A chimney sweep will use a variety of tools to break up deposits within a chimney. (Dreamstime)

By Paul F. P. Pogue

If you own a fireplace and use it regularly, fall is the time to give serious thought to hiring a chimney sweep — before you light your first fire. Chimney sweeping is an intricate and sometimes high-tech job that is critical to the safety of your home. The National Fire Protection Agency says unclean chimneys are a major cause of house fires. And for that reason, the NFPA recommends a yearly inspection. A clear chimney improves safety, creates a more comfortable experience, and allows smoke and gases to vent away from your living area.

You won’t always need a full cleaning, but the inspection will help identify any problems. In addition to ensuring your safety, an inspection may also identify structural problems that can be solved for less that it would cost after years of buildup.

Signs that you need a chimney inspection include a visibly thick buildup of soot and creosote, smoke entering into your living space, a weak fire and a tar smell emanating from the fireplace.

Elements of a chimney inspection

A professional chimney sweep will closely inspect your chimney from top to bottom, including the firebox, interior flue, smoke chamber, exterior masonry and flashing. They’ll look for both creosote buildup and structural damage. In many cases, house fires caused by the fireplace take place because a structural issue or cracked wall allows the fire to escape. They’ll also keep an eye out for animals, bird nests and branches.

In many cases, a sweep will inspect your chimney free of charge. On average, a full chimney cleaning will cost between $125 and $325. In extreme cases with large amounts of buildup, the cost may be higher. If you have significant structural damage, the cost may be as high as a few thousand dollars.

A professional chimney sweep will use a wire brush attached to a flexible rod that extends deeply into the flue. In some cases this is an old-school brush that hasn’t changed much since the days of “Mary Poppins;” others use electrically driven brushes to break up the soot and creosote.

What is creosote?

Creosote is the thick, oily residue deposited into a chimney by burning wood. Creosote deposits increase fire risks, and if left unattended, harden into a solid glaze that can be difficult to remove. Chimney sweeps make a particular point of getting creosote off the surface.

You may have seen creosote-sweeping logs on the shelves at your local big box store. While they’re not fully effective in preventing creosote, using them throughout the season can dry up the creosote and make it easier to flake away. It’s not a substitute for chimney sweeping, but when used properly it can improve your fireplace experience.

As always, when hiring a professional, make sure they hold the proper license, bonding and insurance to work in your area. Ask if they hold certification from a professional organization such as the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

The post Have your chimney swept yearly for security and luxury appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO — Alfresco dining in Parklets has become a big part of the Bay Area’s dining scene. It’s one of the many ways the pandemic has changed the way we live our lives, and now in San Francisco, that change comes with a price.

Starting next month, a new permitting system will put a heavy price on these parklets. Business owners must spend $2,000 per year for each parking space occupied by a Parklet.

Parklets have been a lifeline for David Alexander’s restaurant during the pandemic.

“Oh yeah, we wouldn’t have made it. It pretty much saved us,” said Alexander, owner of Papito Hayes in Hayes Valley.

Alexander, like hundreds of other San Francisco restaurant owners, built the outdoor pods back in 2020 after the city launched its Shared Spaces program, which allowed businesses to use curbs for outdoor seating. Almost three years later, Alexander says customers can’t get enough of the Parklets.

“Oh, they love her,” Alexander said. “Even after COVID, I would say 80% of customers like to sit outside, apart from the cold days.”

Because of this success, the city is now transitioning the program to a more permanent version.

“The Pandemic Program ends on March 31 and this new permanent program will take effect on April 1,” said Robin Abad Ocubillo, Director of Shared Spaces.

The new permanent program, according to Abad Ocubillo, will be essentially the same as the pandemic program, with just a few more security measures.

“We need to provide our paramedics and our firefighters, law enforcement and other first responders with ways to easily get off the street and onto the sidewalk to maybe attend to an emergency or a building fire,” he said.

Abad Ocubillo added that the number of parklets on a given street will depend on that street’s unique layout and location.
He says they are working to accommodate as many companies as possible.

But that can bring other problems. Parking spaces are already notoriously difficult to find in the city. The parklets often take up two or three spaces.

“I live in the suburbs, so I think parking is an issue for me,” said restaurant customer Richard Weng.

Abad Ocubillo says his team is doing what it can to balance the needs of both companies and drivers. One way to do this is to limit the number of parklets each business can have.

Alexander says he was told he could only have two at Papito Hayes.

“So that’s one of the main ones, I have to take one down but I can still keep a few,” Alexander said.

Still, Alexander said he’s grateful to be able to keep the extra square footage.

“You know a lot of the rooms are tiny, so you get all these extra tables, that’s good for everyone I think,” Alexander said.

It’s a program he hopes will live long into the future and become another part of what makes the city so special.

The post Restaurant parklets in San Francisco get new guidelines, $2,000 yearly price ticket appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

By Paul FP Pogue

If you own a fireplace and use it regularly, fall is the time to give serious thought to hiring a chimney sweep — before you light your first fire. Chimney sweeping is an intricate and sometimes high-tech job that is critical to the safety of your home. The National Fire Protection Agency says unclean chimneys are a major cause of house fires. And for that reason, the NFPA recommends an annual inspection. A clear chimney improves safety, creates a more comfortable experience, and allows smoke and gases to vent away from your living area.

You won’t always need a full cleaning, but the inspection will help identify any problems. In addition to ensuring your safety, an inspection may also identify structural problems that can be solved for less that it would cost after years of buildup.

Signs that you need a chimney inspection include a visibly thick buildup of soot and creosote, smoke entering into your living space, a weak fire and a tar smell emanating from the fireplace.

