Fort Atkinson fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during construction of a Fort Atkinson home – not all welcome.

A new Fort Atkinson house has many working elements. Some require very detailed installations to function safely and properly. Home builders, while good at many things, are rarely experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While welcomed for their cheery ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can generate hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.

Safety risks with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Fort Atkinson. Sometimes 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 an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Fort Atkinson, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety threats can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the culprit is improper installation. Usually an issue isn’t identifiable 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 changed, it must be swapped out with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for causing problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace ignites a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

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

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

Many seize the moment to change over from wood burning to gas. Though lacking the heat production of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might opt for an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade surrounding the fireplace can be majorly 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 desirable feature in Fort Atkinson homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with possible 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 something wasn’t done properly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.