Chimney & Fireplace
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Questions
January 2007
I am looking for a good chimney sweep
Vinita
Anyone know a good chimney sweep in Berkeley? We are hoping to
use our fireplace for the first time during this winter.
Thanks!
clil
When we bought our house in 2002, we hired
Paul Michiewicz ''Chimney Sweep & Repair'' to inspect the
fireplace and fix the chimney. 510.848.8893. I still see his
truck around town. The man loves chimneys and really knows how
to make them work well.
Ann
I would like to recommend Johnny Key, Johnny's
Fireplace Services, Installation and Repairs, Woodstoves a
Specialty. His number is 925-297-9246.
In addition to being a chimney sweep, he also does fireplace
installations and maintenance. He did maintenance on our
living room fireplace and solved our problem quickly.
He has also done other small jobs for us
Allan F
When we bought our house four years ago, we used The Irish Sweep.
The woman who runs the business was very professional,
knowledgable and gave us a lot of good information re the upkeep
of our fireplace and chimney. Her number is (510) 521-4088
Stefanie
Nick of Berkeley Chimneys (in the phone book) is very
reasonably priced and reliable. He has been cleaning and
repairing my chimney for years
Brenda
I used Irish Sweep just last week. The gentlemen that came was
prompt and professional. They were in and out very quickly.
The only thing that bothered me was that the owner quoted me
$125 for a cleaning.. and they ended up charging me $190.
Leslie
Hi. I used HS Soot this past September, and everything from the
prompt return call to the visit was professional. Very friendly,
informative, clean, on time. I'd tried Irish Sweep and Berkeley
Chimney and never received a return phone call--and called each
twice.
Leila
Dec 2006
I am looking for a good and reasonably priced chimney sweep and
the latest recommendations I see posted are from 2004. Any
current suggestions? Kathy
I highly recommend Nick at Berkeley Chimneys. He did a chimeny check/sweep at
both our house and my parent's this past October. What i liked about him:
-reliable (always rtned phone calls that very same day), --
pleasant to deal with each time i spoke to him, -thorough(went over his notes
and recommendations and their cost one by one),
-not pushy(tells you if you can do the repair yourself and how!), -follows
through(called us with numerous updates on a cap our chimney pipe needed which he
special ordered),
-cleaned after himself!!!(didn't need to sweep or do anything after he was done
with the sweep, which happened during a time i had guests sitting close to the
chimeny-never felt interrupted). his number is 510-528-1002
Pooneh
Paul Mickiewicz is the guy; tel # 848-8893
emily
October 2004
Hello, we are looking for a current recommendation for
chimney sweeping, including cost and availability of
service. Any tips? Thanks,
beatrice
We used Mick from Berkely Chimneys. He was great. I think
he charged about $125 for a one-story chimney and $145 for
a two-story. He was quick and also gave us some advice on
the state of our mantle which is pulling away from the
wall. He also did an inspection and sealed a crack that
had formed inside our firebox.
I really liked him -- his rates were competitive and he
was thorough and efficient.
I don't have his number handy, but he's listed in the
phone directory.
Annie
March 2004
We are looking for someone to clean our chimney. Does
anyone have someone they can recommend?
angie
We used ''Sweep clean, clean sweep chimney sweep'',
about 2 years ago when we needed some work done
on our chimney, and were very happy with the quality of
work The owners name is George Spears. The number
is 510-237-0624.
Joe
In response to the person seeking a chimney sweep:
I highly recommend Paul Goodacre of the Chelsea Chimney Co.
Paul does sweeps, inspections, firebox rebuilding, seismic
bracing, and so on. He's reasonably priced, reliable,
clean, knowledgeable, and straightforward.
- Liz
We just met with Mick of Berkely Chimneys. He was
recommended to us by our neighbors that used him to put in
a flu, sweep the chimney, and do some minor repairs. We
need the same sort of work, so he gave us a (free)
estimate, but we plan to use him for the work - liked him a
lot. I know he generally charges around $100 for cleaning,
depending on the size/condition of your chimney, but he'll
come over and give you an estimate for free. You can reach
him at 510-528-1002
rach
I had Master Sweep Chimney service come once in 1998 and
once last month. They did a fine job although not
necessarily outstanding. Our one-story house was $79. I
think in 1998 I had a $20-off coupon from one of those
Valpak-type mailers. 800-sweep31.
