Sussex fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can happen during erection of a Sussex home – not all welcome.
A new Sussex residence has multiple working components. Some need very detailed installations to work safely and properly. House builders, while skilled at many things, are often not experts in the precise installations of every mechanical part.
Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While welcomed for their comfy ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create 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 discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Sussex. Periodically a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is required.
Regular fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Sussex, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your loved ones protected.
Safety problems can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the source is incorrect installation. Typically an issue isn’t identifiable from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, spots a compromised joint, section or non-working part.
If a part can be replaced, it must be substituted with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for causing issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance benefits could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions demand 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 examples, the total fireplace system should be removed, 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 seize the opportunity to change over 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 warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade surrounding the fireplace can be completely reworked, too. 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 welcome feature in Sussex homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve potential 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 properly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.