Hold on, you can't just wing it with a root flare. That's how you get girdling roots five years down the line. I've seen oaks where someone "just exposed it" and they cut way too deep into the main lateral roots, basically wounding the tree. The exact depth matters because you're looking for that first major root, not just scraping dirt until you see something woody. Doing it wrong sets the tree up for a slow decline.

Honestly that would make me rethink my whole stance on VPNs.

Wait, did you mean cutting back the bricks on the side facing the chimney? Because if the bricks are touching the house framing, that's the real fire risk, not just the heat. Your fix sounds smart for heat, but @the_ben, that air gap might not be enough if the bricks are still in direct contact with any wood. A lot of old homes have the chimney actually tied into the house frame with no clearance at all. That's the scary part you can't always see!

That "getting her name out there" thing is just fear of asking for real money.

Did you consider the wireless sensors with dual reporting tech? The good ones now send both radio and a backup signal, so they're nearly as solid as wired. That middle ground might have saved you those three days.