Fireplace Repair

Inside a fireplace repair in Geigers Landing

Keeping wood framing clear of a masonry fireplace

Inside the wall, wood framing is kept back from the masonry. Section R1001.11 calls for an air gap around a masonry fireplace, 2 inches at its front and sides and 4 inches behind it, and that space is not to be filled, apart from the fireblocking the code requires.

Most of that space is hidden, so we look for the signs we can reach: framing visible through an access opening, insulation packed against brick or a finish added tight to the masonry. If something in your Geigers Landing home needs opening up to check, we tell you why, and who will restore the finish, before any work starts.

A clear space in front of a repaired fireplace

The NFPA suggests a three-foot kid-free zone around open fires and a sturdy screen to keep sparks in the fireplace. Rugs, furniture and seasonal decorations tend to creep toward the hearth, and a freshly repaired fireplace deserves a clear space in front of it.

At the end of every job our specialists walk you through the finished fireplace, show you how the damper and doors work and point out anything in the room that sits too close. It takes a few minutes, and it is part of the service whatever the size of the repair in your Geigers Landing home.

Ash cleanout and fireplace repair

Ash handling is part of using a wood fireplace safely. NFPA guidance says to let ashes cool, then put them in a metal container stored a safe distance from the house, and EPA wood-burning advice is to keep that covered metal container outdoors on a surface that will not burn.

Before we repair a firebox, the old ash is cleaned out and hauled away with the rest of the debris. If an ash dump door or cleanout cover is rusted or missing, we note it and quote the repair separately. When the Geigers Landing job is finished, the firebox is left clean and ready for its first fire once the materials have cured.

Carbon monoxide alarms near a repaired fireplace

Burning fuel produces carbon monoxide, which is why the NFPA advises venting all fuel-burning equipment outside and installing and maintaining carbon monoxide alarms. Fireplace manuals describe the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning as flu-like, with headaches, dizziness or nausea, and tell you to get fresh air at once.

If an alarm sounds or anyone feels those symptoms while the fireplace is burning, get everyone outside and call 911 from outside. Once the home is safe, our specialists inspect the fireplace and the path the smoke takes out of your Geigers Landing home, and the fireplace stays unused until the cause is found.