Prefab fireplace repair specialists for Whisper Lakes homes

What a maker needs to supply the right part

One maker's manual lists what to give when ordering a repair part, including the model number, the serial number, the part number, the description, the quantity and the installation date. Leave one out and the wrong part can arrive.

We gather that information during the free inspection and order through the maker's supply channel. The estimate names each part by its number, so you can see exactly what goes into your fireplace.

• Model number and serial number
• Part number and description
• Quantity needed
• Installation date of the fireplace

Pipe joints that have come apart

One maker's instructions tell installers to confirm each snap-lock joint by pulling upward on the chimney after locking it. A joint that separates later leaves a gap in the flue path.

Separated joints turn up in attics and chases after roof work, storms or careless storage. We check the joints we can reach, reseat or replace sections as the manual directs and note any stretch of chimney we could not see.

• Joints checked in the attic and chase
• Sections reseated or replaced
• Unseen stretches named on the estimate

Offsets and elbows in the chimney

Factory-built chimneys can jog sideways with elbows, within limits. Section R1005.7 keeps every piece of a factory-built chimney within 30 degrees of vertical and allows four elbows at most in the run.

One maker's manual adds its own rules for the length of angled pipe between supports and for the straps that carry the weight above an offset. When a chimney has been rerouted, we check it against both before any repair.

Grate retainers and firebox floors

Some factory-built fireplaces use grate retainers fastened near the back of the firebox floor to hold the grate in its intended position. One maker's instructions fix them with masonry screws and specify its own grate only.

A grate that slides forward sends burning logs toward the opening and the screen. We refit missing retainers and replace worn grates with the listed part for your model.

• Retainers fixed near the back of the floor
• The maker's grate for the model
• Grate held in its intended position