Brown Deer fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during construction of a Brown Deer house – not all wanted.

A new Brown Deer residence has myriad working elements. Some need very exacting installations to work safely and according to plan. House builders, while skilled at many things, are hardly ever experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While desired for their comforting ambiance and efficient room heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can cause hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety threats with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Brown Deer. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.

Regular fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Brown Deer, ensures that a fireplace is operating correctly and your family protected.

Safety issues can be revealed with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the reason is improper installation. Often an issue isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, finds 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 issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

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

In these instances, 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 work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already considered.

Many use the opportunity to convert 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 select an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade around the fireplace can be totally redesigned, 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 welcome feature in Brown Deer homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve 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 work wasn’t done right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.