Our Process
The details behind fixing your Longwood fireplace
Refractory mortar for firebox joint repair
Ordinary masonry mortar is made for walls, and the inside of a firebox is a different place. The code names medium-duty refractory mortar conforming to ASTM C199 for laying firebrick (R1001.5), and the same kind of mortar for parging the smoke chamber (R1001.8). A patch in general-purpose mortar or caulk may not hold up once the fireplace is used again.
When our specialists relay or replace firebrick, the old mortar is cleared out, the bricks are set in refractory mortar and the joints are kept thin. The product and its curing instructions go on your written record, so you know when your Longwood fireplace can be lit again.
Electric fireplace repair and the power supply
Electric fireplaces burn nothing, so their faults are electrical: a heater that stops, a flame effect that flickers out, a cord or plug that runs warm. Opening a live unit to look inside is unsafe. Stop using an electric fireplace that smells hot or shows damage, and leave it unplugged or switched off until it is checked.
Our electric fireplace repair service works from the model's manual. A new circuit or outlet is electrician work, and we tell you when that applies. Sharing the brand and model when you book helps us prepare for the visit to your Longwood home.
Scorched trim or a hot mantel above the fireplace
Darkened paint, blistered finish or wood that feels hot above the fireplace is a warning. It can mean trim sits closer than the code allows for combustible material around the opening, smoke is rolling out of the top of the opening or fires are being built bigger than the fireplace was made for.
We measure the trim and mantel against the Florida Building Code limits, check how the fireplace draws and look at the firebox for heat damage. The fix might be moving the trim, a repair inside the fireplace or both. Until then, the NFPA advice to keep anything that can burn at least three feet from a fireplace applies in your Longwood home.
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 Longwood home.
