Oak Hill fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can transpire during construction of a Oak Hill residence – not all desirable.
A new Oak Hill residence has many working parts. Some involve very specific installations to operate safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are rarely experts in the precise installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While welcomed for their cheery ambiance and effective room heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can create risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.
Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often found during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Oak Hill. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.
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 Oak Hill, ensures that a fireplace is working properly and your family safeguarded.
Safety problems can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the culprit is improper installation. Usually an issue isn’t identifiable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, finds 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 issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions demand a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically verified as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these situations, the total fireplace system should be removed, 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 make improvements they might have already thought about.
Many use the moment to transition from wood burning to gas. Though without 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 old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – typically one-third the price of a replacement insert.
The façade around the fireplace can be totally redesigned, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular selections. The hearth might be redone in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to resemble steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a welcome feature in Oak Hill homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with 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 properly initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.