Congratulations on the nice article about your work in Sunset Magazine this month.

It looks as it the fireplace may be one of our Rumfords. Is it? I'm a little concerned that, from the smoke stains above the fireplace opening, the fireplace seems to smoke a bit. Of course all outdoor fireplaces may smoke in a breeze but this one looks as if it may suffer from not having the rounded Rumford throat. I can tell by the smoke pattern on the firebox.

Rumford or not, it's a great article. I like your work.

Best,
Jim Buckley

Jim,

It is a Rumford component fireplace. We followed the component instructions as best we could. I have not seen or gotten any feedback regarding smoke problems. They may have had it closed or possibly got a little too adventurous in what they were burning? It puts out an amazing amount of heat. The heat has thermally chipped the bluestone on the front. The stucco seems to be holding okay, which is what I was most concerned about.

This is the second of 2 Rumfords we have done. Most people balk at the 15K to 20K final price, but it can be a slow process since it has to be built and filled in stages and inspectors want to see the rebar in each stage.

We appreciate any technical input. We probably purchased it through Concord Masonry or Morgan's.

Thanks,
Joe

-- Joseph Huettl
Principal
Huettl Thuilot Associates
Berkeley, CA
PH 510 848 3200
www.huettl-thuilot.com

I'm so pleased that it is a Rumford. Less pleased that it appears to smoke. And horrified that it cost 15K to 20K. so, in order ....

Can you send me picture I can use on the website with credits to you, the contractors and masons and Sunset?

Out door fireplaces do tend to be temperamental in a breeze and it doesn't help that outdoor chimneys are usually short. We have some suggestions and recommendations at http://www.rumford.com/outdoorsmoky.html Off the top, from the picture in Sunset, I would think a chimney pot (to effectively raise the height of the chimney) and a screen (to diffuse the wind) would help. I'd like to know more about the construction and the throat placement to know if anything else might help.

On cost, we have some comments at http://www.rumford.com/training/cost.html and your outdoor fireplace is similar, but less complicated, than the one in our example that we say should cost about 4 or 5K. You might also look over our page on concrete fireplace and chimney enclosures at http://www.rumford.com/concrete.html which should even be better and less expensive.

I look forward to hearing from you. May I add a listing for Huettl Thuilot Associates on our "architects" and/or "builders" page?

Best,
Jim Buckley