Decker fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during erection of a Decker residence – not all good.
A new Decker home has many working parts. Some need very detailed installations to operate safely and efficiently. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are rarely experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical part.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and effective 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 problems with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Decker. Periodically a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is necessitated.
Recurring fireplace inspections are always recommended, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Decker, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your family protected.
Safety concerns can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the culprit is improper installation. Typically an issue 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 changed, it must be substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance benefits could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions demand a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately identified as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these situations, the total fireplace system should be uninstalled, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already considered.
Many use the opportunity to change over from wood burning to gas. Though without 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 warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade surrounding the fireplace can be totally reworked, as well. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular choices. The hearth might be reimagined in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to resemble steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a desirable feature in Decker homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with 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 work wasn’t done properly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.