Your smoke chamber, repaired and parged smooth in New Malibu
A smoother passage from firebox to flue, repaired in New Malibu by a family-owned team that stands behind its work.
- Licensed & insured
- Locally run
- Family owned and operated
- Same-day service available
Chamber findings that shape your New Malibu quote
What our chamber specialists in New Malibu write down before any quote goes out.
- Wall slope checked against the code limits
- Loose, cracked or missing chamber brick
- Chamber cleaning before any coating
- Rebuild sections priced apart from parging
Before your smoke chamber is repaired in New Malibu
What our specialists in New Malibu check each time the damper opens.
The lintel over the opening and the chamber above
Masonry over a fireplace opening is carried by a lintel of noncombustible material under section R1001.7. The front wall of the smoke chamber sits above that lintel, so a lintel that has sagged or rusted can crack the masonry over it.
During a chamber inspection, we look at the lintel line from inside the firebox and at the fireplace face. Cracks that step up from the corners of the opening, or a lintel with visible rust scale, get noted in writing. Any lintel repair is scoped and priced on its own line.
The first day of air curing
After the coat is finished, the maker's directions call for the repair to stand for 24 hours with natural air flow, with the damper removed or left open so warm room air can enter the chamber.
We tell you exactly when that period starts and ends. The fireplace stays unused during it, and the damper stays open. Those steps go on your invoice in writing, so everyone in the household has the same instructions.
Fine surface cracks after curing
Depending on the application and curing conditions, small surface cracks or crazing may appear on a chamber coat after it cures or after use. The maker's data sheet describes these as of no functional concern.
We mention this before the job so it is not a surprise. At the next inspection, we look at the surface again. Crazing is one thing, and a crack that opens, lifts or drops material is another. The second kind is covered by our workmanship warranty.
Damper replacement as its own line
Chamber repair and damper replacement are often done on the same visit, but they are different jobs. A replacement throat damper, or a sealing damper mounted on the chimney top, gets its own description and price.
Keeping them apart lets you see what each part costs and decide in your own order. If the damper must come out to give access to the chamber, the estimate says so and explains how it will be reinstalled or replaced.
White deposits on chamber brick
White powder on chamber brick is usually efflorescence, dissolved minerals that water carries out of the brick and drops at the surface as it evaporates. It is a moisture sign more than a damage sign.
We brush it off and look for the water path behind it. Coating over wet or mineral-crusted brick can weaken the bond, so the surface is cleaned and allowed to dry before any parging. The moisture source appears in the findings.
Other work in New Malibu
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Quick chamber facts for New Malibu fireplaces
Missing your question? Our New Malibu crew will answer it by phone.
Will my room get dirty during a chamber repair?
Chamber work stirs up soot and mortar dust, so we cover the floor to the hearth, mask the fireplace face and seal the opening around our work. We clean up at the end of every day we are there.
Are small cracks in a new chamber coat a problem?
Fine surface crazing can appear after a parged chamber cures or sees its first fires, and one maker describes it as having no functional concern. We look at the coat again at your next inspection, and any real defect in our work is covered.
Request your free estimate
Share the job details and arrange a free inspection with our local team.
- Free inspection
- No hidden fees
- Family owned and operated
Need an answer now? Call (352) 675-6376
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