PHOTOS: Matt Boltz, Engineer, Chicago Cubs Radio - Wordspecs

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David Ariano, Ravinia Plumbing Believe it or not, winter is coming, so I’d like to touch on a few cold weather issues. The first has to do with brick homes and chimneys. Temperature variations combined with moisture are bad news for bricks and mortar. I called Mike Nolan of Certified Chimney Co. in Highland Park, who says, “Bricks take on water, and they don’t always dry quickly. You have a lot of freeze/thaw cycles which can cause the brick face to crumble and cause deterioration of the mortar joints.” The chimney is the most exposed part of the house. It faces extreme weather conditions, has no roof overhang, receives no warmth from the house and is subjected to lots of water (rain and snow). It is easy for small problems to become larger because the chimney is usually ignored until noticeable deterioration has taken place. Mike recommends that masonry should be inspected professionally every five years. And, you can make your own visual inspection with a pair of binoculars. “Walk around the house, and look around the chimney, under windows, gutters and downspouts. Look for deterioration of the bricks along with cracking or missing mortar.” Tuck pointing (removing old mortar with diamond grinding wheels and installing new mortar) will fix many masonry problems, but the longer you wait, the more work needs to be done. Severe damage requires taking apart and rebuilding affected areas of the structure. Prevent damage by removing vines that creep up walls; they grow into the mortar, allowing moisture to penetrate deeper, shortening the life of these important joints. Mike’s company provides all types of brick, masonry, and tuck pointing work. Certified Chimney can be reached at 847-579-8208. Problem chimneys combined with gas burning appliances can lead to carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas which can be very toxic. Toxicity depends on the concentration of CO in the air, exposure times and your overall health. Exposure to CO can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, or loss of muscle control. However, there could be many other causes for these symptoms; that is why carbon monoxide poisoning is so difficult to diagnose. When inhaled, CO prevents your red blood cells from absorbing oxygen. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations can lead to unconsciousness, brain damage or death. Long-term exposure to low concentrations of CO is linked to many life-threatening conditions. CO is created by improper or inefficient burning of any fuel and can be produced by your car, lawnmower, grill (charcoal, propane or natural gas), oven, cooktop, fireplace, furnace, water heater, and even tobacco smoke. The three major causes of CO in the indoor air are: Dirt and blockage; using equipment that consumes or exhausts household air; and confining or enclosing gas-fired equipment. Here are some prevention tips: • Never insulate or try to seal up a draft hood, wind cap or exhaust vent on any gas appliance. • Keep your equipment area clean. Don’t store anything that could restrict air circulation close to equipment. • Run exhaust fans for a few minutes at a time; prolonged use could remove too much air and also wastes heat. 16 / Fall 2007 • If you have a gas water heater, make sure combustion air openings at the bottom of the tank and the opening below the draft diverter (on top of the tank next to the flue duct) remain unblocked. • If you have a gas dryer, the exhaust duct must be vented to the outside and have a hood at the end. Check that the exhaust system is not blocked by lint or debris and that the flapper in the hood moves freely. • Don’t run power attic vents during the winter or when your furnace is on. • If you’ve partitioned the area where your furnace and water heater are, you may need to add ventilation for proper combustion. Some of the danger signs of CO are stuffy, stale or smelly air and back drafts or soot from a fireplace or furnace chimney. Your home needs more air for proper combustion. For gas-fired equipment, mostly yellow (rather than clear blue) burner flames, a pilot light that keeps going out or a smell of gas indicate trouble. Turn off the equipment, and contact your heating professional. Illinois law requires that every home be equipped with one CO detector within 15 feet of every bedroom and every gas-burning appliance. CO detectors should be replaced once every five to seven years, as the CO sensor wears out. If you have any questions about CO or want scheduled maintenance performed on your gas-burning equipment, call Ravinia Plumbing Heating & Appliance at 847-432-5561. They are expanding at The ABL Group, with so many calls for their free color consultation, faux paint techniques and—for that “honey-do” list— handyman service. Lori Warshawsky (left) started as an interior designer at Loebl, Schlossmann and Hackl in <strong>Chicago</strong>, is a member of the Merchandise Mart and has consulted privately with local retailers. She lives right here in Highland Park and is active in PTOs. She will specialize in project coordinating. Valerie Frossard is a scheduling maven, coming to ABL by way of United Airlines Management. She is active at Congregation Or Tikvah, as a Boy Scouts Leader and as Team Leader for Youth Football. And by the way, VP George Markoutsas is one of the busiest networkers in town, serving on the Chamber board and volunteering for Chamber events. Call The ABL Group at 847-579-1600 or visit theABLgroup.com. Do you have a story about people in the building trades or design professions Indoors or landscape We want to hear from you. Send your news and photos to info@RaviniaPlumbing.com or call David Ariano, 847-432-5561. PHOTO: George Markoutsas, The ABL Group
Our reputation is set in stone(s) For life insurance, go with someone you know. Call me and I’ll help you get the right life insurance for you and your family. J A Palminteri Ins Agcy Inc Joseph A Palminteri, Agent 475 Roger Williams Ave Highland Park, IL 60035-4704 Bus: 847-432-5570 Selling diamonds to North Shore families for almost 100 years. Call Bob or Alan, 800-767-2220, GottliebBrothers.com statefarm.com ® State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI), State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company P062047 12/06 (Licensed in NY and WI) - Bloomington, IL Beautifying Your Home is as Easy as ABL Special Offer For a limited time, mention this ad AFTER your FREE estimate and receive $200 off your next painting, faux finishing or wallcovering project valued over $1000 Special restrictions apply. Cannot be combined with other offers. "You went out of your way for us,you were quick and professional, and the end result was perfect. We know who to call the next time." - Mike & Eve Delmonte, Prosumer Real Estate Highland Park 847.579.1600 www.theABLgroup.com Fall 2007 / 17
Page 1 and 2: PHOTOS: Matt Boltz, Engineer, Chica
Page 3 and 4: HIGHLAND PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE w
Page 5 and 6: On Our Cover This Young Cub: Cory P
Page 7 and 8: Index of Advertisers The ABL Group
Page 9 and 10: Outfit your family for winter fun W
Page 11 and 12: FOR FALL SHOPPING & FUN IT’S ALL
Page 13 and 14: You’ll love our service the way y
Page 15 and 16: Animal control responsibilities als
Page 17: Print out coupons at our new web si
Page 21 and 22: SMUGGLERS JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES Gif
Page 23 and 24: t Highland Park Hospital, we’ve b
Page 25 and 26: Two other Uptown fixtures that rece
Page 27 and 28: Chamber professionals offer experti
Page 29 and 30: New restaurant opens, but never on
Page 31 and 32: AN OPEN LETTER TO PLAYER OF THE CEN
Page 33 and 34: Chamber professionals offer experti
Page 35 and 36: Artist Program sends instructors ou
Page 37 and 38: istorante • banquets Experience O
Page 39 and 40: Houston Astros. Cory also did sport
Page 41 and 42: For many, the accessories are the m
Page 44: TM Stan Megdall Char Terbeest-Kudla

PHOTOS: Matt Boltz, Engineer, Chicago Cubs Radio - Wordspecs

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