Willow Springs fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during building of a Willow Springs home – not all desirable.
A new Willow Springs house has many working parts. Some involve very detailed installations to work safely and efficiently. House builders, while good at many things, are rarely experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While enjoyed for their comfy ambiance and efficient room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can generate hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety risks with a fireplace insert are often found during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Willow Springs. Periodically a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.
Recurring fireplace inspections are always advisable, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Willow Springs, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your loved ones safeguarded.
Safety concerns can be found with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is improper installation. Usually an issue isn’t noticeable from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, identifies a compromised joint, section or non-working part.
If a part can be replaced, it must be swapped out with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for generating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions merit a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these instances, 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 project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to institute improvements they might have already considered.
Many seize the opportunity to transition 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 minus for heat, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade buttressing the fireplace can be totally reworked, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular options. 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 wanted feature in Willow Springs homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail potential hazards that shouldn’t be ignored. 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 properly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.