The cap can prevent
animals or debris from blocking the chimney.
Don’t forget to open the fireplace damper before you start your fire. It should be left open
until the ashes are cool, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The open damper helps prevent a buildup of poisonous gases.
Every fireplace should be covered by screen or glass enclosure to prevent embers or
sparks from escaping, said the CPSC.
Before you build your fire, be sure to have a fire extinguisher within reach, just in case
your flames get out of hand. Also, look around the fireplace and hearth and remove any
potentially flammable materials such as books, paper, rugs and furniture. Flammable
items should be located at least three feet away from the fire.
Your home should already have a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector. If it
does, check the batteries on both of these before you light the fire. If not, you should
install both kinds of detectors.
Charcoal should never be used in a fireplace, due to the risk of carbon monoxide
poisoning, said the CPSC. Also avoid using gasoline, charcoal lighter fluid or other fuel
on your home fire. The vapors of these fuels can cause explosions.
You should keep small children and household pets away from the fireplace. Also, never
leave your fire unattended.
Never burn a Christmas tree in a fireplace. The dry wood and needles create a lot of
dangerous sparks and can cause a chimney fire.
Before you leave the house or go to bed, check the fire to make sure its completely out.
Don’t close the damper until all embers have stopped burning altogether.
Once ashes have completely cooled, place them in metal container with a lid to prevent
fires.
Home is where the hearth is
Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS)
December 29, 2006
Tammy Smith
Hearth and home.
The cozy phrase calls to mind a cheerful, blazing fireplace, a bit of welcoming light in the
midst of winter.
Even if South Mississippi doesn't get blizzards or regular snowfall, we do have
occasional cold snaps that put a shiver in our limbs.
So fireplaces get the opportunity to be put into service.
Woodburning vs. gas
A few decades ago, most fireplaces were woodburning, but current trends seem to favor
gas logs, said Bobby Sullivan, owner of Top Hat Fireplace Store in Gulfport.
"I've been in the business about 30 years," he said. "Back then, it was about 95 percent
woodburning and 5 percent gas logs. Now, it's about 75 percent gas, 20 percent wood and
5 percent electric.
"That's probably because firewood can be hard to get, and it can be a convenience thing.
You have to stack the wood, bring it in, clean out the fireplace. And they've made such
improvements in gas logs. They put out more heat than they used to."
Choice of materials
Another trend in fireplaces is going with different materials and textures.
"Instead of brick, people are going with stone, ceramic tile or marble," he said. "Some
people who are getting gas fireplaces are putting a TV above the fireplace. Or they're
putting smaller fireplaces in the bedroom or the bath. There are so many variations."
See-through fireplaces, or those which can serve adjoining rooms with two openings, are
also popular choices.
Go with gas
"There are also three-sized fireplaces," Sullivan said. "But for the see-through and threesided fireplaces, we recommend gas - you can have some smoke problems with wood
otherwise."
Pellet fuel
One of the newest options on the market is the pellet stove, which uses pellet fuel.
"It looks sort of like rabbit food," Sullivan said. The stoves look like woodburning stoves,
and the pellets are made from sawdust, wood chips, bark, agricultural crop waste, waste
paper, and other organic materials compacted into the small forms.
This form of energy is considered more efficient and produces little air pollution.
"We sell a few," he said. "In some parts of the country, you pretty much have to have it."
Keeping the home fires burning
Tulsa World (Tulsa, OK)
December 30, 2006
Kim Brown
Gas and electricity are fueling more and more fireplaces
When sweater weather first arrives and there's a snap that hangs in the air, many people
want to curl right up to the fireplace.
Whether it is a marble masterpiece in the great room or an electric model in the bedroom,
homeowners love their fireplaces. Now, it is easier than ever to create warmth in your
home with a fireplace even with a small budget.
"Fireplaces can cost anywhere from $500 to $10,000," said Bud Farris, owner of Tulsa
Fireplace Supply, 9251 S. Garnett Road in Broken Arrow.
The hearth products industry has seen the most growth in recent years in electric
fireplaces, he said.
"I think it's the ease of having electric, and it's very energy efficient," Farris said. "There's
no flue, and manufacturers have made a lot of really attractive electric fireplaces."
The units can be installed anywhere in the home that has electrical power, and because
there are no actual flames, they can be installed near wood or other flammable items.
Farris said electric fireplaces are also very realistic looking, and a homeowner can buy
one for as low as $1,500. People with flat-screen televisions on their walls can install
electric fireplaces right underneath them without worrying about heat damage.
"They can have heat or no heat, so if you want the ambiance of a flame in the summer
you can turn it on," he said.
Gas fireplaces are also desirable to homeowners because of their energy efficiency and
ease, he said.
"Some people think they're not, but they're very safe," he said. "A lot of people
remodeling right now want to update their fireplaces for energy efficiency. Most people
don't realize that a wood burning fireplace is only 10 percent energy efficient. Ninety
percent of the heat goes up the flue."
