Fox Point fireplace repair

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

Many things can happen during erection of a Fox Point home – not all good.

A new Fox Point residence has myriad working parts. Some involve very specific installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while good at many things, are hardly ever experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While welcomed for their cheery ambiance and effective space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.

Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Fox Point. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is necessitated.

Regular fireplace inspections are always recommended, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Fox Point, ensures that a fireplace is operating correctly and your family protected.

Safety threats can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is incorrect installation. Typically an issue isn’t obvious 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 changed, it must be swapped out with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions demand a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

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

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

Others might opt for 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 costly, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be completely reworked, as well. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular options. The hearth might be reimagined in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to resemble steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Fox Point 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 work wasn’t done right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.