What's Included
Parging and shelf repairs for Heathrow fireplaces
Deposits on every ledge
Soot and creosote cling to the flat tops of corbel steps and to rough patches where parging has fallen away. A standard sweep may not reach all of it in a stepped chamber. We clean the chamber thoroughly first, then parge it smooth so there is far less for deposits to catch on in future. Heavy glazed buildup is priced as its own item.
Our family-owned team shows homeowners in Heathrow what was removed and what the parging will change.
How tall a smoke chamber can be
A simple proportion in the Florida Building Code governs masonry fireplaces. The inside height of the smoke chamber, measured upward from the throat to the bottom of the flue, may not be greater than the inside width of the fireplace opening. A repair keeps that geometry as built, so the chamber still does its job of funneling smoke to the flue.
We measure before we recommend any rebuild, and the numbers go into your written estimate. The inspection in Heathrow is free.
Sweeping before any parging
Parging will not bond to soot, loose deposits or crumbling mortar. Every chamber repair starts with a thorough cleaning of the chamber, the shelf and the damper area, followed by scraping away anything that is not sound. Only then can we see the real condition of the brick and plan the repair properly.
Cleaning needed for the repair is listed in your written price. Our local smoke chamber experts in Heathrow explain what it covers.
Sealing around the damper frame
The damper frame is set into the masonry at the base of the chamber, and the joint around it can open as the metal heats and cools. Smoke and heat can slip through that gap into the wall. We clean the joint and seal it with refractory mortar as part of the chamber repair, without locking the damper plate in place.
Our smoke chamber pros check the plate works freely before they leave your Heathrow home, and the inspection is free.
Chambers that lean toward an offset flue
The flue does not always sit directly above the middle of the fireplace. When it is off to one side, one chamber wall slopes more steeply than the other to reach it. Parging has to follow that uneven shape and stay within the slope the code allows, so the smoke is still led cleanly to the flue.
We measure and plan the parging around your chamber's real shape. Call (645) 465-4122 for a free smoke chamber inspection in Heathrow.
