Horns Corners fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during erection of a Horns Corners residence – not all desirable.

A new Horns Corners home has myriad working components. Some require very specific installations to function safely and according to plan. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are rarely experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical element.

Enclosed fireplaces are a prime example. While enjoyed for their cheery ambiance and efficient room heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can generate risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety risks with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Horns Corners. Occasionally a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is needed.

Recurring fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Horns Corners, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your family protected.

Safety threats can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the source is improper installation. Normally a problem isn’t identifiable 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 substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions require a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically identified as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.

In these cases, the total fireplace system should be taken out, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day process for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The project creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to institute improvements they might have already considered.

Many seize the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though without the heat generation of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might select an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be completely reworked, 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 desirable feature in Horns Corners homes for multiple 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 installation wasn’t done correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.