Port Washington fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during building of a Port Washington home – not all welcome.

A new Port Washington home has multiple working elements. Some need very specific installations to operate safely and properly. House builders, while skilled 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 efficient space heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide escaping. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often revealed during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Port Washington. Periodically a fireplace repair is not workable. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete fireplace replacement is required.

Recurring fireplace inspections are always advisable, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Port Washington, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety threats can be discovered with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the source is incorrect installation. Often an issue isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer inspection inside, by a trained eye, finds a compromised joint, section or non-working part.

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

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

In these instances, the total fireplace system should be uninstalled, 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 make 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 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 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 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 desirable feature in Port Washington homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits carry 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 work wasn’t done right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.