David in Berkeley
May 2008
We have determined that we need to remove our three-story
chimney and the firebox, fix the exterior wall and part of the
roof that will need to be filled in once the chimney is gone,
and build a new frame to accommodate the direct vent, zero-
clearance fireplace insert that we have picked out. We are
doing this for earthquake safety, b/c the chimney is already
separating from the house, and for environmental reasons.
Can anyone recommend a contractor to do this for us? Or does
anyone who has been through this want to pass on pearls of
wisdom?
Jennifer
I had similar work done, but under very different circumstances,
so I'm not sure how useful this will be to you, but here it goes
anyway:
As part of a foundation replacement, we excavated out our
basement to be deeper. Since the dirt that was supporting the
chimney was going, the chimney had to go to. The crew that did
the work dismantled the chimney from the top, dropping bricks
down the ever-shortening chimney until it was gone. Our chimney
didn't run up the exterior of the house, it ran through an
interior chase, so we didn't have the exterior finishing issues
that you will have.
Our direct-vent fireplace was installed almost a year later by
Kidd Services, which we found through the Tubmakers in Berkeley,
where we got our fireplace. We were installing two fireplaces,
one downstairs and one upstairs, one directly above the other.
Running the two ventpipes, with the one for the lower unit
having to dodge the upper, was a bit tricky, but they did a good
job, and the job took about a day. The whole thing was pretty
painless, and we really enjoy our gas fireplace.
Carrie
Hi:
I recommend Gavan Duffy. His company is called Build It Green
General Contractor. He lives in Oakland. He just did a
fireplace repair at my home and I am really happy with the
results. he is very honest and conscientious. He was very
accurate in his bid BEFORE he started the job and did not
surprise me with any extra costs at the END of the job. His
phone number is 510.47.0218. or gavan@builditgreenonline.com.
catk
Nov 2007
Can anyone recommend someone who can convert our existing wood-
burning fireplace into a gas-burning one? We are not looking to
purchase an gas insert. I think we just need someone who can
install a gas line in our fireplace. I checked the archives but
the recommendations seem to be only for chimney cleaning and
repair. Incidentally, if you're looking for a chimney sweep, I
highly recommend Nick of Berkeley Chimneys. We hired him to
install a damper and he did a great job and was a really
pleasant person to work with. Thanks.
Monica
We live in a 1100 square foot wooden house built in 1949. It only has one low wall-
floor heater in the hallway, which we don't like to use. We had a gas insert installed
in our fireplace almost a year ago and are very happy with it and the folks who did
the work. Harold is the owner of Fireplaces Plus and he personally came out to
measure and do some of the work. His two employees did a great job, cleaned up
and were done in one day. Fireplaces Plus offers a wide selection of screens (which
are glassed to protect people and animals from the heat) and inserts, depending on
the size (depth, width) and type of fireplace you have. We chose a soft flame which
has 2 setting. Harold gave us a thermostat control so we can set maximum heat,
leave it on, or turn it off. Our fireplace now heats up our large living-dning room
and is very cozy! Plus, it was less expensive than I expected, so I'm a very happy
customer. His number
is 510-223-8345 http://www.fireplacesplus.com/
Barbara
Nov 2007
After the last earthquake, we noticed large interior (plaster)
and exterior (stucco) cracks around our fireplace. I'd like to
have it inspected. Who does this work? Any recommendations?
Thanks!
Hi,
I had a fireplace I knew to have problems, similar to yours. I
used the services of David Montgomery with Montgomery Masonry
510-733-5127. He ended up rebuilding the fireplace, hearth and
installing a metal chimney. It looks GREAT and he had a
reasonable price. For chimney sweeping (and most probably for
an upcoming project installing a gas fireplace in a different
house), I've used the services of the Irish Sweep. I think they
are very professional, take the time to help educate me and of
course, very knowledgable.
Indigo
Oct 2007
We live in a small bungalow in berkeley. We have a very
attarctive but large working fireplace in our living room.
Aesthetically, it is a nice detail in our house. However, it is
not very practical -- we don't use it and it takes up the
largest wall in the livingroom. Would we be hurting the value
of our house by removing it? Also, does anyone know what it
would entail to take it out? The chimney is inside the house
and is part of the design of the fireplace and the wall...
Thanks
Put the fire out?
