South Milwaukee fireplace repair

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

Many things can happen during construction of a South Milwaukee house – not all welcome.

A new South Milwaukee home has myriad working parts. Some involve very detailed installations to operate safely and according to plan. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are not always experts in the precise installations of every mechanical element.

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

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in South Milwaukee. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.

Recurring fireplace inspections are always wise, 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 operating correctly and your loved ones protected.

Safety issues can be found with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the cause is incorrect installation. Usually a problem isn’t noticeable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, identifies a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

If a part can be changed, it must be swapped out with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for causing 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 used.

Often, though, conditions merit a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically marked as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.

In these cases, the complete fireplace system should be uninstalled, along with the nearby 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 seize the moment to transition 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 opt for an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade around the fireplace can be completely redesigned, as well. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular selections. 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 welcome feature in South Milwaukee homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits carry possible 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 correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.