Real logs in fireplace (San Diego: new home, inspector, safe)

[mkschmidt]

We bought a 20 year old house in February. Now with the cold weather coming I wanted to burn real logs in my fireplace. Somebody told me that it is forbidden to burn real logs in San Diego (danger of fire because of flying embers). In addition the fireplaces should not have been built to stand the heat of a real fire.
Can somebody help me with that issue?
Thanks.
Marion

[PharmboyinNC]

Sorry I can't help you. Goto the city website and look up a residential fire marshal office number.

If it all checks out and you do not know the history of the house, I'd strongly get a chimney sweeper to clean out the fireplace before using it. There could be a soot build-up, or debris/nests in the tower that could clog up the chimney and trap smoke, or come crashing down, sending embers into your room.

[IloveOC]

There must be people who do chimney inspections - however, if they selling a service they will probably say you need it cleaned. Which would probably be the safe thing to do. Also call the city offices to see if you cannot burn real logs. If it is a fully functioning fireplace, I don't know why it couldn't handle burning - it probably did years ago. The inspector should be able to tell you that also.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

My hood has been burning real firewood for years. You'll see it stacked up on the sides of the houses. You can't burn anything in the little fake fireplaces and their may be a restriction on the tiny fire places in new homes that allow burning fake logs. For that I am not sure.

I've got 2 chords stacked.