Lac La Belle fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during building of a Lac La Belle residence – not all good.

A new Lac La Belle home has multiple working components. Some need very specific installations to operate safely and properly. Home builders, while good at many things, are often not experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While enjoyed for their comfy ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Lac La Belle. Periodically a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.

Recurring 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 Lac La Belle, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your family protected.

Safety concerns can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the reason is incorrect installation. Normally 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 swapped out with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

Often, though, conditions require a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

In these instances, the entire fireplace system should be taken out, 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 institute improvements they might have already thought about.

Many grab the moment to transition from wood burning to gas. Though lacking the heat generation of wood, gas is far more convenient (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 traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade around the fireplace can be majorly redesigned, 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 resemble steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Lac La Belle homes for many 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 something wasn’t done correctly initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.