I feel your pain. We were in a similar situation with a previous
home. I think you should keep it, especially if you are concerned
about it affecting your home value. If you planned to stay there
for the next 20-30 years, you could go for it, as when it does
come time to sell, you'll still make a bundle. But in the short
term--5 to 10 years--you should keep it. I can't imagine buying a
sweet bungalow that doesn't have a fireplace. It just seems wrong.
Oct 2007
I own a duplex in North Berkeley, built in the 30s by my great-
grandfather, and one chimney is pulling away from the house at
the roofline probably due to the August earthquake. The house
foundation is sound. I'm looking for a contractor
recommendations to replace or remove both chimneys. Karla
We had a wonderful experience with Sally, the owner/operator of
The Irish Sweep. We had a fireplace that had been covered over
when bought the house. She opened it up for us, tested the
chimney for us, and then rebuilt the portions that needed
fixing as well as a new firebox for us. It was a tricky job as
the chimney was from 1918 but she did fantastic work. She
clearly knew her stuff! And was a lovely person to deal with
as well. Their website is www.theirishsweep.com Good luck!
Julie
Oct 2007
My husband and I are renovating a home. For some unknown reason
the inside of the fireplace is painted with glossy white paint
which we'd like to remove. The previous owner died, and we
believe his extended family slapped white paint/primer on many of
the walls to get the house up for sale quickly. Besides being an
eyesore and potentially toxic (should the paint burn), it could
also be hiding something. We'd like to have the paint removed
(sandblasted?), and the fireplace evaluated so that we can
eventually enjoy it. Do you know of someone that can help?
karen
Posted this up above for another question but will repost
here. We had a wonderful experience with Sally, the
owner/operator of The Irish Sweep. She fixed our fireplace in
our 1918 bungalow. She knows everything there is to know about
fireplaces and does great work-- bet she could help you too.
Their website is www.theirishsweep.com Good luck!
Julie
Feb 2007
Does anyone have a recommendation for a business which
sells/intalls EPA woodburning fireplace inserts? I am looking
for a store that has a good selection (the one at Ashby
Tubmakers was a bit limited). Perhaps there is somewhere in
Danville/Concord/Hayward or surrounding East Bay Areas? Good
and poor service reviews helpful as they are so pricey. thanks.
I got my fireplace insert at Superior Spas and Stoves in
Hayward. Owner Reggie is very nice and helpful. I used Sally
McNight, The Irish Sweep for installation. Very professional,
efficient - they laid down a huge piece of cloth to protect my
floors and cleaned up after. Best part is when there was a
shortage of pellets, I came home one evening to find 2 bags of
pellets, gratis from Reggie and delivered by The Irish Sweep!
Caroline
Feb 2007
I'm looking to install some sort of insert in the living room
fireplace, to seal it against the draft, for aesthetic purposes
and for very occasional use.
Does anybody have a recommendation on retailers
and installers for this sort of thing?
Thanks
Aaron
Top Notch Energy and Spa in San Leandro.
The actual process of ordering our insert was a little wild,
but once the order was placed, it was installed within a few
weeks and looks great.
The other place you may want to try is the Fireplace in
Oakland.
I recently got a Regency insert and it's great, Lopi was the
other one I considered and there's hardly any difference.
Tubmakers on Ashby can sell you one. The required stainless
chimney liner and installation will add a fair amount to the
cost. Get a quote, then call the other fireplace shops in the
phone book (one in san leandro and one in san rafeal) then ask
Tubmakers to match or beat the price. You can save hundreds this
way. Sometimes the manufacturer is throwing in a free blower or
surround so be sure to ask.
We found our gas fireplace insert at Tubmakers on Ashby in Berkeley. Don't let the
name fool you - they specialize in both Spas and fireplace inserts. Per
recommendation from Tubmakers, the insert was installed by Fog City Chimney (we
also had them remove our brick chimney at the same time). We are extremely
happy with the results and had good experiences with both of these companies.
Work was done exactly 2 years ago.
Tubmakers 510-843-2000
Fog City Chimney 415-383-2351
Linden
We had a very good gas fireplace insert installed last December by Fireplaces Plus. It
gives a nice glow, heats the living/dining rooms, looks great and is energy efficient.
The owner is Harold Sheats and he and his staff are terrific. 510-223-8345 http://
www.fireplacesplus.com/. We have been enjoying our gas insert fires a lot!
