Young America fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during erection of a Young America home – not all welcome.

A new Young America residence has multiple working components. Some need very detailed installations to operate safely and properly. Home builders, while proficient at many things, are often not experts in the precise installations of every mechanical part.

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

Safety threats with a fireplace insert are often identified during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Young America. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is necessitated.

Regular 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 Young America, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your loved ones safeguarded.

Safety threats can be found with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More often than not, the cause is improper installation. Usually an issue isn’t noticeable 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 exact manufacturer’s part. Aftermarket parts are infamous for creating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were used.

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

In these instances, the entire fireplace system should be uninstalled, along with the surrounding 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 use the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though not possessing 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 warmth, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade buttressing the fireplace can be completely 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 resemble steel or wood.

Fireplaces are a wanted feature in Young America homes for many 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 right the first time, doesn’t mean you have to live with its risks.