MOORPARK : City to Seek Bids on Fireplace Inspections

Responding to the concerns of residents who fear that their fireplaces and chimneys may be unsafe, the Moorpark City Council will seek bids from inspectors to make sure that about 600 homes meet safety standards.

Over the initial concerns of Mayor Paul Lawrason, who feared setting a precedent that might force a city-financed review of all 8,000 Moorpark homes, the council at its Wednesday meeting unanimously decided to solicit bids for inspection of homes in the Northview and Steeple Hill tracts. The inspections are expected to cost between $20,000 and $25,000.

“This goes beyond a fireplace problem,” Councilman John Wozniak said. “It is a safety problem. It is a known safety problem and it is not something this body can sit here and ignore.”

A routine inspection of a metal fireplace box and flue in the Northview tract in September revealed that manufacturer’s safety guidelines were not heeded by the builder--Pardee Construction Co. Since then, D-Way Fireplace Inspection Service owner Dal Feb has turned over 19 reports of faulty fireplaces to the city.

During his inspections, Feb said he found that fireplace flues required to be surrounded by at least 2 inches of air space were in some cases only three-quarters of an inch from combustible materials. In one chimney, he said, the metal piping was in direct contact with tar paper. Also revealed were fireplaces improperly hooked up to the flue and other violations.

Council members said at the meeting that the inspection reports had been forwarded to Pardee and that the builder had taken out permits to repair six of the homes. But Pardee has been unwilling to inspect any other homes and has said it will fix fireplace problems only as it hears about them.

The council agreed that Lawrason and Councilman Bernardo Perez will schedule a meeting with Pardee to express the city’s concerns.

Bill Teller, Pardee’s Ventura County project manager, said the company is working to correct any fireplaces in its homes but will not pay for the inspections.

“We certainly view it as a serious problem too,” Teller said. “We’re not taking a proactive approach on these inspections because on a number of these inspections, there aren’t any problems being found. . . . We’re leaving it up to the homeowner to have the fireplaces inspected. But we are standing by the work.”

Several Northview homeowners attended the council meeting.

“I used to live in Torrance and we used to burn every winter,” Gary Gayda said. “When we moved here, I expected to do the same thing. Now we’re here, it is winter and I can’t use my fireplace. I have two kids and I don’t want to see them burned up.”