Old timer in Ohio taught me a trick for creosote logs that I still use

I was sweeping a house in Dayton last year and this retired guy, probably 70 years old, came down to his basement to chat. He told me to always check the firebox floor for loose bricks before even starting, said he learned that after dropping a brush through one in the 80s. Has anyone else ever had a surprise like a loose brick or hidden damage that you didn't see at first?

2 comments

2 Comments

robin83626d ago

Oh man, that's a solid tip right there. I've seen guys get halfway through a job and then hit a surprise like that, totally throws off your whole rhythm.

charlie_roberts8726d ago

And totally agree with @robin836 on that, a loose brick will absolutely wreck your flow. I had a buddy who missed one once and ended up having to buy the homeowner a whole new firebrick set, cost him half the job's profit lmao. The old guy was probably onto something just giving the floor a quick tap test, saves you a headache and some cash. It's the little stuff that gets you, not the big jobs.