Fireplace Repair
A fireplace repair needs to be corrected as soon as the repair is known. This is not a put on the backburner honey do wait until it is bad to fix type of repair. Masters Services, over 26 years, has been doing every type of fireplace repair to keep your fireplace and chimney working correctly.
Our purpose of this page is to let homeowners know what to be aware of when looking into the fireplace. The awareness of what to look for in the fireplace can help you save in future repairs or a bad situation causing a fire escaping the fireplace.
Fireplace repairs are discovered during chimney inspections. The National Fireplace Protection Agency sets the standards for how a chimney is constructed. Their book is the NFPA 211 that give the clearances, codes, and standards to build and or maintain a fireplace and chimney. It is the chimney book of reference for all fireplace repairs.
Fireplace Repair
Common Fireplace Repairs
Tuck pointing is a fireplace repair that fixes the cracking that occurs over time to the mortar joints and bricks. The cracks are all drilled out to about a half an inch and then filled with mortar. After the mortar has set up for a few minutes we will strike off the excess mortar. A good tuck point will look like it was never done especially if you opt-in for Masters Services to paint the firebox after the repair.
The firewalls are there to absorb the heat blast from the burning fire. The life expectancy of the firewalls is determined by how often the fireplace is used, how big the fires are burning, and how long the fire is burning at a time. The fire walls need to be maintained crack free and solid. Once the fire brick starts to separate loose then a new fire wall or full firebox needs to be rebuilt.
The firebox rebuild is a common fireplace repair that is often overlooked to only doing a tuckpoint. This is dangerous because often the mortar behind the firebox is deteriorated and many chimney professionals do not have the skills to do the masonry of a new firebox replacement. Here at Masters Services Chimney, we have the skilled manpower to do anything masonry, anything! Our fireplace inspection will determine if the tuck pointing or the rebuild will be necessary.
The lintel is one of the most dangerous repairs spots in the fireplace. This is at the fireplace opening in the front where the metal bar hovers over the opening bricks. There is a space behind the decorative fireplace room exterior that goes up into the wall and attic. Heat and poisonous gases goes up the slender space causing a dangerous situation. To repair the lintel we will pack the space with a noncombustible material and then smooth a inch or more of mortar to complete the repair.
The lining of a brick chimney flue needs to be crack free and a certain thickness of mortar the contain the hazardous gases, heat, and smoke. When the chimney liner deteriorates from moisture a chimney resurfacing product is placed on the chimney flue walls. Fireplace repairs are caused by moisture penetrating the chimney and fireplace. Maintaining the proper fireplace venting is one of the main jobs chimney professionals keep in good performing condition. Chimney caps are the best product to stop moisture from pouring into the chimney.
Masters Services will perform a Level 2 chimney inspection. Here is a list of what is on the inspection report we look for when inspecting your fireplace and chimney:
- proper clearance to anything combustible
- proper fireplace and chimney construction
- proper chimney liner
- smoke chamber lined (parged)
- damper works easily
- chimney cap that stops moisture
- lintel is sealed
- firebox crack free and solid
- chimney is waterproofed
- gas shut off is 100%
- proper venting flow
- and more
Your fireplace is our passion to perform correctly every time you use it as well as if the fireplace ever has a chimney fire it’s contained to do the least amount of damage as possible. Chimney fires will happen due to time of usage after the last inspection so maintaining a good relationship with us, your chimney professional will be key in not having fireplace repair issues.
We are available to perform an inspection typically within the week of calling to schedule. We try to staff our best to be able to service all our clients within a one week timeframe.