Barbara
December 2006
We have given up burning wood in our drafty old fireplace for
health and environmental reasons. But we miss having an
occasional fire during the winter. Someday maybe we'll convert
to a gas fireplace, but in the meantime, looking for
alternatives. We've seen ''gel'' fireplace fuel in high-priced
catalogs, which profess to require no chimney, etc. Has anyone
used this stuff, what is it like? We have allergies/asthma,
don't want anything at all toxic, etc. Are there any other
options we could consider?
Lori
I think that burning candles or gel is a nice alternative to the
pollution of a wood fire for most people. But if you have
allergies or asthma, any combustion products at all could be a
problem. How about an electric fireplace log? A fire DVD?
Electric candles? Or maybe just holiday lights around the fireplace?
sunsol
November 2006
We need fireplace mantels/surrounds on two new fireplaces. We
are looking for a carpenter who is not only a fine craftsman
but who is good at design as well. There have not been any
posts for carpenters in the past 2 years. Any current
recommendations?
Hi- I have two great recommendations for you. First, Kevin Riley at Goddard and
Riley is fabulous. He's smart designer and a wonderful carpenter, and he works
within your budget. He also knows his design history so that whatever he makes- it
will fit with the rest of your home. He and his business partner Gary created and
installed our kitchen and a new front door for us, and we look forward to working
with them again on a new project. You can visit his website at:
www.goddardandriley.com or call him at 465.4626.
Second, Rich Sorenkson is a real craftsman who loves designing and creating
cabinetry. He created the most wonderful fence for us, along with a pretty amazing
remodel on our garage. Currently he drew the plans for the same project that we
are working on with Goddard and Riley, and his phone number is: 415.828.0570.
Either one would do an amazing job. Kevin is on vacation at the moment, (until the
end of October '06,) although Gary may be available. Your welcome to e-mail me
with any more questions that you may have. Best,
Michelle
I highly recommend Tri-Point Industries in Pittsburg, who built
us a new mantel and installed it. Our general contractor
suggested they would do a better job at a cheaper price than
having one of their carpenters build it on site. Our architect
actually designed it, but I believe they do design work as
well. (And you can get lots of ideas for different designs by
looking on line at the various on-line mantel companies). We
were very pleased with the quality, price and the speed of their
work. Phone number is (925) 427-1459, and they're located at
548 Bliss Ave. in Pittsburg
happy customer
October 2006
I would like to have a gas fireplace insert put in our fireplace. Nothing fancy,
but
able to heat our large living room-dining area.
Thank you.
Barbara
In 2005, We bought a fireplace insert from Tubmakers on Ashby for our 1905
Berkeley house, and used an installer that was recommended by Tubmakers - Fog
City Chimney. Phone number is 415-383-2351.
They were responsive, prompt, good at scheduling, did good work, and were
friendly and courteous. I didn't get competitive bids, but their price seemed
reasonable. It is a small company. Chris, who is the owner of the company,
supervised the work. The work that we had them do was:
remove our brick chimney, which was a bit of a challenge given the steep pitch of
our roof, frame and patch the hole in the roof where the chimney used to be, and
install the gas insert into our existing fireplace, including gas piping and venting.
I would definitely recommend them to friends.
Linda
October 2005
So I've checked the archives, but can't seem to find quite what I'm looking for. The interior of our fireplace needs work ... basically the marble that runs between the fireplace opening and the mantle is cracked and needs to be replaced, and the bricks that are inside the actual fireplace need repainting and cleaning. Can anyone recommend someone who specializes in this? Standard chimmey cleaners/repair people don't seem to quite fit the bill. Thank you!
For the person who needed repair to the exterior of the fireplace and the firebox, I'd recommend Pendergrast Masonry. We used them about 3 years ago to completely rebuild the outside of our fireplace and repair the firebox. They were reasonable, very professional, and it looks beautiful. We get compliments on it all the time. We did the design (in tile) ourselves, and they installed it. They can be reached at 510-562-6400.
Mimi
Feb 2005
I'm stumped looking for someone to clean our pellet stove and chimneypipe. I called Tubmakers, where the stove was purchased, but the one name they dug up was a wrong number. Irish Sweep told me they don't do pellet stoves. Is there anyone out there that will clean out the stove and pipe for us? To me, it doesn't seem that different from cleaning a fireplace or woodstove, but for some reason none of the chimneysweeps I've talked to will do it. Help! Thanks!
