Oak Knoll fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can happen during building of a Oak Knoll residence – not all good.
A new Oak Knoll home has multiple working elements. Some require very exacting installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are often not experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical part.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While welcomed for their comforting ambiance and effective room heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can generate 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 Oak Knoll. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.
Regular fireplace inspections are always advisable, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Oak Knoll, ensures that a fireplace is functioning correctly and your loved ones protected.
Safety threats can be found with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is improper installation. Typically an issue isn’t noticeable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, identifies 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 infamous for causing issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance benefits could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions require a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately verified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, 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 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 considered.
Many grab the moment to transition 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 select an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for warmth, 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 completely reworked, as well. 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 Oak Knoll homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with possible 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 work wasn’t done correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.