Oak Creek fireplace repair

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

Many things can occur during construction of a Oak Creek home – not all desirable.

A new Oak Creek residence has many working elements. Some involve very specific installations to function safely and properly. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are often not experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical part.

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

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Oak Creek. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is needed.

Recurring fireplace inspections are always advisable, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Oak Creek, ensures that a fireplace is operating correctly and your loved ones protected.

Safety threats can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the reason is improper installation. Usually an issue isn’t viewable from outside the fireplace – a closer look inside, by a trained eye, spots a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

If a part can be replaced, it must be swapped out with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for creating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

Often, though, conditions mandate a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

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

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

The façade around the fireplace can be majorly reworked, too. 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 look like steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a desirable feature in Oak Creek homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve 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 right initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.