Durham fireplace repair
Fireplace Repair? For Safety’s Sake, You Might Need a Fireplace Replacement
Many things can occur during construction of a Durham house – not all good.
A new Durham residence has multiple working elements. Some need very detailed installations to function safely and efficiently. House builders, while proficient at many things, are rarely experts in the precise installations of every mechanical element.
Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While desired for their comfy ambiance and efficient space heating, incorrect installation of fireplace inserts can cause hazards that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.
Safety risks with a fireplace insert are often found during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Durham. Occasionally 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 an expert such as Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Durham, ensures that a fireplace is working correctly and your family safeguarded.
Safety problems can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the culprit is improper installation. Usually a problem isn’t noticeable from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, spots 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 generating issues such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting correctly. If a fireplace ignites 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 automatically verified as unsafe. If a fan stops functioning, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.
In these examples, the total fireplace system should be removed, along with the surrounding façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates a window, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already considered.
Many seize the moment to transition 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 warmth, this design has old-fashioned aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the cost of a replacement insert.
The façade around the fireplace can be totally redesigned, 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 possible 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 installation wasn’t done right initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.