Legal

Terms of Use

Last updated: August 14, 2026

These terms cover your use of the Hearth & Firewall website. They're meant to be short and readable, not a wall of fine print. By using this site you agree to what's below.

The service is covered by a separate agreement

This website describes what I do and lets you get in touch. It is not the contract for the work itself. Before any paid work begins, I send you a written service agreement that lays out the scope, guarantee, payment terms, limits of liability, and how your information is handled. You review and accept that agreement first. If anything on this site ever seems to conflict with your signed service agreement, the signed agreement is what governs the work.

Prices are starting points, confirmed before work begins

The prices shown on this site are flat-rate starting points for a typical residential computer. The exact price for your job is agreed with you in writing before I start, and it doesn't change based on how long the session actually runs. You'll never get a surprise charge.

The free guides are educational

Free content on this site, like the phishing email guide and any free second opinion, is general information to help you stay safer. It's genuinely useful, but it can't cover every situation, and following it doesn't guarantee you'll never run into a problem. When you want hands-on help specific to your computer, that's what the service is for.

No guarantee of a perfectly secure computer

I use careful, industry-standard methods, and the Basic Cleanup tier comes with a plain guarantee: if I can't resolve the reported issue, you don't pay. That said, no one can promise a computer will be immune to every future threat. Security is about reducing risk, not eliminating it, and staying safe also depends on choices you make after the session.

Links to other sites

This site may link to other websites (for example, a bank's real login page or a security tool). I don't control those sites and I'm not responsible for their content or their privacy practices.

Content on this site

The text, logo, and design here belong to Hearth & Firewall. You're welcome to read and share the free guides, but please don't copy the site or pass off its content as your own.

Limits

The website is provided as-is. To the extent the law allows, I'm not liable for any loss that results from simply using this website, as opposed to an actual service engagement, which is governed by its own written agreement.

Changes

If these terms change, I'll update this page and the "last updated" date above.

Contact

Questions about these terms? Email [email protected] or call (401) 310-0765.