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- Written by: Garry Reisky
- Category: The Hard Blog
After visiting with many a homeowner discussing various hardscaping projects, the topic of a firepit or fireplace will sometimes be discussed. Many people like the fire pit concept because it brings back memories of camping and fun with family and friends. Sitting around the camp fire roasting marsh mellows, the smell of smoke and the taste of roasted marsh mellows, good times.
Now let's take that idyllic setting and try to incorporate into our upcoming hardscape project. Great idea, but can a fire pit be installed in your backyard if you live in the City of Toronto. The answer is, Yes and No. The issue of "open air burning" comes into play. In the city of Toronto open air burning is prohibited. What that means is any wood burning fire pit, fireplace, chimnea is technically not permitted. Quoted from the city's website.
"open air burning is not permitted unless such burning is used to cook food on a grill or a barbecue and is restricted to a small, confined fire that is supervised at all times"
So when are firepits or fireplaces legal? A legal fireplace or firepit has to be powered by natural gas. These units must be rated for the outdoors and must have the designation of being an appliance. If the unit in question meets these requirements than it is not a problem. Of course the unit would have to be installed by a license gas fitter and/or an electrician. And any needed permits would have to be in place, usually the depth of buried electrical and gas lines.
Even if the fireplace or fire pit has a screen on the front ? These fires are still considered open air burning and are technically illegal to use. Even though this scenario looks correct, the fire is contained in a fire box and has a screen it's still not "used to cook food on a grill or a barbecue." To state things clearly, no wood burning. The only option is an appliance, natural gas unit. Hopefully that clears things up!
References:
City of Toronto, Open Air Burning
City of Toronto, Open Air Burning is prohibited in Toronto
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- Written by: Garry Reisky
- Category: The Hard Blog
It was last year. I would say sometime around the end of June. I was at Beaver Valley Stone on saturday going over materials for an upcoming project with a customer. After I had finished I noticed, in the distance, a new display frame. Conveniently it was put right in front of the Permacon display! Unilock was there earlier in the week and setup a Belpasso and Avante Ashlar product display. Upon closer inspection of this new display I had a close up look. I wasn't totally sold, not yet. It took several saturday visits and many walks past this new paver to slowly win me over. What put me over the top was when they updated their displays in the front of Beaver Valley. With the paver fully installed and polymeric sand in the joints it clicked. I got it. It was definately an ah hah type moment! I really like this new paver.
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- Written by: Garry Reisky
- Category: The Hard Blog
It's spring and construction season is ramping up. We're starting to get busy and that means one thing. Construction debris that needs to be disposed of. This is the view from my driver's seat. It happens at least once a week, if not more. With bated breath I wait in anticipation for the scale house light to go green. And it's off up the ramp to see a guy waiting at the entrance.
Read more: A Contractor's Tale. Construction Debris Disposal.
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- Written by: Garry Reisky
- Category: The Hard Blog
I was watching HGTV last night for my thursday night dose of home improvement goodness. I like to watch Holmes on Homes/Holmes Inspection. The Holmes show wrapped up and there's a new show that comes on right after called decked out. I thought I would watch it for a bit. The show is about deck building, great. I like to watch that. The show started and I thought to myself. That girl on Decked Out looks alot like Kim Campbell from Holmes show. Now that got me thinking for a bit, because previously on Holmes Inspection there was a new girl on the show. Hmmm what's going on here. Is Kim off Holmes show and on Decked out now? I did a quick check on holmes on homes site and Kim wasn't listed in crew anymore. Quick check on decked out's site and Kim is listed in crew. O.K than! So there you have it Kim Campbell is on Decked Out show now :-) .
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- Written by: Garry Reisky
- Category: The Hard Blog
Unilock is putting in a new display at Beaver Valley Stone. I will be following the progress on this closely. I should be able to take a video every couple of days to keep up on the progress. They dropped off some Elements, some Richcliff there was some Avante Ashlar. This is a big space. There will be alot of material going into this. Stay tuned for more.
Read more: Unilock display. Work in progress @ Beaver Valley Stone