Local smoke chamber repair for Pineloch fireplaces

What to keep out of the firebox

What you burn shows up in the chamber. The same coating's warranty conditions rule out burning driftwood, wood or pellets treated with preservatives, treated lumber, plastic and household trash in the repaired fireplace.

Those are sound habits for any masonry fireplace. Dry firewood and small, well-tended fires leave less residue on the chamber walls, and they keep the coat in good condition longer. We are glad to talk through fire-building habits at the walkthrough.

Mixing coatings away from interior finishes

Dry refractory products raise dust when they are poured and mixed. The directions we follow advise mixing outdoors to protect interior finishes, and using a drop cloth or tarp around the area.

We set up a mixing station outside or in a protected spot, carry the mixed material in covered buckets and clean tools outside when we are done. The mixing stays outside, and only the application happens in your living room.

How a smooth chamber can help draft

Smoke rising through an even, tapered chamber meets less resistance than smoke tumbling over ledges and into pockets. That is part of why parging is offered as a chamber repair that can help a fireplace draw.

Help is the right word. A chamber repair can improve the passage, but the damper, the flue size and height and the fireplace opening all play their part. We check those too and tell you what the chamber work is likely to change before you book it.

Other parts that affect how a fireplace draws

When a fireplace draws poorly, the chamber is one suspect among several. The size of the opening compared with the flue, a damper that does not open fully, a short or blocked flue and a cold chimney at start-up can all play a part.

We look at the whole passage during the free inspection instead of assuming the chamber is at fault. If another part is the main issue, we say so and scope that repair separately. The chamber gets work only when it needs it.

• Opening size compared with the flue
• Damper that does not open fully
• Flue height, blockage or liner damage

Fireplaces used only now and then

Occasional fires still heat and soot the chamber, and debris from the flue lands on the shelf whether or not the fireplace is in use. Light use slows wear, but it gives debris and moisture more time to sit undisturbed.

We size the repair to the condition we find. A lightly used chamber in good order may need only cleaning and a note in the findings, and we say so plainly when that is the case.