Franklin fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can transpire during erection of a Franklin house – not all good.
A new Franklin house has myriad working components. Some need very specific installations to function safely and according to plan. House builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While enjoyed for their comfy ambiance and efficient room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can cause risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Franklin. Periodically a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.
Regular fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Franklin, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your family protected.
Safety concerns can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the cause is improper installation. Usually a problem isn’t viewable from outside the fireplace – a closer check 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 infamous for creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions mandate a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically identified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must 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 work creates a window, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already thought about.
Many use the opportunity to convert 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 opt for 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 expensive, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade around the fireplace can be totally redesigned, as well. 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 look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a desirable feature in Franklin homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve possible hazards that shouldn’t be neglected. 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 the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.