South Milwaukee fireplace repair

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

Many things can happen during construction of a South Milwaukee residence – not all wanted.

A new South Milwaukee home has multiple working elements. Some need very specific installations to operate safely and properly. House builders, while skilled at many things, are often not experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.

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

Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in South Milwaukee. Periodically a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.

Recurring 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 South Milwaukee, ensures that a fireplace is working properly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety concerns can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the culprit is incorrect installation. Often a problem isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, spots a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

If a part can be replaced, it must be substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. 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 identified as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.

In these examples, the entire 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 institute improvements they might have already thought about.

Many grab the opportunity to change over from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat generation of wood, gas is far more convenient (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might select an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be totally redesigned, as well. 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 South Milwaukee homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with 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 initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.