Saint Lawrence fireplace repair

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

Many things can occur during construction of a Saint Lawrence house – not all welcome.

A new Saint Lawrence house has multiple working elements. Some require very specific installations to work safely and according to plan. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are hardly ever experts in the precise installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are one example. While desired for their comfy ambiance and efficient space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers flying onto outside surfaces.

Safety issues with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Saint Lawrence. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a complete 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 Saint Lawrence, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your loved ones protected.

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

If a part can be changed, it must be substituted with the duplicate manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are notorious for causing problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace sparks a house fire, insurance coverage could be turned down if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

Often, though, conditions merit a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically marked as unsafe. If a fan stops working, replacement is not an option. A degraded refractory panel must 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 a window, though, for a homeowner to institute improvements they might have already considered.

Many use the opportunity to transition from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing the heat production 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 warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find charming. An open fireplace is far less pricey, too – usually 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 selections. The hearth might be reimagined in limestone, tile, brick or stone. The mantle can be reworked to resemble steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Saint Lawrence homes for a variety of reasons. Realistically, these benefits entail possible 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 correctly the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.