Family-owned fireplace repair serving Oak Ridge

Finding the rating label without taking anything apart

The Florida Building Code requires a factory-built fireplace to be listed and labeled, and that label usually carries the maker, the model and the listing details our technicians need before ordering parts. Where it sits varies from one maker to the next, and the owner manual for your model may show the spot.

Look only where you can see without tools. Do not pull panels, unscrew trim or reach into a unit that was used recently. If the label is hard to find, a note of what you did see is plenty to start with.

Our crew reads the label on site and writes the model on your estimate, so every part we quote matches the fireplace it goes into.

• The maker's name on the label or the firebox
• A model or serial number
• The owner manual, if it came with the house
• Invoices from any earlier repair

Drafts from a fireplace sitting unused

Between fires, the fireplace is an opening in the house. If the damper is left open, has warped or no longer seats, cooled indoor air can slip up the chimney while outdoor air and odors come down. You may feel it as a draft at the hearth or notice the room around the fireplace is harder to keep comfortable.

The fix depends on the damper. A throat damper that no longer seals may be repaired or replaced. A top-sealing damper at the top of the flue is another option, quoted as its own job. Glass doors can help on a masonry fireplace, provided they suit that fireplace.

With the fireplace cold, our crew closes the damper, looks at how it seals and tells you which option fits. In Oak Ridge, the estimate compares the choices side by side, so you can weigh them without pressure.

Three feet of clear space around the fire

NFPA heating safety tips say to keep anything that can burn at least three feet from heating equipment, including the fireplace. The U.S. Fire Administration gives the same advice. That covers furniture, curtains, rugs, holiday decor, stacked firewood and the kindling basket.

Rooms change over time. A new sofa, a bigger rug or a decorated mantel can creep into that space without anyone noticing, and a fire that sat well clear last year may sit closer to things that burn this year. Garlands hung from the mantel for the holidays are one example.

During a fireplace service call in Oak Ridge, our technician points out anything inside that three-foot area and suggests where it could go instead. It is quick and costs nothing, and the note goes onto your written record with the rest of the visit.

Smoke alarms tested once a month

NFPA heating safety tips say to test smoke alarms at least once a month. The room with the fireplace, the hallway outside it and the bedrooms nearby are where a working alarm earns its keep.

Testing takes the press of a button. Replace batteries or whole alarms as the alarm maker directs, and resist taking an alarm down because it sounds when the fireplace is lit. An alarm that sounds during every fire may mean smoke is leaving the fireplace the wrong way. If smoke fills the room, get everyone out and call 911 from outside.

During visits to homes in Oak Ridge, our technicians note the nearest alarms and mention any that seem to be missing. Where alarms have reacted to past fires, the cause is traced at the fireplace and the repair is written up with it. The alarm note sits on the same written record, so nothing gets lost between the two.