Popular alternatives to traditional fireplaces in Tulsa homes are wood burning stoves,
said Bertie Gorden, who owns Buck Stove Home Energy Center, 4735 S. Memorial
Drive, Suite C, along with her husband, Marlyn Gorden.
She said that most customers prefer wood and wood pellets for their stoves, but she has
seen sold more gas and even electric stoves this year than before.
"With a wood pellet stove, it pushes heat into your house and keeps your furnace from
kicking on," Gorden said.
Homeowners are placing the stoves in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens -- anywhere
they want to have a comforting glow, she said.
"Some people just like to look at a wood fire," she said.
For traditionalists, wood fireplaces are the only way to go. Maybe it's the crackling and
popping sounds, or they enjoy poking the logs.
"There are still those die-hard people out there that want to burn wood just for the overall
experience of smelling wood burning," Farris said. "But that market is continuing to
dwindle.
And although they are the most expensive option, masonry fireplaces -- installed with
brick, stone, marble or other building materials -- are always popular regardless of the
style of the home.
Tulsa architect Jack Arnold said his clients have been requesting larger and wider
masonry fireplaces to accent their homes.
"They're wider and taller, some even tall enough to stand in," Arnold said.
Installing a Gas Insert, Woodstove or Fireplace
The Columbian (Clark County, WA)
December 28, 2006
Jim Muir, Chief Building Official
Cold winter weather has arrived. Is your fireplace ready? Before you run out to the local
hardware store or stove specialty outlet, here are some basic things to keep in mind.
There are several different types of fireplace inserts and appliances. Standard wood
burning or gas inserts, and wood pellet stoves are all popular products. All fireplace
inserts and appliances require a permit and inspection from your city or county building
department. Gas insert fireplaces also require a gas piping permit and inspection. These
regulations are designed to make sure you and your family are safe sitting by that cozy
fire.
How to safely install a fireplace insert
Before considering a specific product, here are some common requirements that must be
met in order to safely install a fireplace insert. First, an insert is simply any kind of
appliance or product installed in your brick or masonry chimney's firebox. Not all inserts
require a brick chimney. For example, direct-vent gas fireplaces vent directly through an
exterior wall. All inserts are required to be factory built and listed by a certified testing
agency.
Factory built inserts may be installed in site-built fireboxes. Typically made of brick or
masonry, a firebox is the "shell" for your insert. Site-built fireboxes must be inspected to
ensure they meet all the building code requirements for clearances to combustibles, such
as walls and framing members, and proper seals to prevent smoke and carbon dioxide
leaks.
Any site-built fireplace must be constructed and inspected to comply with the 2003
International Residential Code. Chimneys passing through an attic must have a shield to
maintain required clearances from insulation and other combustibles. All masonry
chimneys constructed since 1970 must be lined according to the building code. All "precode" unlisted masonry fireplaces and chimneys require an inspection by a Washington
State licensed masonry contractor before a wood stove insert permit or gas appliance
permit is issued.
Factory built inserts must be installed in factory built fireboxes listed specifically for that
product and must be installed according to the manufacturer's listing, with specific
attention to clearances from walls, combustibles, and chimney clearances.
Does the insert meet environmental standards?
All fireplaces, gas appliance inserts, and wood stoves require "combustion air," according
to the Washington State Energy Code. Determining how much "combustion air" your
appliance will need depends on several factors, including the type of appliance, its heat
output in BTUs, and whether your home is constructed as "tight" or "unusually tight" for
air quality. The air tightness of your home can usually be determined by the year it was
constructed. Homes built after 1988 are typically "unusually tight."
A frequently asked question is: "Does this fireplace insert meet the emissions standards?"
This is especially important if you are purchasing a used wood stove or appliance. As of
January 1997, all emission standards are governed by the Washington State Department
of Ecology, which maintains a list of certified fireplaces. When in doubt, be sure to
contact the Washington State Department of Ecology at (800) 523-4363.
Not all stoves should be used to heat a home. Proper installation of approved heating
appliances -- such as a fireplace or wood stove -- is a safe way to bring cozy nights to
cold and wet winter days. However, it is important to remember that a kitchen stove
should never be used to heat your home. This is extremely dangerous and can result in
unsafe levels of carbon monoxide in your home. You cannot see or smell carbon
monoxide so it can build up rapidly without warning. Carbon monoxide poisoning
requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting,
and drowsiness.
The Clark County Building Safety Division can provide permit information and
recommendations for safe installation at (360) 397-2375 ext. 4912. Additional
information on fireplaces can also be found on the Department of Ecology Web site at
HYPERLINK "http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/airhome.html"
www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/airhome.html.
Chicken Ranch: Wood Stoves
Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA)
December 29, 2006
Charles E. Cullen
Once in a while, a reader e-mail will trigger the subject of a column.
Let's take look at one I recently received concerning wood stoves.
