Johnson Creek fireplace repair

Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Require a Fireplace Replacement

Many things can happen during construction of a Johnson Creek home – not all wanted.

A new Johnson Creek residence has myriad working elements. Some require very detailed installations to function safely and efficiently. House builders, while skilled at many things, are rarely experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While desired for their comfy ambiance and effective space heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can create risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Johnson Creek. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is required.

Regular fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Johnson Creek, ensures that a fireplace is operating correctly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety problems can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the culprit is incorrect installation. Often a problem isn’t viewable from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, discovers 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 generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions require a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately identified as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

In these examples, the entire fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates a window, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already considered.

Many use the moment to change over 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 choose an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade surrounding the fireplace can be majorly reworked, as well. 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 wanted feature in Johnson Creek homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve possible 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 something wasn’t done correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.