Is It Time for a Fireplace Changeout at Your Historic Home?
Historic homes in Georgia often have fireplaces that are both unsightly and dangerous. If you love your fireplace and want it to look beautiful again and operate safely, a historic fireplace changeout is the way to go.
Chimney Solutions of Alpharetta, GA, would like to share a little about when fireplace changeouts are needed and how the process works.
How old is your fireplace?
It’s not uncommon for fireplaces in historic homes to be more than 100 years old. This presents a variety of potential problems for the operation and safety of the fireplace and chimney.
Problems resulting from a damaged fireplace
When fire bricks and the surfaces of a firebox become damaged by years of intense heat, smoke, flames, gases, and combustion acids, big trouble is on the way. Cracks in a firebox can allow flames to contact adjacent home materials, potentially starting a house fire. Open spaces can also allow smoke and deadly carbon monoxide to enter the home.
Additionally, a fireplace with cracks and gaps may have trouble drafting, preventing smoke from rising into the chimney flue as it should. Cracks and gaps also make it harder to start fires and keep them going.
Historic chimney issues
Older chimneys were often built without protective liners. This means that all the heat, smoke, and acidic creosote in the flue will directly contact the vulnerable bricks of the chimney.
Today, all newly built chimneys are required by law to include a proper chimney liner made of stainless steel, clay tiles, or a poured-in-place compound. If your historic chimney has no liner, you need to have one installed.
The fireplace changeout process
You can repair a damaged historic fireplace, but when the damage is ongoing and extensive, a fireplace changeout is usually the best option.
A changeout doesn’t involve rebuilding the fireplace and losing all its original historic charm. Instead, it involves adding a fireplace insert to the firebox. This solves – and prevents – a variety of problems.
Fireplace inserts are like fireplaces in a box. They can run on either gas or wood fuel and are sized to fit most firebox dimensions. Inserts draft through their own vent pipes, so you won’t need to do any chimney building or modification.
Because fireplace inserts are separate units, you’ll still enjoy the original beauty of your historic fireplace. Here are some other insert benefits:
- EPA-certified for reduced emissions
- Up to four times more heat than with a standard masonry fireplace
- Powerful insulation for safer operation
- Closed-combustion system dramatically reduces downdrafts and general draftiness
- Many styles, sizes, designs, and finishes to choose from to bring elegance to your home
Look into a fireplace changeout at your historic home
If you’re spending too much on fireplace repairs for an old fireplace, consider a fireplace changeout with a powerful new fireplace insert.
Chimney Solutions specializes in fireplace repair and installations throughout the Atlanta, GA area. Let us take a look at your historic fireplace and tell you more about the numerous benefits of a gorgeous new fireplace insert.
You can get in touch with an experienced technician by phone or through our simple contact form.
