HearthMasters Celebrates 40 Years in Business

 

Local Chimney Company Celebrates Forty Years in Business   HearthMasters, Inc. is celebrating forty years in business. Gene Padgitt started the company in 1982 as a one-man chimney sweeping operation, which has grown to become a chimney and fireplace restoration business with multiple employees.   Independence, Missouri, December 9, 2022   Gene Padgitt was laid off from Safeway Foods in the summer of 1982 and was looking for work when he ran across an ad in Mother Earth News Magazine which looked appealing. The ad said a person could earn as much as $49 to sweep a chimney after purchasing $1,600 in equipment, which included a huge vacuum system by August West. Gene consulted with his future brother-in-law, Frank Kithcart, who worked as a chimney sweep in Seattle, and Frank encouraged him to make the plunge. In his first season as a chimney sweep Gene made $10,000 after placing a single ad. It was then that he knew he was onto something that could turn into a full-time profitable business, however, Gene also realized that he didn’t know as much as he needed to, and there was more to it that just sweeping chimneys. In 1986 Marge Padgitt joined the company and took over writing reports and estimates, and marketing. They both attended educational seminars and training by the National Chimney Sweep Guild and other industry organizations and got certified by the Chimney Safety Institute. Together, Gene and Marge built the company with additional employees and services which include diagnosis of performance problems, restoration and building of masonry chimneys, fireplaces, brick ovens, masonry heaters, and more. They do residential, commercial, and government work. Gene is one of only a 32 Certified Heater Masons in the world and has won over a dozen awards for his masonry work. He also specializes in historic chimney restoration, which is quite different than modern chimney restoration. Gene obtained a degree in Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling in 1986, and is an NFI Certified Gas Specialist. He began doing fire investigations in 1996 for a local fire marshal and obtained his State Certified Private Fire Investigator License shortly after. He is the only PFI who specializes in structural fires related to chimneys, fireplaces, and heating appliances in Missouri, Kansas, and other neighboring states, so is in big demand by insurance companies and forensic companies. Marge Padgitt is a Missouri licensed Private Investigator. She is very active in the chimney industry and served on the board of directors for the Midwest Chimney Safety Council for 25 years; and on the board of directors for the National Chimney Sweep Guild; the Midwest Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association; and the Masonry Heater Association of North America. Marge published the MCSC Magazine and her own Wood-Fired Magazine. She is the author of over 250 articles which appeared in magazines and online newspapers nationwide. She has presented free chimney safety seminars to local homeowner groups and associations for many years. Marge wrote “The Chimney and Hearth Pro’s Resource Book,” and “Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking,” which Gene consulted on. She has more books in the works and will bring a new show to her YouTube Channel in January 2023 called “The Chimney Lady.” The show will focus on chimney, fireplace, and heating appliance safety, maintenance, and use. The Padgitts have maintained an office in Independence, Missouri since 1987. Long-term lead employees include Maria McKenzie, Tony Gross, and Ron Schmidt. HearthMasters, Inc. is the only chimney restoration company that holds a Master Mechanical License, which is required in most cities in the greater Kansas City area to do relining of chimneys or installation of hearth appliances.   Contact: Marge Padgitt Email: office@chimkc.com Cell: 816-365-9492

Gene showing a customer what the inside of his chimney looks like by using a chimney camera system.

Marge and Gene Padgitt

Gene Padgitt in his tuxedo with his Karmann Ghia in the 1984 Raytown parade Gene working on an historical chimney in Northeast Kansas City

Historical chimney restoration project on a Queen Anne Victorian home in NE Kansas City Custom built stone masonry heater built by Gene Padgitt

