Summit Corners fireplace repair

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

Many things can transpire during erection of a Summit Corners residence – not all wanted.

A new Summit Corners home has many working elements. Some require very specific installations to function safely and according to plan. House builders, while proficient at many things, are hardly ever experts in the detailed installations of every mechanical component.

Enclosed fireplaces are often one. While desired for their comfy ambiance and effective space heating, improper installation of fireplace inserts can generate risks that threaten life and home: carbon monoxide leakage. Smoke backup. Live embers escaping onto outside surfaces.

Safety concerns with a fireplace insert are often discovered during a fireplace inspection and cleaning in Summit Corners. Periodically a fireplace repair is not feasible. If the fireplace is compromised, a total fireplace replacement is needed.

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

Safety concerns can be identified with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces. More regularly than not, the cause is incorrect installation. Typically a problem isn’t obvious from outside the fireplace – a closer check inside, by a trained eye, identifies 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 creating problems such as smoke backup, or exhaust not drafting properly. If a fireplace causes a house fire, insurance benefits could be denied if substitute aftermarket parts were involved.

Often, though, conditions merit a total fireplace replacement. A box with rust is immediately identified as unsafe. If a fan stops operating, replacement is not a choice. A degraded refractory panel must be replaced.

In these instances, the entire fireplace system should be removed, along with the nearby façade. It’s a multi-day undertaking for professionals such as Butler Chimneys. The work creates an opportunity, though, for a homeowner to make improvements they might have already considered.

Many seize the opportunity to convert from wood burning to gas. Though lacking the heat generation of wood, gas is far more user friendly (and less labor intensive) as fuel.

Others might choose an open wood-burning fireplace, rather than enclosed. While a net minus for heat, this design has traditional aesthetics that many find comforting. An open fireplace is far less expensive, too – usually one-third the price of a replacement insert.

The façade surrounding the fireplace can be completely redesigned, too. 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 Summit Corners homes for many reasons. Realistically, these benefits involve 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 something wasn’t done correctly initially, doesn’t mean you have to co-exist with its risks.