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Building in a new fireplace, stage by stage
Same-day visits in Heathrow are possible when the calendar allows, and the plan is explained in the room.
The chimney that belongs to the fireplace
Factory-built chimneys for wood-burning fireplaces are Type HT chimneys tested to UL 103, and the code requires the listing, the label, the installation and the termination to follow the maker's instructions. The chimney is part of the fireplace system, never an accessory chosen separately. A chimney listed for a different fireplace, or a lighter vent pipe made for other appliances, does not belong on a wood-burning unit even when the diameter matches.
We install the chimney the fireplace manual names, section by section. We note the chimney model and every part in the estimate and again in the record you keep, so nobody later guesses what went up the chase.
One system, one maker's parts
Fireplace and chimney makers are clear about mixing parts. One fireplace maker allows only its own chimney system and the components shown in its manual, and one chimney maker forbids mixing its parts with other products or improvised pieces.
We order the chimney, the firestops, the attic shield and the termination as one listed set. When a part is missing on installation day, we wait for the right one instead of substituting something that looks close. Mixed parts can also leave you without a clear answer from either maker when something needs service years from now.
Firebox walls and depth
The Florida Building Code sets the firebox walls of a masonry fireplace at least 8 inches thick including a 2-inch firebrick lining, or 10 inches without a lining. It also sets a minimum firebox depth of 20 inches.
We build the firebox to those minimums with firebrick and refractory mortar and check the depth before the throat is formed. The firebox is the part that takes the heat, so it is built without shortcuts. Firebrick is laid with thin joints of refractory mortar so the lining stands up to repeated heating and cooling.
What the new fireplace burns
A wood-burning fireplace is built for solid wood fuel. One maker forbids gasoline, kerosene and lighter fluid and warns against chimney cleaners and flame colorants, and one chimney maker adds driftwood, plastic and chemically treated wood to the list.
The fuel rules are covered at handover. Clean, dry firewood and a proper starter are all the fireplace needs. Wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and scrap lumber are the usual temptations, and all three stay out of the firebox. We also explain how to lay a fire so it catches without help from a liquid.