JP
I have a pellet stove and I get my cleaned by Wayne Foresman of ECO TECH, 707-865-9423. He's in Sonoma County, he comes to the East Bay about once a month to service clients here, he was recommended to me by Reggie at Superior Spas and Woodstoves in Hayward. Wayne is great, he loves his work. I don't use Tubmakers for anything but buying pellets, they have never been helpful when I need it. You can write me if you more questions.
Thanks
Feb 2005
I would like a recommendation for a reliable, VERY
reasonably priced person to clean my chimney.
Thanks.
In response to the person looking for a reasonably priced, reliable chimney sweep, I recommend Berkeley Chimneys. They did some work for us a couple years ago -- their prices were reasonable, work was good, and they even recommended (rightly) against an expensive repair.
ckatz
August 2004
We are looking for a contractor experienced in
strapping chimneys. We called a couple people and no
one seems to want to do it or aren't experienced in
strapping a chimney. Additionally, we need some
repair work done on our fireplace. Anyone have a
similar experience or a good, responsive,
knowledgeable contractor they can recommend?
Lori
I recently had a very good experience with the Fireplace
Restoration company (it's really one man named Tony). He
took down about 10 feet of 100 year old brick chimney and
custom made me a damper. He was fast and professional and I
think did a great job. Unfortunately, I cannot locate his
number. He is probably listed in Berkeley.
Lisa
For chimney strapping and cleaning, try the Chelsea Company
in Emeryville, (510) 597-0333 -- very courteous fellow who
did a nice job on our chimney.
Morris
July 2004
We just bought a very old house that has fireplace but we have no
idea what the condition is and unfortunately, the previous owners
did an ''upgrade'' back in the 70s and put this really ugly fake brick
facade around the mantle. We need someone to come in and
inspect the fireplace, the chimney, etc. to see if it's in operable
condition, remove the insert, repair and clean the stack, and also
replace the mantle with a more decorative wood one. The
responses in the archives are dated. Any suggestions would be
appreciated. Thanks so much!
Smokin' in Albany
I have to respond because Nick of Berkeley Chimneys is the
nicest contractor person I've ever worked with. (And his
bid also came in as the lowest.) He's so helpful,
friendly, and just plain nice! When we bought our house
last year he came out and looked at our fireplace and told
us what we needed to do to make it safe (for free). We
hired him to do the work, and have had him come back
annually to clean the fireplace and check for cracks, etc.
I highly recommend him! His number is 528-1002
candace
May 2004
Our Chimney has exterior cracks above the roofline (we have
been told it is safe to use the fireplace). We would like to
have someone fix the Chimney cracks. We received a bid from
a contractor who recommended taking down the brick to where
the cracks start, and then re-building the brick. However,
we have heard that some Chimney contractors will do a stucco
facade over a stovepipe -- the advantage being that it would
be less likely to come down during an earthquake. Does
anyone know of a contractor who specializes in this? We
asked first contractor but he does not do any other type of
chimney building -- he will just re-build the brick.
Murphy
A friend of mine just finished the chimney of my neighbor
and it looks really great! In fact he's putting in bids
for a couple of other folks on our block because they were
so impressed with his work. His name Jason Wady and the
company is International Masonry Specialists, Inc. and he
can be reached at 510 632 4541. I believe he does other
kind of contracting work as well. He's hard working,
dependable, honest and he does a good job- what more can
you ask for!
Juliette
April 2004
Does anyone have any experience with building or erecting
an outdoor fireplace, either wood-burning or gas? We live
in Oakland (flatlands, not in the hills) and are currently
redoing our backyard and would love to have an outdoor
fireplace, but don't even know if that's allowable. Any
advice, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.
Js
I would recommend against it, (unless it is propane)
because of the air pollution. It would extremely annoying
to your neighbors, especially in the summer, when people
tend to open their windows. If you decide to go ahead with
your outdoor fireplace, please warn all your downwind
neighbors in advance, so they can shut their windows and
seal them with duct tape if necessary. If the weather is
hot, they would also need air conditioners to offset the
loss of the windows' breeze.
Or invite them over each time you use the fireplace, so
they can at least partake in the fun of the fire instead
of just being victims of the smoke.
