Blackhawk Island fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can happen during construction of a Blackhawk Island residence – not all desirable.
A new Blackhawk Island house has myriad working components. Some involve very specific installations to work safely and efficiently. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While welcomed for their comfy ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can generate hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.
Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Blackhawk Island. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.
Regular fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Blackhawk Island, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your family protected.
Safety issues can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is incorrect installation. Often an issue isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, identifies a compromised joint, section or non-working part.
If a part can be changed, it must be substituted with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for causing problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions demand a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these cases, the entire fireplace system should be uninstalled, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already considered.
Many grab the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat production of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.
Others might choose an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.
The façade surrounding the fireplace can be completely redesigned, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular selections. The hearth might be reimagined in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a desirable feature in Blackhawk Island homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits carry possible hazards that shouldn’t be ignored. So don’t – contact Butler Chimneys for fireplace and chimney inspection and cleaning and, if needed, changing a fireplace insert. Just because something wasn’t done correctly initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.