Everything you need to know about Wood-Fired appliances Wood-Fired Heating & Cooking is a guide for homeowners, preppers, and homesteaders who are planning to install a wood-fired heating appliance, improve their existing masonry fireplace, or install a wood-fired cooking appliance. Industry veterans Gene and Marge Padgitt explain how each type of appliance works and how to properly locate, operate, and maintain them. Heating appliances covered in this book are masonry fireplaces, Rumford fireplaces, circulating fireplaces, furnaces, wood-burning fireplace inserts, freestanding stoves, masonry heaters, and rocket mass heaters. Wood selection and preparation is included. Cooking appliances discussed are wood-burning indoor cook stoves, indoor and outdoor brick ovens and oven kits, Tandoori ovens, grills, and campfires along with cooking tools and utensils. More info: www.woodfiredpub.com $15 each or two for $28.00. Available in our office by appointment or order online. _____________________________________________________ Contact: Marge Padgitt  office@chimkc.com 816-365-9492 cell

Holiday Decor Ideas for Fireplaces 2022

During the holidays, people usually place decor on mantels and around the focal point of the house - the fireplace. Here are some inspiring ideas. Remember to keep stockings away from the front of the fireplace as they can be a fire hazard, and never burn a Christmas tree in the fireplace because they burn too hot and too fast and can cause a house fire. 

Fireplace not working? No problem - use candles for a welcoming atmosphere. 

Above and left: These faux fireplaces work great for focal points for your holiday decorations. 

Real fireplace - real fire - and nice decor without any stockings hanging down in front of the fireplace. We give this one an A+!

Whoops!  Looks nice, but do you see the problem? 

A stunning historical fireplace that is nicely done

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. and author of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking. www.woodfiredpub.com or www.chimkc.com. Sign up for blog notices so you don't miss an article!

How to avoid chimney fires

Chimney fires occur during cold weather months when people use their chimneys. A chimney fire occurs when accumulated creosote in a flue or smoke chamber ignites from a spark.

All wood creates creosote - even dry hardwoods- so it is imperative that flues serving fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, or fireplace inserts are swept regularly to remove this flammable substance. The NFPA recommends sweeping once per year for fireplaces, and at least twice during the season for heating appliances (wood stoves or inserts). A house fire can occur if the fire in the chimney escapes the flue liner or if burning embers fly out of the top of the chimney onto the roof. (Asphalt roofs can catch fire as well as wood shingle roofs). 

Most chimney fires are of short duration and go unnoticed by the homeowner - with damages usually found later during an inspection by a chimney sweep. 

 

Signs of a chimney fire:

•  Loud whooshing or roaring or freight train like sound
•  Flames shooting out the top of the chimney
•  Red glowing stove pipe
•  Backup of smoke into the house
• Sudden poor draft

It is a good idea to keep a chimney fire extinguisher near your fireplace or wood stove and use it if you notice a chimney fire, then get out of the house and call the fire department immediately. Fire can spread to nearby combustibles and cause a house fire. Be sure to keep an eye out for smoke smell or flames even after the fire department is gone because interior wood framing could smolder for hours afterwards and ignite if it gets enough oxygen. 

 

Blown out section of tile liner

After the fire: Call your local professional chimney sweep to have a thorough inspection and any needed repairs completed before using the appliance again. Most chimneys are severely damaged on the interior during a chimney fire and should not be used until inspected by a qualified professional. Any breaks or blown out sections in flue tiles or warped or buckled seams in steel liners or chimneys can be a fire and Carbon Monoxide hazard.

For more information about Carbon Monoxide, visit COHeadquarters.com.

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The Chimney Lady, Marge Padgitt, is a veteran chimney professional, trainer, and author. She is the co-owner of HearthMasters chimney and fireplace service in Kansas City, Missouri. Contact her at office@chimkc.com.

Utility flue problems can cause carbon monoxide poisoning

Utility flues serving furnaces, water heaters, and boilers are often forgotten and ignored, yet can pose serious hazards for the occupants of the home. Most problems lie with older masonry chimneys with clay tile flue liners, or chimneys without liners. Homeowners are generally not aware that these flues need to be inspected annually as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association 211 Standard, and that professional chimney sweeps maintain these flues. HVAC contractors do not sweep or inspect flues or install replacement flue liners. 

