Knellsville fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can happen during erection of a Knellsville residence – not all welcome.
A new Knellsville house has myriad working parts. Some involve very exacting installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While welcomed for their comforting ambiance and effective room heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can cause hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Knellsville. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.
Regular fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Knellsville, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your family protected.
Safety concerns can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is incorrect installation. Usually an issue isn’t noticeable 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 changed, it must be substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for causing issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions merit a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically verified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these situations, the entire fireplace system should be removed, 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 thought about.
Many use the moment 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 opt for an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade surrounding the fireplace can be totally reworked, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular selections. The hearth might be reimagined in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a welcome feature in Knellsville homes for many 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 right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.