Many things can transpire during building of a Fussville home – not all desirable.
A new Fussville residence has multiple working elements. Some involve very specific installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while good at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and efficient room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can generate risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety threats with a fireplace insert are often found during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Fussville. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.
Regular fireplace inspections are always recommended, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Fussville, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your family safeguarded.
Safety threats can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the source is incorrect installation. Usually an issue isn’t identifiable 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 replaced, it must be swapped out 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 coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions demand a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these cases, the entire fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby 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 seize the opportunity to transition from wood burning to gas. Though lacking the heat generation of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.
Others might select an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.
The façade around the fireplace can be majorly redesigned, 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 resemble steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a welcome feature in Fussville homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail 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 something wasn’t done properly initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.