Greenfield fireplace repair

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

Many things can occur during building of a Greenfield home – not all good.

A new Greenfield house has many working components. Some require very exacting installations to operate safely and according to plan. House builders, while good at many things, are not always experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While enjoyed for their comfy ambiance and efficient room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can cause hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Greenfield. Periodically a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.

Recurring 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 Greenfield, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your loved ones protected.

Safety threats can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the reason is incorrect installation. Often an issue isn’t noticeable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, discovers 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 creating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

Often, though, conditions require 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 has to be replaced.

In these instances, the complete fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to institute improvements they might have already considered.

Many seize the moment to transition from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat production 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 negative for heat, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

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

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Greenfield homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail 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 work wasn’t done correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.