Okauchee Lake fireplace repair

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

Many things can occur during construction of a Okauchee Lake residence – not all good.

A new Okauchee Lake house has multiple working elements. Some require very exacting installations to operate safely and efficiently. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While desired for their cheery ambiance and efficient space heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Okauchee Lake. Periodically a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.

Regular fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Okauchee Lake, 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 often than not, the source is incorrect installation. Typically a problem isn’t noticeable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, finds a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

If a part can be changed, it must be swapped out with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for generating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions demand a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically marked as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

In these cases, the total fireplace system should be taken out, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already thought about.

Many use the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat production of wood, gas is far more convenient (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 old-fashioned aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade around the fireplace can be completely redesigned, as well. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular options. 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 Okauchee Lake homes for many 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 the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.