Elements of a chimney inspection

A professional chimney sweep will closely inspect your chimney from top to bottom, including the firebox, interior flue, smoke chamber, exterior masonry and flashing. They’ll look for both creosote buildup and structural damage. In many cases, house fires caused by the fireplace take place because a structural issue or cracked wall allows the fire to escape. They’ll also keep an eye out for animals, bird nests and branches.

In many cases, a sweep will inspect your chimney free of charge. On average, a full chimney cleaning will cost between $125 and $325. In extreme cases with large amounts of buildup, the cost may be higher. If you have significant structural damage, the cost may be as high as a few thousand dollars.

A professional chimney sweep will use a wire brush attached to a flexible rod that extends deeply into the flue. In some cases this is an old-school brush that hasn’t changed much since the days of “Mary Poppins;” others use electrically driven brushes to break up the soot and creosote.

What is creosote?

Creosote is the thick, oily residue deposited into a chimney by burning wood. Creosote deposits increase fire risks, and if left unattended, harden into a solid glaze that can be difficult to remove. Chimney sweeps make a particular point of getting creosote off the surface.

You may have seen creosote-sweeping logs on the shelves at your local big box store. While they’re not fully effective in preventing creosote, using them throughout the season can dry up the creosote and make it easier to flake away. It’s not a substitute for chimney sweeping, but when used properly it can improve your fireplace experience.

As always, when hiring a professional, make sure they hold the proper license, bonding and insurance to work in your area. Ask if they hold certification from a professional organization such as the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

The post Have your chimney swept yearly for security and luxury appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

HERCULES (KPIX 5) – A family in Hercules turns their home into a magical winter wonderland with 30,000 to 40,000 lights and hundreds of decorations every year.

Since its inception six years ago, all of their neighbors on the block have participated in decorating the Onyx Court.

CONTINUE READING: Burlingame’s plan to permanently allow parklets bites businesses bottom line

“Every year it just gets more and more, bigger and bigger,” says Bernardo Dunn. He and his wife Tracy Palma say they have both loved Christmas since they were little. After they got married, decorating for the holidays became something they really enjoyed doing together.

For Haley Hold and her two-year-old daughter Stella Mae, visiting the home of Palma Dunn has become an annual tradition.

“I think this year was special for her to walk down the path and then make Santa Claus dance,” said Hold as she walked over to the Santa Claus figure and clapped to make it move while looking at her daughter’s face watched. “She’s just in awe!”

“Of course we see the children. They smile. They appreciate it and it makes us feel good, especially with everything that’s happening, ”said Dunn.

Denise Domich brought her family from Pinole to tour the house after hearing about it on Instagram. “To see the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child is indescribable. I mean, you can see it on his face, it’s just a lot of fun, “Denise said as she watched her son count some of the big lights in the driveway.

“If a spot is missing that isn’t lit, we will definitely do it next year. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger, ”said Palma. She thinks the roof looks dark – just framed by lights – and thinks that next year they will be putting fairy lights over the whole thing.

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On this year’s electricity bill, “We’ve gotten a little bigger this year, so we’re scared of what the bill will look like in December,” said Dunn. “This number will contain a comma.”

“It’s definitely worth it,” he added.

The Palma Dunns say they buy most of their decorations for post-Christmas sales but have spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years.

They have a storage room that they keep all of the decorations and they say it takes almost three weeks to set it all up.

The house is located at 145 Onyx Court in Hercules and the lights will be on until January 7th.

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The post Hercules Dwelling’s Vacation Lights Turns into Yearly Custom That Retains Rising – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

By Paul FP Pogue

If you own a fireplace and use it regularly, fall is the time to seriously think about hiring a chimney sweep – before lighting your first fire. Chimney sweeping is a complicated, and sometimes high tech, task that is vital to the safety of your home. The National Fire Protection Agency says unclean chimneys are a leading cause of house fires. For this reason, the NFPA recommends an annual inspection. A clear fireplace improves safety, makes for a more comfortable experience, and lets smoke and gases out of your living area.

They don’t always need to be completely cleaned, but the inspection will help identify problems. In addition to ensuring your safety, an inspection can also identify structural problems that can be resolved at a lower cost than it would cost after years of construction.

Signs that you need a chimney inspection are a visibly thick build-up of soot and creosote, smoke entering your living space, a faint fire, and a tar smell emanating from the fireplace.

Elements of a chimney inspection

A professional chimney sweep will carefully check your chimney from top to bottom, including the fire box, interior flue, smoke box, exterior masonry and turn signals. You will be looking for creosote formation as well as structural damage. In many cases, home fires caused by the fireplace occur because a structural problem or a cracked wall is allowing the fire to escape. You will also be on the lookout for animals, bird nests, and twigs.

In many cases, a sweep will inspect your chimney for free. On average, a full chimney cleaning costs between $ 125 and $ 325. In extreme cases with large amounts of build-up, the cost can be higher. If you have significant structural damage, the cost can go up to a few thousand dollars.

A professional chimney sweep uses a wire brush attached to a flexible rod that extends deep into the smoke outlet. In some cases, this is an old school brush that hasn’t changed much since the “Mary Poppins” days. others use electrically powered brushes to break up soot and creosote.

What is creosote?

Creosote is the thick, oily residue deposited by burning wood in a chimney. Creosote deposits increase the risk of fire and, if left unattended, harden into a solid glaze that is difficult to remove. Chimney sweeps take special care to remove creosote from the surface.

You may have seen creosote sweeping logs on the shelves on the shelves of your local big box store. While they don’t completely prevent creosote, using them throughout the season can dry out the creosote and make it easier to flake. It’s not a substitute for chimney sweeping, but when used properly it can enhance your fireplace experience.

As always, when hiring a professional, make sure they have the appropriate license, bond and insurance to work in your area. Ask if they have certification from a professional organization such as the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

The post Have your chimney swept yearly for security and luxury appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.