Brown Deer fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during building of a Brown Deer residence – not all wanted.

A new Brown Deer residence has myriad working elements. Some involve very detailed installations to operate safely and properly. House builders, while good at many things, are often not experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical part.

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

Safety problems with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Brown Deer. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.

Recurring 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 functioning correctly and your loved ones protected.

Safety threats can be found with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the cause is improper installation. Typically a problem isn’t viewable from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection 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 causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions demand 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 situations, the entire fireplace system should be removed, 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 make improvements they might have already considered.

Many use 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 opt for 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 costly, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be majorly reworked, as well. 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 resemble steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Brown Deer homes for a variety of 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 work wasn’t done properly initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.