Many things can happen during erection of a Dousman house – not all good.
A new Dousman residence has many working components. Some need very exacting installations to function safely and properly. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.
Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Dousman. Periodically a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is necessitated.
Recurring 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 Dousman, ensures that a fireplace is working properly and your loved ones safeguarded.
Safety issues can be revealed with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the cause is improper installation. Usually an issue isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer look 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 infamous for generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions merit a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically identified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these cases, the entire 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 a window, though, for a homeowner to institute improvements they might have already considered.
Many seize the moment to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat production 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 pricey, too – typically one-third the price of a replacement insert.
The façade buttressing 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 look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a desirable feature in Dousman homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits carry 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 something wasn’t done right initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.