Learning About Exterior Home Design

A fireplace is a lovely luxury in any room. It adds coziness in addition to warmth. What's more, the presence of your fireplace adds value to your home. That said, a fireplace needs regular maintenance. If your fireplace has fallen into disrepair, you may be facing a literal fire hazard. Below are some reasons you may need fireplace repair services.

1. Damage After a Chimney Fire

One of the most common issues with fireplaces is preventing or clearing the buildup of creosote. If creosote does build up, it can catch fire within your chimney. If the fire is minor enough, you may only need to have the remaining creosote cleaned up. A larger fire probably results in having the flue relined. However, major fires can result in needing to rebuild the entire chimney.

2. Restoration of an Old Fireplace

If you've bought an older house, you might have a decommissioned fireplace. One common issue is the same as after a chimney fire — a damaged flue. According to Old House Online, you may start with relining it. Additionally, the chimney itself will probably need re-mortaring. Finally, you'll want fireplace repair experts to look at components such as the damper and the chimney cap.

3. Corroded Metal Inside the Firebox

Modern fireplaces consist of more than stone boxes attached to a chimney. Fireboxes and other components of the fireplace use metal as a building material. Over time, especially when you're not using the fireplace regularly, the metal can become corroded. You may see signs of rust, either on the metal itself or flaking down onto the floor of the firebox.

4. Issues with the Damper

The damper is essentially a door for your chimney. Its job is to seal the fireplace off from the rest of the chimney when you're not using it. However, the damper can become caked in soot when not in use. It will therefore fail to open when you want to use your fireplace again. You may also have a cracked damper, which will keep smoke trapped inside the house.

5. Cracked Masonry

The exterior of your chimney is traditionally stone or brick. Such masonry is extraordinarily durable — it can even last up to a century. However, the mortar can start to crumble, and/or the bricks can start to crack. When that happens, you might have issues with ventilation. Moreover, a cracked or crumbling chimney is unsightly on top of your home.

Look into your local fireplace repair services to solve any of the above issues.