Fireplace Repair

Hearth repair done properly in Bertha

Our experts measure the hearth extension and check its support before any material is ordered.

Hearths on factory-built fireplaces

A metal factory-built fireplace follows its listing, and so does its hearth extension. The Florida residential code says the extension of an approved factory-built fireplace is installed as the fireplace's listing directs, and that listed hearth extension products meet their own safety standard. The listing may name a specific size, a material or a listed hearth product, and those details vary from one model to the next.

That makes the fireplace's manual the starting point. We read the label, find the manual and check the extension size and material it calls for before recommending a repair. A finish that suits a masonry hearth is not automatically right for a factory-built unit.

Cracked stone or slab hearths

A single stone slab often cracks right across when the support under it is uneven or something heavy lands on it. Whether the slab can be kept depends on whether both pieces are still fully supported and level with each other. Natural stone also varies from slab to slab, so a replacement piece may carry different veining or color from the original.

Where the slab is sound and supported, a filled and color-matched repair can close the crack. Where it has dropped, rocks or has lost support, we lift it, correct the base and either reset it or replace it. We explain which applies and how the finished repair will look before work starts.

Crumbling grout between hearth tiles

Grout holds tiles in line and keeps water and debris out of the bed underneath. When it cracks, powders or falls out, the tile edges start to chip and moisture from mopping or spills can reach the setting bed.

Where the tiles are still held firmly in their bed, the old grout can be raked out and replaced without lifting the tiles. Where tiles sound hollow as well, regrouting alone will not hold, and those tiles are reset first. We tap every tile before recommending a regrout, so the repair lasts as long as the new grout does. The new grout is matched to the old as closely as the product range allows, and any visible difference is explained before the work starts.

Checks made on a hearth inspection

A hearth inspection covers more than the crack you called about. On every visit our technicians look at the items below and note what they find.

You get the findings and a written price for each repair, with necessary work kept apart from optional changes. The measurements go into your written record for future reference.

  • Type of fireplace, masonry or factory-built
  • Surface finish and any loose, hollow or cracked pieces
  • Thickness of the extension and the height of the firebox floor
  • How far the extension reaches in front and to each side
  • Support under the hearth where it can be seen
  • Gaps at the fireplace face and the floor edge
  • Distance from flooring and trim to the opening
  • The join between the hearth and the firebox floor