Fireplace

Fireplace restoration in Chuluota, part by part

Refractory mortar for a restored firebox

Firebox joints are laid in refractory mortar, and the code names medium-duty refractory mortar that meets ASTM C199 for the job. Many old fireboxes have been patched over the years with ordinary mortar, caulk or cement, which may not stand up to the heat of a fire.

During restoration those patches come out and the joints are rebuilt in refractory mortar, kept thin and tight. The product and its curing instructions are written on your record, so you know exactly when the restored fireplace in Chuluota is ready for its first fire.

Hearth extension size in a fireplace restoration

The hearth extension in front of the opening has minimum dimensions for good reason. Under R1001.10, a smaller opening needs 16 inches of extension out front and 8 to each side, and an opening of 6 square feet or more needs 20 and 12.

Some old fireplaces were built with a short extension, and some lost part of it to a flooring job. We measure yours and tell you where it stands. If your Chuluota fireplace is to be used again, extending the hearth is part of the restoration plan, finished to suit the original.

Testing a cleaning method on old fireplace brick

Brick Industry Association guidance on cleaning brickwork starts with a trial on an inconspicuous area, done under conditions close to the real job. Once the result is approved, that test area becomes the standard the rest of the face is cleaned to.

We follow the same order on your Chuluota fireplace. We clean a small hidden patch first and let you see it once it has dried before the rest of the face is treated the same way. It is the simplest way to find out what the old brick will and will not tolerate before it is too late to change course.

Water pressure and old fireplace brick

Water does much of the work in cleaning brick, but pressure has limits. BIA guidance describes pre-wetting at very low pressure, under 100 psi, and rinsing at low pressure of 100 to 400 psi, and it notes that excessive pressure can damage brick surfaces.

Indoors, a fireplace face is rinsed with even more care, because the water has to be controlled around floors, walls and furniture. Our crew protects the room, keeps the pressure low and works in small sections, so your Chuluota home stays dry while the brick gets clean.