River Hills fireplace repair

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

Many things can happen during erection of a River Hills home – not all desirable.

A new River Hills house has many working elements. Some require very specific installations to operate safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are not always experts in the precise installations of every mechanical part.

Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While welcomed for their comforting ambiance and effective space heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can cause risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in River Hills. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.

Recurring fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in River Hills, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your loved ones protected.

Safety threats can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the cause is improper installation. Often a problem isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, finds 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 notorious for creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

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

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

Many grab the opportunity 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 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 price of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be completely 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 wanted feature in River Hills homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail 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 installation wasn’t done properly initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.