Charles,
I seem to remember there being an article you had on roanoke.com about your search for
wood stoves. From what I remember (which ain't much these days) there was a wealth of
knowledge about the best brand of wood stoves, where to find a good used one, etc. Since
they took away the old format of your columns, I cannot find the archives easily. Can you
send me the link or perhaps the info you had? many thanks,
Todd D. Spencer
Imaging and Workflow Programmer I
Shenandoah Life Insurance Company
My response was:
Hi Todd,
When roanoke.com switched the format of the columns, they pretty much eliminated
access to the archives. I'll sum that column up and give you some good additional
information. I suggest picking up a copy of The Valley Trading Post and looking under
the "Plumbing & Heating" section to find a great selection of used stoves. Kanodes in
Salem, VA had an excellent selection of new stoves, but they are no longer in business.
Dixie Building Products handles some Vermont Castings.
However, ever since the owner of Dixie Building Products spoke to me very rudely, I
plan on never stepping foot in that establishment ever again. I would shy away from the
brands sold at Lowe's and Northern Tool, as they are cheap and quickly built. I personally
feel that the best wood stoves out there are Vermont Castings, Jotul and Haughs. They
are efficient, decorative and many come with a glass door that makes it possible to watch
the fire. These companies have beautiful brochures and catalogs that they......
Charles Cullen
For you wonderful readers out there, I'll elaborate more on my wood stove knowledge.
With fuel and oil prices hitting all time highs, many people are considering switching to
the fine art of heating with wood. When I say fine art, I do mean fine art. Heating with
wood is not something that one should choose without a lot of prior consideration. I think
a lot of people feel that it will involve nothing more than buying the stove, hooking a pipe
to the chimney and getting a load of firewood. So, let's say that your chimney is ready for
the stove and now it's time to purchase it. Yeah, let's start there. There's plenty to learn
from this point.
You'll want to search for a quality stove. I prefer Vermont Casting myself. Once you own
one, you'll love it. When Vermont Castings owners move, they usually take the stove
with them. That's how desirable they are. There are many kinds of stoves out there. When
shopping, you'll want to keep in mind the size of the room or rooms that will need to be
heated. Stoves come in various sizes and emit different amounts of BTUs. So, let's say
you've found a nice looking stove and the sales person has helped you determine the
correct size. We already assumed that the chimney is clean and properly hooked up. By
the way, DO NOT SKIMP ON THE CHIMNEY! Unless you know EXACTLY what you
are doing, I suggest hiring a professional to install the chimney and then have a second
inspection before hooking up the stove. Also, you'll need an annual inspection from there
on out.
OK, so you're all ready. Here is where the real art of heating with wood begins. Wood
must be seasoned to burn correctly.
While a lot of people will tell you that wood is seasoned after six months, I feel it takes a
full year to season wood properly. Pine is a good wood to get a fire started. The best
woods to sustain the fire are oak, hickory, locust, ash and maple. Buying firewood is an
experience in itself. Nine times out of 10, when a supplier advertises seasoned wood, it is
not seasoned. It usually isn't even close to seasoned, but now there's a guy in your
driveway with a truck load of wood. Yeah, it can be used next year, but what are you
going to do right now?
For this reason, I would suggest buying wood a year before you buy the stove. Always
assume that the load you are gonna get is going to be green (not yet seasoned.) Green
wood will be hard to burn and will gum up your chimney.
Now, once you get the fire going, you are going to experience some smoke in the room.
The damper controls the air flow over the fire and until you get a good feel for setting it,
you'll have to deal with a smoky room. All dampers behave differently depending on
factors such as where it is placed in the pipework, the height of your chimney and
whether the wind is blowing. It will probably take a good month or two to learn the
character of you damper. Along with damper settings, you'll need to experiment with
different wood types and sizes in order to achieve an even temperature. Otherwise, the
stove won't get all that warm or it will get so hot that it will drive you out of the house.
Then, your neighbors will wonder what you are doing outside in your underwear in 20
degree weather.
We haven't even started talking about the clean up process! If you are thinking of going
the woodstove route, you'd better really like to clean. They are quite messy. Keep in mind
that the ash pan or the bottom of the stove can only contain about a day's worth of burned
wood ashes.
Also, you'll need to factor in time to let the ashes cool before cleaning out the stove. One
scoop into warm ashes and they will rise into the room like a huge dust cloud. No matter
how careful you are, dust will always settle on anything and everything.
Vacuuming becomes an every other day routine along with dusting. Now, where are you
gonna put those ashes? What if they are still hot and it's a windy day?
I hope all this information doesn't turn anyone away from heating with wood. It is a
wonderful way to heat and nothing compares to it's warmth. I just want to let you know
that it truly is an art form and there's more to it than one might expect.
I would also like to use this opportunity to thank the people who emailed concerning the
"turn down" of letting me film at the Science museum of Western Va..
Here's a couple:
To: Betsy Williams cc: Charles Cullen
Our Mission: To make science and technology accessible to all people by being an
outstanding regional institution that ignites and nurtures life-long learning.
Please reread your mission statement, pay attention to the phrase "All people" and
reconsider your decision to allow Charles Cullen to film at "Our" facility.
A.L.
Charles,
She can't decide who is worthy of the Science Museum Services and who is not.
Emily
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,
Charles Cullen