Carrollville fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during construction of a Carrollville house – not all wanted.

A new Carrollville home has many working elements. Some need very specific installations to work safely and according to plan. Home builders, while good at many things, are rarely experts in the precise installations of every mechanical element.

Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While desired for their comfy ambiance and effective room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.

Safety threats with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Carrollville. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is required.

Regular fireplace inspections are always recommended, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Carrollville, ensures that a fireplace is working properly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety issues can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the culprit is improper installation. Normally a problem isn’t identifiable 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 replaced, 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 properly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

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

In these situations, the entire fireplace system should be uninstalled, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already thought about.

Many seize the opportunity to change over from wood burning to gas. Though lacking the heat production 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 negative for warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, 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 choices. 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 Carrollville homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with potential 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 work wasn’t done right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.