Sorry for being pessimistic, but perhaps you can tell this
is an issue in our neighborhood.
HTH!
Oct 2003
Paul Mickiewicz, 510-848-8893 is an honest and trustworthy
chimney artisan. Friendly guy, too.
Dec 2002
We used The Irish Sweep just last week, which is recommended in the
archives. There was a scheduling hassle -- the initial
appointment had to be rescheduled when the Caldecott tunnel flooded
in November (no fault of theirs, obviously), and the original reschedule
was for a Saturday, since I'd taken off a weekday for the initial
appointment and didn't want to lose any more work time. Then they
rescheduled again (reasons not clear to me), for a weekday this time,
which was a drag. But other than that, they were fine -- very prompt, and
got the job done very quickly. They'll probably be booked up right now,
though.
L. C.
The Irish Sweep
510-521-4088
http://www.theirishsweep.com
updated 4/17/2006
2001
My chimney needs a new liner. Because Irish Sweep comes so highly
recommended by UCB parents I called them first. They wanted $95 to inspect
the chimney plus $450 to make a video of the interior. This latter charge seems
outrageous to me. I know the company is reputed to do good work, but at what
cost? Has anyone had recent experience with them? Have their prices
generally gone through the roof (so to speak) or is this an anomaly?
Are there other options?
I called the Irish Sweep also recently for a fireplace cleaning and found
them to be very expensive. We had used them about 7 years ago and really
liked them, but this time we used H.Soot Esq. (510) 522-0783. They were
recommended by our neighbor and found them to be reasonable and thorough.
-Wendy
I need the expertise of someone beyond a chimney sweep. When I
bought my house, the pre-purchase inspection revealed that the chimney above
the roof line is unstable and should either be reinforced or replaced. I've
let it go too long (2 years) and would like to have repairs made before the
rainy season. Can anyone recommend individuals or companies who do this?
The fireplace itself needs some repairs, too.
Lorraine
The Irish Sweep does chimney and firebox repairs. They will do a very
thorough visual inspection, using a camera to look at the inside of your
chimney, and tell you what kind of shape your chimney is in and what
they recommend you do to it to make it safe and bring it up to code.
They are really very expert in evaluating chimneys and I highly
recommend them. They also do all sorts of repair and have a contractor's
license. Last fall they replaced the crumbling masonry in my chimney,
rebuilt the firebox, installed all the various things that are required
by law to bring it up to code. The woman who owns the company, Sally,
did a lot of the work herself and it is plain she really likes her work
and takes great pride in it.
Ginger
Pendergrast Masonry, who we found in the yellow pages,
came out to our house to do a chimney repair.
The job ended up being something that was fixable in just a very
short time, so they didn't charge us for this! So I think that speaks
quite well of the company. Their # is 510 562-6400.
Glenn
2000
I used The Irish Sweep for fireplace inspection help and for repair last
year. I was VERY pleased with their work and service, and besides, we have
to support those woman-owned businesses. Their prices were fair and they
were honest. Actually, I received a $2,000 quote from another person for
"needed" work that "The Irish Sweep" felt was unnecessary, and so far, they
have been right!!! (Whew).
Jennifer
We've used Sally, The Irish Sweep a couple of times for chimney maintenance
as well as to install a wood stove. She was recommended to us by the managers
of a store that sells wood stoves. She's very prompt, personable and
professional and we were very happy with her service. We also like to
patronize women-owned businesses when we can. The only "complaint" we have
is that she tends to be very booked up. Depending on the specific situation,
it's likely you might need to go elsewhere if you want something done in the
next few weeks (although she may be more flexible if it requires immediate
attention).
Cindy
We recently used Irish Sweep to sweep and inspect our chimneys. We feel they
did an adequate job sweeping but were dissatisfied with their inspection. In
fact they came 3 times and told us 3 different things. They did not offer a
written report until the 3rd time, then they charged us for a video service
which we did not authorize/request. We had used them a long time ago and
liked them but given the choice now, I'd look for another service.
Enzo, from Irish Sweeps is fast, efficient, polite, interesting, and so nice I was
disappointed when he said I didn't need to call him again for 3 years. Irish Sweeps
got here on little notice, and did an excellent job. I'm sure someone else is good too,
but I will call Irish Sweeps next time.