Masonry chimneys deteriorate over time, starting from the interior, due to exposure to rain and acidic flue gasses, which damage mortar and clay tile liners. Over a period of years, this mortar falls and accumulates at the bottom of the flue, sometimes causing large restrictions that can cause carbon monoxide backup. Flue liners have been required by code since 1927, yet many homes built prior to 1950 do not have liners. Flue liners are installed to provide a complete sealed exit for toxic flue gases. They have mortar joints between each two-foot section of tile. But mortar joints that are deteriorated, have holes, or are missing can allow gases to escape the flue liner and enter the living space via a neighboring flue liner serving a fireplace, or through the masonry chimney. 

Masonry chimneys are designed to last for many years as long as they are maintained. However, lack of homeowner education usually results in improperly maintained chimneys and flues, which can be a health hazard to the occupants and cause appliances to work inefficiently. Flue liner size is very important – and must be correct in order for draft to occur. A flue liner that is too large for the appliance may cause backup of gases. This is common in homes where newer, mid-efficiency appliances have been installed which need a smaller liner, and in cases where a high-efficiency furnace is installed and vented through the side of the house, leaving an “abandoned” hot water heater to vent on its own in a flue that is very oversized. 

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, colorless gas that is the by-product of incomplete combustion. The current standard for CO alarms is 9 ppm, however, recent testing proves that even very low levels of CO exposure over a long period of time can cause irreversible brain and organ damage. The Environmental Protection Agency states that CO detectors are to be used as a backup and are not a replacement for maintenance of appliances and flues. Even so, the EPA recommends the use of CO detectors placed strategically throughout the house.

Dr. David Penney, author of Carbon Monoxide Toxicity and Professor of Physiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine has devoted years of research to this topic and posts his findings on his website at www.coheadquarters.com. Penney suggests that SIDS may be due to low level CO exposure and that children, the elderly, and pets are more susceptible to its effects. 

According to the Center for Disease Control, 15,000 people visit emergency rooms and 500 people die every year due to CO poisoning. Symptoms of CO poisoning may include flu-like symptoms that go away or lessen after leaving the house, unexplained headaches, nausea, and dizziness; fainting, muscle weakness, inability to wake up, and death. If more than one family member has the same symptoms the EPA recommends visiting a doctor or hospital and mentioning that you suspect CO exposure.

Utility flue safety tips:

•       Have the flue checked annually by a Certified Chimney Sweep who will look for clogs caused by bird nests, leaves, debris, dead animals, and mortar or bricks, cracked flue tiles, missing tiles, and missing mortar joints.

•       Have a heavy-duty stainless-steel chimney cover installed to keep damaging rain and animals out of the flue.

•       Make sure the flue is sized correctly to the appliances

•       Never connect another appliance (water heater excepted) to the same flue as a furnace or boiler

•       Have the flue examined when changing appliances

According to Gene Padgitt, owner of HearthMasters, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri, he has encountered numerous utility flue problems over the years, citing that it is a common issue. “People don't think about the inside of their chimney, and it is usually ignored until a chimney sweep finds a problem or someone gets ill,” said Gene. In one example, another chimney sweep broke out flue tiles and left them in the flue, clogging it completely, which made the homeowners very ill for weeks. In another example, over five feet of debris was removed from a boiler flue that had not been maintained for years and had blocked the flue by 90 percent. The clog caused an entire church congregation to become very ill. 

Resources:

Midwest Chimney Safety Council

Chimney Safety Institute of America

National Fire Protection Association

CO Headquarters

Environmental Protection Agency

Some Halloween Decor Ideas for your Hearth and Home

Check out these cool ideas to decorate your fireplace and home for Halloween: 

There's nothing like a scary pumpkin on your front porch! 

                                          Looks like these guys could use a glass of water!

                                             A graveyard is not complete without skeletons

                                                              Don't forget the fireplace!

