What's Included

Smoke chamber repair, done in order in Taintsville

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 Taintsville is free.

Keeping the passage wide enough

Under the code, no part of the path above the firebox, whether throat, damper or smoke chamber, may be smaller in cross section than the flue. That matters during a repair. Parging applied too thick, or a rebuild that leans the walls in too far, can pinch the passage. We keep the coat to the thickness its maker calls for and check the opening afterwards.

The finished passage is explained to you, with our 100% satisfaction guarantee behind it.

Trowel parging by hand

Where the chamber can be reached, parging is done by hand with a trowel, working the refractory mortar into every joint and over each corbel step until the wall is smooth. One maker offers a trowel-grade product for exactly that kind of accessible chamber. Hand work lets us feel for loose brick as we go.

It is careful work in a tight space, and our family-owned team takes the time it needs. The inspection in Taintsville is free.

The ledge behind the damper

At the base of the chamber, behind the damper, most masonry fireplaces have a flat or dished ledge called the smoke shelf. Anything dropping down the flue lands there, mortar crumbs and leaves included, and it holds rainwater when the top of the flue is open. Over time its mortar surface can crack and crumble.

We clear and check the shelf on every smoke chamber inspection in Taintsville, and the look is free.

Mortar bits landing in the firebox

Grit, flakes of parging or small bits of brick on the grate come from somewhere above it. The smoke chamber is a likely source, especially where its joints were never parged or its old coat is letting go. Keep the fireplace unused until we find it. Do not probe above the damper yourself, since loose pieces can drop.

Our local smoke chamber pros track down the source during a free inspection in Taintsville and quote the repair upfront.