Fireplace Services
Fireplace installation from footing to first fire
Every trade's share is named in the estimate, so nothing is left to guesswork.
Hearth extension rules for factory-built units
A factory-built fireplace uses the hearth extension its listing calls for, and the Florida Building Code asks for that extension to be readily distinguishable from the surrounding floor. Listed hearth extensions are tested to UL 1618.
We plan the hearth with the flooring so the extension is the right size and material and clearly marked off from the floor. One maker also uses metal hearth strips at the front of the unit, which we fit as the manual shows. If new flooring is planned, we set the extension height with your flooring installer so the two meet cleanly.
Doors and accessories listed for the fireplace
Gasketed doors are allowed on a factory-built fireplace only when listed for it, the Florida Building Code says, and listed accessories must be installed to their listing. One maker also warns that accessories it has not tested may void its warranty or create a hazard.
We fit doors, screens and grates that the fireplace maker lists for your model. You get the look you want without stepping outside the listing that makes the fireplace safe to use. A door set from another maker may look right and still sit outside the listing, so we check part numbers against the maker's accessory list.
Where outside air may come from
The Florida Building Code calls for exterior combustion air for a wood-burning fireplace unless the room is mechanically ventilated to neutral or positive pressure. The intake must draw from outdoors or a ventilated crawl space or attic, never a garage or basement, behind a corrosion-resistant screen.
We locate the intake with those rules in mind and use the duct the fireplace lists. The intake location appears on the plan, so nobody later covers it with a patio or a planter. The duct run is kept as short and direct as the manual allows, which also makes the outside hood easy to find and keep clear.
Fireblocking around the fireplace
The Florida Building Code calls for fireblocking around a masonry fireplace, following its general fireblocking section. Fireblocking closes the concealed spaces around the fireplace so a fire cannot travel through them.
We install the fireblocking with the framing and point it out before the walls are closed. It is a small part of the job that the inspector will want to see. Only the fireblocking the code calls for goes into the airspace, and the rest of that gap stays open as the code requires.