                                        These two lovely ladies are just out for a midnight stroll...

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. in Independence, MO. She loves Halloween. 

Gas Appliance Annual Maintenence Required

All direct vent gas appliances need an annual tune-up service by a professional technician in order to maintain the warranty and assure proper operation. If we or someone else installed a unit for you and it has been used for a season, contact us for an appointment.

Tune up includes checking and cleaning of all components, cleaning the glass, cleaning the logs, doing a test burn, CO test, checking the vent system, and checking the remote. It takes about 90 minutes to complete. 

Tiny spiders build webs inside orifices, and dust can impede the function of the appliance. 

Change the Batteries: Direct vent gas appliances and gas logs with remotes need to have new batteries installed every six months. Be sure to change the batteries in the remote and in the sending unit in the appliance. Check your manual for the location. If your appliance is not coming on - check the batteries first.

Venting and non-venting gas logs also need to be serviced and cleaned periodically, depending on how much they are used. Every three years should be sufficient in most cases. 

Tip: Never move gas logs around. They must remain in the same position or flame impingement could occur!

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. in Independence, Missouri 

Tandoor Ovens are Unique and Practical

 I was first introduced to Tandoor ovens during a trip to the U.K. in 2005 with my husband, Gene, and Martin Glynn, a chimney sweep and friend who lives near London. Martin took us to an

Indian restaurant and were so impressed with the food we asked what type of oven they used. The surprised waiter was more than happy to take me back to the kitchen where I got to see the oven at work with hot coals in the bottom of a clay oven and meat cooking inside. A few years later we watched a Tandoor oven being built out of firebrick at a Masonry Heater Association workshop. It was at that point I decided that we needed to have our own Tandoor oven in our back yard –something I’m still trying to convince Gene to build.

Flatbread from a Tandoor

Tandoor ovens are more commonly used in India, some regions of central Asia, and Arabic countries, but are becoming more popular in the U.S. and U.K. Unlike traditional ovens with a door on the front, Tandoor ovens are cylindrical or egg-shaped with the opening at the top.

Food is normally placed on long skewers, which are then placed inside the oven for cooking. 

Traditional flatbread is cooked on the sides of a tandoor– the cook shapes the dough, then throws it on the side of the oven where it sticks and cooks.

Tandoors are usually made out of bricks or clay and fueled with wood or charcoal to reach temperatures upwards of 900 Fahrenheit. Food normally cooks very quickly via convection, conduction, and radiation. The temperature can be controlled by the cook via the amount of fuel burned. It is common for tandoors to remain lit by leaving coals inside the oven during cooking to maintain higher temperatures.

Tandoor factory

One of the most popular dishes prepared is Tandoori Chicken. This excellent dish is chicken roasted with yogurt and spices. The chicken is first marinated in yogurt and honey and seasoned with tandoori masala spice mixture which contains red chili powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and paprika. The spice combinations give the chicken its bright red color. This dish is reported to have been invented in 1947 by Kundan Lai Gujral, a restaurant owner in Delhi. Tandoori chicken is also used as a base ingredient in Indian curries and traditionally served an Indian flatbread). The dish is now served in Britain as Chicken Tikka Masala.

If the Tandoor bug has bitten you, there are ovens available for purchase (check the internet) or build one yourself. I found some plans that don’t look too difficult on instructables.com and lifehacker.com, and even some videos on You Tube. The idea is too have heat coming from all sides so the food cooks fast and evenly.

Chicken cooking in a Tandoor oven

DIY projects are constructed using a metal trash can (no galvanized) or large terra cotta pot with a smaller terra cotta pot inside of it with vermiculite insulation poured between the two pots. Some builders even use firebrick at the base.

These ovens are not as heavy duty as the commercial ovens, but according to the builders/cooks they work fine for home use in the back yard. High temperatures can be reached, and the food cooked in them is delicious.  

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. and the author of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking, available at Amazon.