Sullivan fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can transpire during construction of a Sullivan home – not all desirable.
A new Sullivan residence has multiple working elements. Some require very detailed installations to function safely and properly. House builders, while skilled at many things, are rarely experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and effective space heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can generate risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Sullivan. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is necessitated.
Recurring fireplace inspections are always recommended, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Sullivan, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your loved ones protected.
Safety problems can be uncovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the culprit is improper installation. Typically a problem 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 replaced, it must be substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for causing issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. 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 flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these examples, the entire fireplace system should be taken out, 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 institute improvements they might have already thought about.
Many use the moment to transition from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat production 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 minus for warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade buttressing the fireplace can be completely redesigned, as well. 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 look like steel or wood.
Fireplaces are a welcome feature in Sullivan homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with possible 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 work wasn’t done correctly initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.