Rockfield fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during erection of a Rockfield residence – not all desirable.
A new Rockfield house has many working components. Some need very specific installations to operate safely and according to plan. 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 welcomed for their cheery ambiance and effective room heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can generate hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Rockfield. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.
Regular fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Rockfield, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your family safeguarded.
Safety threats can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the reason is incorrect installation. Typically an issue isn’t identifiable from outside the fireplace – a closer check 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 duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions demand a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately marked as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these cases, the complete fireplace system should be taken out, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already thought about.
Many use the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without 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 warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade buttressing the fireplace can be totally redesigned, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular choices. The hearth might be redone in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to resemble steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a welcome feature in Rockfield homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve potential 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 work wasn’t done correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.