Oak Knoll fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can transpire during erection of a Oak Knoll home – not all desirable.
A new Oak Knoll home has myriad working parts. Some require very exacting installations to operate safely and properly. House builders, while good at many things, are rarely experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While desired for their comfy ambiance and effective space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can cause hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.
Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Oak Knoll. Periodically a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is needed.
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 Oak Knoll, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your loved ones protected.
Safety issues can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the cause is incorrect installation. Typically an issue isn’t viewable from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, identifies 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 causing problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions require a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically marked as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these cases, the complete fireplace system should be uninstalled, 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 institute improvements they might have already considered.
Many seize the moment to convert 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 opt for an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – typically one-third the cost 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 look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a desirable feature in Oak Knoll homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail 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 installation wasn’t done correctly initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.