The Irish Sweep is booked until January, so I've got an appointment with Chimney King. Does
anyone have any
experience with this company? Thanks!
Patty
From: Kathryn
I would like a referral for a reliable and reasonable
chimney sweep. We had an appointment 2 weeks in a row
with Chimney King and they failed to show up both times.
I will not waste my time with them again. Any suggestions
will be appreciated.
From: Ken
We were
very happy with Clive's Fireplace Service, 428 0533. Mr. Clive was
great!
Disclaimer: I haven't used Clive in over five years, and can't even
be certain that he's still in business! We stopped making fires
completely when our first daughter was born four years ago. We won't
use our fireplaces again until our younger daughter is old enough to
know that they can be dangerous.
From: Colin
A few years ago I used The Irish Sweep. They showed up on time and
were thorough and neat. I had no complaints. I don't remember how
their prices compared to others.
Melody
From: Fran
Re: chimney sweeps: I recommend The Irish Sweep. They were
recommended by a house inspector we had, and we've called them for things
related to chimney construction (vents, spark arrestors) as well as cleaning.
From: BarbaraK
I recently used the "Irish Sweep" for the first time and was very
impressed with them.
From: Kathy
We used The Irish Sweep about 2 years ago. A very professional woman (I
assumed she was the owner) and an assistant. Several of my neighbors had
used her service and were also pleased.
Fireplace Damper
Our fireplace damper won't close any more (it''s stuck in open position).
and our cold old (1945) house is even colder. We stuff the chimney with
newspapers in between rare fires.
Has anyone tried a chimney-top damper? Does it help keep the house warm?
Looks like they cost about $150 + labor. How much WITH labor? Any
recommendations for someone to put one in?
We had our old damper (1936, didn't close) cut out and replaced with a
chimney-top damper by The Irish Sweep. They did a fine job. It was over 10
years ago so I don't recall what it cost. We didn't notice our house being
warmer--our living room has a very high ceiling so even if the heat stayed in, it
wouldn't stay where we are. We've found vertical blinds (over the windows) to be
effective for keeping the heat in.
-Fran
A friend of mine just bought a house that doesn't have a damper at all. She is
going to have a face plate made for the opening of the fireplace. Her idea is to
use a hardwood, carved or painted, and designed for the specifics of her
particular mantle.
Josh
We had the same problem a couple of years ago with our fireplace and my
husband bought the parts and put in a
chimney top damper. According to him it was very easy to install and it took
about an hour to complete the
project. It required unscrewing the spark arrester on top of the chimney,
applying some sealing goop (comes
with the damper)and then dropping the chain down the chimney, placing the
new damper on top of the goop and
then replacing the spark arrester. For the actual fire place, you need a drill and
masonry bit to attach
the bracket that opens and closes the damper. All these instructions come with
the kit. We only light
fires in the fireplace once or twice a year so can only comment on light use, but
we've been very pleased
with the results. Good luck.
-CJ
Installing a fireplace
I can't recommend a contractor (ours moved far away). I can recommend a
type of fireplace. We got an EPA Phase II "woodburning device" (Fireplace
Xtraordinaire is the brand) that looks pretty much like a fireplace (nice
view of the flames) and is about 75% efficient (lots of heat). There are
other types of high-efficiency fireplaces out there, They all have some
form of pollution control, also. Tubmakers on Ashby sells what we got and
some other brands; other places have other brands.
Construction costs and air-pollution regs make rebuilding a brick
fireplace quite impractical.
Two considerations:
- You'll be doing a retrofit and manufactured fireplaces are largely
designed for new construction. You can get around the problems this
causes if you're flexible, imaginitive, etc. It's critical to get the
installation instructions in order to design the installation. The
directions come with the fireplace. What we had trouble communicating was
that we couldn't decide whether to buy the unit without getting the
instructions first.
- The pictures that came with the brochures, and at least one installation
we saw in a Bay Area store, included installations that are potentially
unsafe and illegal. We found this out when we were halfway into the
intallation and after the City of Berkeley had approved our plans. The
only hint of a potential problem was one line in the 30+ pages of
installation information. In the end, based on advice from a contracting
engineer (my dad), we rebuilt part of the wall with metal studs and
fireproof sheetrock, This was a total pain; nevertheless, we love the
fireplace!
this page was last updated: Aug 17, 2008
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