Palmyra fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Require a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during building of a Palmyra residence – not all welcome.
A new Palmyra residence has myriad working components. Some involve very exacting installations to work safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the precise installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While desired for their comforting ambiance and effective space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can cause hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety risks with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Palmyra. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.
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 Palmyra, ensures that a fireplace is operating correctly and your family safeguarded.
Safety issues can be revealed with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the culprit is incorrect installation. Often an issue isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, spots 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 infamous for creating problems 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 used.
Often, though, conditions demand a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically identified as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these situations, the complete fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already thought about.
Many use the opportunity to transition from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat generation of wood, gas is far more convenient (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 charming. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade surrounding the fireplace can be totally reworked, as well. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular choices. The hearth might be redone in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Palmyra homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits carry 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 installation wasn’t done correctly initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.