Contact a Chimney Sweep for Fireplace Recommendations
Choosing the right fireplace is more complicated than many homeowners realize, involving considerations of size and materials along with style and function. The efficiency and durability of the fireplace is at stake, so it is best to consult a chimney sweep. These professionally trained and certified individuals know more about fireplaces and codes than any homeowner possibly could.
To decide on a fireplace without seeking the advice of a chimney sweep is like choosing a medication without consulting your doctor. Your safety and health are ultimately at risk, so make the call and schedule a chimney sweep to come take a look at your house. The recommendations he can give you will prove time saving, cost effective, and invaluable in terms of air quality and overall performance.
A chimney sweep will correctly determine the size that your fireplace opening needs to be in order to maximize its efficiency. Improper sizing results in poor drafting, leaving smoke in the room and causing hazardous gases to remain in the chimney. Removing those gases from the home is the primary function of the chimney and cannot be properly achieved if the fireplace opening is the wrong size.
Your chimney sweep will also discuss the benefits of a fireback, or metal plate at the back of the fireplace, which radiates heat back into the room. Its energy efficiency makes it an almost invaluable part of a well functioning fireplace and yet they are rarely included by builders. Glass doors not only increase the heat generated by a fireplace but prevent sparks from flying into the room.
Blowers will also be discussed, an efficient way to move heat back into the room and excellent in combination with glass doors. In addition, a professional chimney sweep will inform a homeowner’s decision with available firebrick choices. With its resistance to penetration by water of primary concern, the harder the brick, the better its ability to withstand moisture.