Durham fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Could Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can transpire during erection of a Durham house – not all wanted.
A new Durham home has myriad working components. Some require very exacting installations to operate safely and according to plan. Home builders, while skilled at many things, are not always experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.
Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While enjoyed for their comforting ambiance and effective room heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can create hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers leaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety threats with a fireplace insert are often uncovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Durham. Sometimes a fireplace repair is not possible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is needed.
Recurring fireplace inspections are always wise, for both safety and operational efficiency. Hiring a professional service such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Durham, ensures that a fireplace is functioning properly and your family safeguarded.
Safety issues can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the reason is incorrect installation. Often a problem isn’t identifiable from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, discovers 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 causing problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance coverage could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.
Often, though, conditions merit a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is automatically flagged as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel has to be replaced.
In these instances, the entire fireplace system should be removed, 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 pursue improvements they might have already considered.
Many seize the opportunity to transition 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 opt for an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net negative for warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less costly, too – typically one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade buttressing the fireplace can be totally 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 welcome feature in Durham homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits come with potential hazards that shouldn’t be neglected. 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 properly initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.