Fireplace Services

Inside a new fireplace installation

Confirm the installation inside 72 hours of the planning visit and save 10%.

Mantel limits on a factory-built fireplace

One maker sets a combustible mantel no lower than 12 inches above the fireplace opening and no deeper than 12 inches, and it limits how close projecting trim may come to the top of the opening. Trim is never placed over the black metal of the unit.

We check your mantel choice against the manual for the model you pick. If the mantel you love does not fit the limits, we tell you before it is ordered. A mantel set too low can also crowd the view of the fire, so staying inside the manual's limits usually suits the look as well.

The throat and the damper

Above the firebox, the throat narrows into the smoke chamber. Under the Florida Building Code, the throat sits no less than 8 inches above the fireplace opening, with a ferrous metal damper set above the opening and operable from the room.

We form the throat and set the damper to those rules, then check that the damper handle is easy to reach and moves freely. A damper that works well from the first fire is one less repair later. The smoke chamber above the damper is shaped and parged smooth, so smoke rises without catching on rough masonry.

Ahead of the first fire

A new fireplace should be used only after its installation is complete and its instructions are read. One maker asks for the damper to be open whenever the fireplace is in use and for the fireplace to be inspected and cleaned before use.

We walk through the first fire with you, including the damper, the screen and any doors. You keep the manual and the written record of the work together, and our workmanship warranty covers the installation. If the maker lists a break-in procedure for the first fires, we go through it with you step by step.

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.