Hales Corners fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during building of a Hales Corners house – not all good.

A new Hales Corners house has multiple working components. Some involve very detailed installations to work safely and efficiently. House builders, while good at many things, are often not experts in the precise installations of every mechanical element.

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

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often found during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Hales Corners. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.

Regular fireplace inspections are always advisable, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Hales Corners, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your loved ones protected.

Safety concerns can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the reason is incorrect installation. Typically an issue 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 exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

Often, though, conditions demand a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately marked as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.

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

Many grab the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat generation 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 heat, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be totally 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 look like steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Hales Corners homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail potential hazards that shouldn’t be overlooked. So don’t – contact Butler Chimneys for fireplace and chimney inspection and cleaning and, if needed, changing a fireplace insert. Just because installation wasn’t done properly initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.