Fireplace Services
Fireplace insert installation details for Alderene Park homes
Repairs are found and priced before the insert goes in, never after.
The EPA 2020 limits and the label
Federal rules for residential wood heaters cover fireplace inserts. EPA's Step 2 emission limits apply to every heater made or sold at retail from May 15, 2020, which must also carry a permanent label, and EPA keeps a public database of heaters that meet them.
When you are choosing a new insert, we point you to the label and the database. A unit that meets the current limits is built to burn cleaner, which also helps keep the glass and the liner cleaner between services. Ask the seller for the label details before you buy, and we confirm them at the inspection.
A tag that records the change
One insert manual asks for a metal tag on the back wall of the fireplace whenever the fireplace has been modified to accept the insert. The tag tells a future owner or inspector that the fireplace is no longer in its original condition.
When our work changes the fireplace, we fit the tag the manual describes and describe the change in the written record of the job. Removing the insert years later is then easier for whoever does it. The tag is small and sits out of view once the insert is in place.
How the blower switches on
Many insert blowers are controlled by a thermostat that starts the fan once the insert is warm and stops it as the fire dies down. The manual we follow adds a manual override for owners who prefer to run the fan themselves.
At handover we show you both settings and explain the fan noise you should expect. A blower that runs as designed moves more of the insert's warmth into the room. The blower's controls are listed in the written record of the installation along with the model.
What to use when lighting the insert
One insert manual says gasoline and other flammable liquids must never be used to start or freshen a fire. Small dry kindling and newspaper do the job without the risk.
We light the first fire with you, using the method your model's manual describes. You see how the air settings change as the fire catches and how to keep it burning cleanly from the start. The same match-and-kindling method works for every fire after the first.
