Farmington fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during erection of a Farmington house – not all wanted.
A new Farmington home has multiple working elements. Some require very exacting installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while good at many things, are not always experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While desired for their comforting ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Farmington. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.
Regular fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Farmington, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your family safeguarded.
Safety problems can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the reason is incorrect installation. Usually an issue isn’t identifiable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, spots a compromised joint, section or non-working part.
If a part can be changed, it must be swapped out 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 ignites a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions merit a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately verified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these instances, the entire fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates a window, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already considered.
Many seize the moment to change over from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat production of wood, gas is far more convenient (and less labor intensive) as fuel.
Others might opt for an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade around the fireplace can be majorly reworked, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular choices. 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 Farmington homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve potential hazards that shouldn’t be overlooked. So don’t – contact Butler Chimneys for fireplace and chimney inspection and cleaning and, if needed, changing a fireplace insert. Just because work wasn’t done correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.