Our Services

Planning the firebox, the chimney and the finish

Firebox, chimney and finish, planned as one project by our specialists in Geigers Landing.

Protecting the fireplace during the build

A fireplace that gets wet before it is finished can carry the damage for years. One maker asks for the unit to be kept dry during construction and notes that wet insulation leaves a lasting odor. Water in the chase or on the firebox during the build can also stain finished drywall and ceilings below.

Until the roof and the chase are closed, the fireplace stays under cover, and the chimney opening is covered at the end of every work day. The site is swept and the debris hauled away before we leave.

Facing materials on a factory-built fireplace

The face around a factory-built fireplace is part of its listing. One maker allows only noncombustible tile, brick or stone on the face and warns against covering the cooling slots.

Before the finish is chosen, you and your tile setter get the face limits from the manual. A face that respects the slots and the materials list keeps the fireplace inside its listing. If your design calls for a material the manual does not list, we check with the maker before it goes on, and we record the answer.

Installing the outside air kit at the start

One maker says its outside air kit should be installed with the fireplace, because adding it later takes significant reconstruction. The same maker says the air must never come from a garage, an attic, a basement or above a roof where other appliances exhaust.

We include the outside air kit in the first estimate whenever the code or the manual calls for it. It costs far less to fit while the wall is open than to add after the finish is done. At handover we show you where the outside air control sits on the unit, if your model has one, and how to use it.

Doors, vents and the draft

One maker warns that placing a fireplace near a door that opens often, or near a heating or cooling outlet or return, can cause smoke spillage from the opening. Moving air in the room competes with the draft.

The room's doors and vents are noted during the inspection, and we suggest a placement away from them. When the ideal spot is next to a busy door, we explain the tradeoff before the wall is opened. A ceiling fan or a supply vent can often be adjusted, while a doorway cannot, so we weigh each one before the location is final.