Service illustration · not a completed customer projectTHE WORK, EXPLAINED
Start with the condition.
Understand the scope.
Identify the proposed stove and location, then ask how venting, clearances and floor protection will be assessed for that installation. Request the documented scope and responsibilities for preparation, applicable approvals and completion checks.
What may be involved
- wood stove
- venting components
- hearth protection
Ask the provider to distinguish existing parts to inspect, proposed replacements, and tools, materials or reports included in the service. Confirm the work and exclusions after assessment; this list does not mean that every item will be supplied or replaced.
LOCAL RESEARCH / San Francisco
Local context
If you plan to use a wood-burning fireplace, insert or stove, check the Bay Area Air District’s current Spare the Air information before burning. Its guidance distinguishes fine-particle alerts, ozone alerts and air-quality advisories, and links wood-burning restrictions to fine-particle alerts. Check the alert type and effective dates on the official service rather than assuming that a recent inspection or cleaning settles whether burning is allowed. Ask the Air District about circumstances affecting your property; this page does not report today’s alert status or determine an exemption.
Source ↗Planning your work
San Francisco publishes a list of construction work that does not need a building permit, covering items such as interior finish work, limited reroofing and certain small exterior structures. Chimney and fireplace work is not among the exemptions shown on that page, and the page itself points to San Francisco Building Code section 106A.2 for the complete list. Treat it as a starting point for a conversation with the Department of Building Inspection about repair, rebuilding or relining, not as a decision about your own chimney.
Source ↗Area-wide context does not establish the condition of your property or equipment.
Before the visit
If smoke is entering the room, stop using the fireplace and arrange an assessment.
