Local prefab fireplace repair for Lake Holden homes

Stained panels and cosmetic kits

White or light refractory panels darken with use. One maker sells refractory stain kits to give white panels a new look, which changes their color and nothing else.

If your panels are sound and only discolored, a cosmetic option may be all you want. If they are cracked or broken, color treatment hides the problem, and we recommend replacement before any cosmetic work.

• Sound but discolored panels, cosmetic options possible
• Cracked or broken panels, replacement first

Doors fully open or fully closed

Door habits matter on a prefab unit. One maker's manual says that while the fireplace is burning, glass doors must be fully opened or fully closed, because doors left partly open may draw flame out of the opening.

The same manual notes that a fireplace with glass doors has a limited air supply, and that too large a fire behind closed doors builds excessive heat. We go over those habits after any door repair so the new glass lasts.

Decorative tops on metal chimneys

Decorative shrouds dress up the top of a metal chimney. Sections R1004.3 and R1005.2 of the residential code permit a shroud at the top of a factory-built chimney only if it carries a listing and label for that exact system and goes on the way its maker instructs.

An unlisted shroud can trap heat and change how the chimney drafts. If your house has one, we check for its listing, and if there is none, we explain the options for replacing it with a listed top.

Accessories added to a prefab fireplace

A factory-built fireplace's manual limits which doors, screens, grates and inserts may be used with it, and the maker lists its own accessories by model. Add-ons from other sources need a close look against that manual.

Aftermarket fans, grate heaters and decorative panels come up often. We tell you which accessories fit your model and which ones to remove before the next fire.

• Doors approved for the model
• Screens and grates from the maker's list
• Inserts tested with the fireplace
• Add-ons to remove before the next fire