Fort Atkinson fireplace repair

Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Need a Fireplace Replacement

Many things can transpire during building of a Fort Atkinson house – not all wanted.

A new Fort Atkinson home has multiple working components. Some involve very specific installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are hardly ever experts in the precise installations of every mechanical part.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While desired for their comforting ambiance and efficient space heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can generate hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.

Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Fort Atkinson. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is required.

Recurring fireplace inspections are always advisable, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Fort Atkinson, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety problems can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the source is improper installation. Often a problem isn’t identifiable from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, identifies a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

If a part can be replaced, it must be substituted with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for creating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

Often, though, conditions mandate a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.

In these cases, the total fireplace system should be removed, 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 make improvements they might have already considered.

Many seize the moment to transition from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat generation of wood, gas is far more convenient (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might select an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade surrounding the fireplace can be totally reworked, as well. 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 welcome feature in Fort Atkinson homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve 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 installation wasn’t done properly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.