Glass Fireplace Doors

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Custom glass fireplace doors protect your family and home and help prevent heat loss. Here is a recent before and after of glass fireplace doors we installed.

glass doors-before-after

Cracks in a firebox

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We get calls frequently about cracks in a firebox.  Cracks depending on where they are and what type of cracking can be potentially hazardous situations or insignificant.  There are about 3 different construction types of fireplaces employed in the last 70-80 years. A virtual assessment can often determine the severity of the situation and type of construction. 

Cracks in a fireboxThis picture shows a fireplace built probably prior to 1980 or so, where there were cracks inside the firebox top front opening. One can see staining where heat was traveling toward the wood combustibles.  Someone removed the lintel and bricks of the the façade (incidentally a terrible idea as someone was looking to remodel).  So, some cracks are potentially dangerous, while others not so much.  But a virtual assessment can often determine the necessity for an in person inspection.

Chimney reline to address cracks and hazards in the flue

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Cracks-and-voids-in-a-flueThere are several methods available.  The method we use has several advantages.  It is less expensive than a metal liner and the spray on solutions some companies use.   It is very strong and durable and cannot be brushed out with steel wire brushes.

Another advantage is that the HeatShield® system does not significantly decrease draft like a steel liner does.  A decrease in draft might cause the combustion gases to spill into the house.  HeatShield® is a specially formulated “Cerfractory®” sealant material that restores the integrity of your chimney’s flue to vent hazardous flue gases from your home. It eliminates the dangers in your chimney caused by gaps, cracks, and spalling for years to come. By using either the Repair System or the CeCure® Sleeve Relining System (depending on the defects found) your chimney will be restored to its original peak level of safety and efficiency.

What a Home Buyer Needs to Know About Chimneys and Fireplaces

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The National Fire Safety Institute recommends that all chimneys and fireplaces be inspected when a property is sold.

Rachel Ray Home Chimney FireOne of the major causes of home fires in the winter are fireplaces and it is reported that there are about 15,000 house fires caused by fireplaces and chimneys in the U.S. every year.  In 2020 Rachael Ray, TV Host, had her large home burn down, reportedly due to gaps or cracks in the chimney.  This was despite getting the chimneys swept regularly.

Many people, including some chimney sweeps, think that just dropping a handheld mirror down the chimney will detect hazards.  In most cases it will not.  We have been to properties where a chimney sweep had been there before and said the property was safe, but there were major cracks and gaps in the flue which are a severe fire hazard. Read more

Old hazardous masonry chimney

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This is an example of an old, hazardous masonry chimney. This is a severe fire hazard if the fireplace is used to burn wood or gas fires.

old-hazardous-masonry-chimney

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