Fireplace repair with a free inspection in Tangelo Park

Unvented gas logs and factory-built fireplaces

An unvented gas log set releases its combustion products into the room rather than up a chimney. The Florida Building Code keeps unvented gas log heaters out of factory-built fireplaces, except where that fireplace system was tested, listed and labeled to take one.

When unvented logs turn up in a factory-built unit, our technicians check the label and the manual for that permission. If it is not there, we explain the rule and do not service the logs in that fireplace. Gas log work and venting questions belong to our gas fireplace repair service, which picks up from there.

If the fireplace was built for wood and the logs came with the house, the written finding helps you choose between going back to wood and a listed gas option. Our crew in Tangelo Park writes that finding on the estimate.

Smoke drifting out of the opening

EPA wood-burning guidance says a properly installed, correctly used wood-burning appliance should make very little smoke, and that if you regularly see or smell smoke, you may have a problem. A fireplace that puffs smoke past the screen deserves a look.

If smoke starts filling the room, take everyone outside and dial 911 from there, without staying to fan the smoke or tend the fire.

Once the room is clear and the fireplace is cold, the causes are checked in order. The damper may not open fully, the passage above the firebox may be smaller than the flue, the wood may be wet, or a change to the opening, such as new doors or a narrowed opening, may have altered how air moves. Our technicians go through each one and write down which it is, with the repair that fixes it.

Fireplace accessories follow their listing

Glass doors, screens and grates are the add-ons most people mean by fireplace accessories. The Florida Building Code asks for listed and labeled accessories to be installed according to their listing and the maker's instructions. On a factory-built fireplace, the fireplace's own listing also decides which accessories may be added at all.

Trouble shows up when an accessory bought for one fireplace ends up in another, or when parts from different accessory kits are combined. A heat shield left out, a door bracket drilled in the wrong place or a screen that does not cover the opening can each undo what the listing expects. A grate bought for a larger firebox is one example.

Our technicians check accessories against their labels and instructions, refit them correctly and replace any that do not belong. Each accessory we checked is named in writing, along with what, if anything, changed.

Trash, painted wood and other things to keep out

EPA wood-burning guidance lists materials that release toxic or harmful chemicals when burned and may damage the appliance they are burned in. The list is worth keeping near the fireplace.

These often end up in a fireplace for convenience, after a move, a party or a clean-out of the garage. The damage they leave can show on the firebox, the damper and the door glass.

When our technicians find signs of trash or treated wood in the firebox, they point it out, because repairs hold up better when the fuel is right. Homeowners in Tangelo Park also get a short fuel note for their fireplace type on the written record.

• Household trash, cardboard, plastics and foam
• Coated, painted or pressure-treated wood
• Ocean driftwood, plywood, particle board or glued wood
• Wet, rotted, diseased or moldy wood