Willow Springs fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during building of a Willow Springs residence – not all desirable.

A new Willow Springs home has myriad working components. Some need very exacting installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While enjoyed for their cheery ambiance and effective space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can cause risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Willow Springs. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.

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 Willow Springs, ensures that a fireplace is operating correctly and your loved ones protected.

Safety issues can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is improper installation. Typically a problem isn’t viewable 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 substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions require a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately verified as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.

In these examples, the entire fireplace system should be uninstalled, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already considered.

Many seize the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat generation of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might choose an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for heat, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be totally redesigned, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular selections. 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 Willow Springs homes for multiple 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.