Kohler fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can transpire during erection of a Kohler home – not all good.
A new Kohler home has many working elements. Some involve very exacting installations to work safely and properly. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are not always experts in the precise installations of every mechanical part.
Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While desired for their comfy ambiance and effective room heating, wrong installation of fireplace inserts can create risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.
Safety risks with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Kohler. Periodically a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is needed.
Regular fireplace inspections are always prudent, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Kohler, ensures that a fireplace is operating properly and your family protected.
Safety issues can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the reason is improper installation. Often a problem isn’t identifiable 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 replaced, it must be substituted with the exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for creating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.
Often, though, conditions demand a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately verified as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these instances, the entire fireplace system should be taken out, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to pursue improvements they might have already considered.
Many grab 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 negative for heat, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade surrounding the fireplace can be totally redesigned, too. Tile, stone or brick veneer, or composite wood are popular selections. 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 wanted feature in Kohler homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail potential 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 installation wasn’t done right initially, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.