Kohler fireplace repair

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

Many things can occur during construction of a Kohler house – not all desirable.

A new Kohler home has many working parts. Some require very detailed installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are not always experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and efficient room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Kohler. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total 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 Kohler, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety issues can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the cause is incorrect installation. Typically a problem isn’t identifiable 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 replaced, it must be substituted 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 sparks a house fire, insurance benefits could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

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

In these examples, 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 project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already considered.

Many grab the moment to change over from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat generation of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might choose an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for heat, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade around the fireplace can be majorly redesigned, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular options. 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 Kohler homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail 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 right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.