Factory-built fireplaces repaired with listed parts in Lake Como

Fuel that belongs in a factory-built fireplace

Manufacturers write their fuel rules plainly. One maker calls for solid wood only, preferably dry, well-seasoned hardwood, and warns against treated wood, charcoal, coal, trash, driftwood, plywood and other wood products made with binders.

The wrong fuel burns hotter or dirtier than the firebox was tested for, and the damage shows up as cracked panels and warped metal. When we repair a unit, we also go over what goes into it, so the new parts avoid the same fate.

• Dry, well-seasoned hardwood
• No treated wood or plywood
• No charcoal or coal
• No trash or driftwood

Mesh screens and screen rods

Many factory-built fireplaces carry a mesh screen hung on rods across the opening. In one maker's parts list, the screen rods and screens appear as numbered parts sized to each model.

Torn mesh, bent rods and missing rings let sparks through. We replace them with the listed parts for your model, which keeps the screen fitted to the opening it was made for.

• Torn or loose mesh
• Bent screen rods
• Missing rings
• A screen sized to the opening

The ember strip at the front edge

An ember protector ships with some factory-built fireplaces, as a galvanized sheet metal strip fitted between the hearth extension and the bottom front edge of the fireplace. One maker's manual says it protects against glowing embers falling through that joint.

When a hearth has been redone, that strip is sometimes lost. We check for it and fit the maker's part or the specified strip before the joint is closed again.

• Strip present under the front edge
• Maker's part or the specified sheet metal
• Joint closed once it is in place

Ash removal from a factory-built firebox

Shoveling ash out of a factory-built firebox takes a little care, since the floor under the ash is refractory and hard scraping can chip it. One maker's manual asks for ashes to go into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid, placed on a noncombustible floor or the ground away from combustibles until the cinders are cold.

Chipped floor panels near the front often trace back to ash removal. We replace damaged floor panels during a repair and suggest a gentler routine for the next season.