Okauchee Lake fireplace repair

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

Many things can occur during erection of a Okauchee Lake house – not all welcome.

A new Okauchee Lake home has myriad working parts. Some involve very specific installations to operate safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical part.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While desired for their comfy ambiance and efficient room heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Okauchee Lake. Periodically a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.

Recurring 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 Okauchee Lake, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your loved ones protected.

Safety threats can be revealed with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the source is incorrect installation. Often an issue isn’t viewable from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, finds a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

If a part can be replaced, it must be swapped out with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for creating issues 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 mandate a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically identified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

In these cases, the complete fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates a window, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already considered.

Many use the moment to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat generation 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 negative for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade surrounding the fireplace can be completely reworked, 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 wanted feature in Okauchee Lake homes for many 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 work wasn’t done right initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.