Fredonia fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during construction of a Fredonia home – not all good.
A new Fredonia home has myriad working parts. Some involve very exacting installations to function safely and efficiently. House builders, while good at many things, are not always experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and efficient room heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often found during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Fredonia. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is required.
Regular fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Fredonia, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your family safeguarded.
Safety threats can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the source is improper installation. Normally an issue isn’t noticeable 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 swapped out 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 turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions require a complete fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately identified as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these instances, 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 work creates a window, though, for a homeowner to institute improvements they might have already considered.
Many use the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without 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 minus for warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – typically one-third the price of a replacement insert.
The façade around the fireplace can be totally 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 wanted feature in Fredonia homes for multiple reasons. Realistically, these benefits carry potential 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 co-exist with its risks.