According to my boss this is not applicable to me and is gonna fire me if I do not get this stuff finished asap despite my learning disability. Kinda freaked out about this and do not have a clue as to what to do.
A “trick” I use for looking down chimneys is to close my eyes for 10-20 seconds as I get my flashlight out. I look down the chimney, turn on the flashlight, and open my eyes. In those few seconds, my eyes have adjusted better to peer down the flue. Here we see a brick protruding.
This essay is part of the inspection course on fireplaces. Since, wood-to-gas conversions are common in the Denver metro area and they are sometimes DIY, I always try to operate them to see if they are operating. A correctly tuned gas fireplace flame is 2/3 blue with a yellow 1/3 tip so that the flame is visible.
Attached is an image of a pellet stove that is properly installed but the home owner has furniture closer than is recommended. It is recommended that combustibles be 16" or greater from the appliance. On the day of the inspection the exhaust, automatic start and shut off procedure of the pellet stove as worked as expected during the inspection. It is recomended to follow manufacturers maintanince and cleaning procedures.
I read the article on asbestos siding. I leaned about the various benefits of this material as a durable and fire resistant option as a siding and roofing shingle material. Unfortunately as most people are aware the potential health dangers surrounding this material resulted in its ban as a building material.
I chose an illustration of brick chimney and the clearances from other structures. According to the 3-2-10 rule, the chimney must be a minimum of 3 ft above the roof line and at least 2 ft above an structure within 10 ft.
My picture is of a pre-fab fireplace with gas insert. Glass enclosure operates normally. Spark arrest screen in place. Flue opens and closes normally. Some soot build up on fire bricks. No cracks in firebox or mortar joints. No issues visible with fireplace.
This a picture of a panel wall of a Factory-Built (Pre-Fabricated)Fireplace.You can see here that the panel has a crack wall in it that needs replacing. The other walls has no crack in them, but they would need to be replaced as well base on the age and the use of the fireplace. This one was over 25 years of age.
This has been a great course to review and it will give you more confidence in inspecting Fireplaces, Stoves, and Chimneys. I started out as a Brick mason long ago,and this course don’t miss nothing and you will definitely learn more than you already knew. Great course!
This is a picture from an inspection I did in May of 2017. There was a low quality, older wood burning stove installed in the living room. Creosote buildup on the outside can be seen. Due to the house being all electric baseboard, the stove was used frequently. The age, quality and installation combined with creosote buildup recommendation of cleaning the flue and further evaluation of the stove before use was given.
The article I chose was “Fireplace Fuel” since many years ago we burned everything in our fireplace from construction debris to old furniture. Two thing stood out about this article, the first was that it is okay to burn some types of pallets, although I probably still wouldn’t. The other is that fire logs burn clean and release less ash than wood. I was told many years ago not to burn them because they were worse.
After inspecting a prefabricated gas fueled fireplace the attached photo was taken. The lack of a damper clamp was observed as a defect due to the fuel system and presence of glass doors. A closer look revealed a small amount of oxidation and what appeared to be water staining. This was noted in the report as a defect due to the potential of it being a water leak from above. This could also be caused by the moisture added to the air from the combustion process.
Essay regarding the article:
“Building Cavities Used as Supply or Return Ducts,” by: Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko
This article was of particular interest to me because it is directly related to the topic of IAQ, indoor air quality. I’ve recently inspected remodeled homes where framed wall chases and floor systems have been used as return air chases. Closer look at these areas during the remodel process allowed me to see the large amounts of dust and debris being drawn into these wall cavities. Shared walls with the chases will accumulate “dust bunnies” that completely filled electrical boxes and covered stud bays. It many of these situations this dirty air is already past the point of filtration and has the potential to reach the coils and be recirculated.
Starting fireplaces, stoves and chimneys.
As per my initial inspection of the chimney. A qualified contractor was called out to repair the flue which had deteriorated over time. Also, a new crown will be installed along with the correct counter and step flashing to help with water run off displacement.
I chose a fire extinguisher in an office space outside of a server room. It is a carbon dioxide extinguisher which is effective on both B and C class fires and was setup for the server room because it poses less danger to the electronic equipment in the room.The photo shows the dated inspection tag that tells when the unit was inspected and when it expires.
I chose an article about asset protection. I learned that one way to protect myself personally from losing personal property during a law suit is to incorporate my business as to limit my personal liability in a law suit filed against my company as an LLC.
This is a Parlor Stove made in Taiwan. It is a wood burning stove made from cast iron and is for supplemental heating. No smoke or carbon monoxide detectors in room, recommend installing detectors. It does not have proper clearance. There is combustible furnishing and TV cable wire within 36", only 13" of non-combustible flooring in front, and 10" on sides. Requires 18" of non-combustible flooring from door opening and 12" on sides, recommend expanding non-combustible flooring to meet requirements. Stove legs are at proper height, 4". Rope around doors are deteriorating and should be replaced to ensure a tight seal. Observed build up of debris inside fire chamber, when operating damper a dead bird fell into fire chamber along with leaves and other debris, recommend cleaning stove and pipe by certified chimney sweep. Observed ash on top of stove where the pipe connects, indicates not a tight seal. Observed approximately 3/16" gap in back of connection to thimble, this could allow air from room into the stove pipe and could cause back-draft which is a safety issue. Stove pipe does not pass through thimble collar at least 12 larger in diameter than stove pipe, recommend replacing with proper size thimble. Observed rust on exterior of stove pipe in interior of home which looks like water has dripped down. Missing door handle for front door.
Recommend further evaluation from a licensed chimney professional prior to next use.
This is a Vented Factory-built or pre-fabricated fireplace with refractory panel walls. Its used for burning solid wood fuels. There is no combustible material 12 inches above, 20 inches in front, or 12 inches to the side of the hearth and hearth extension. There has been some cracking near the back walls that looks to be 1/4 inch worth of deterioration into the panel. Suggest considering panel replacement by qualified technician.
There are plenty of masonry chimneys in my area and the flashing around them is very important to prevent water damage. If the horizontal side butting up to the slope is >30", it needs a cricket. Bricks should have step flashing and counter flashing installed over top the step flashing. The counter flashing needs to extend 1" into the mortar joints and be sealed with sealant. Apron flashing should be found along the bottom edge too. Globbing sealant instead of proper counter flashing practices is a defect.