Many homeowners see water in their fireplace after a huge rain storm. The winter freezes, expands bricks and causes openings for rain entering the chimney. The milder weather melts the ice locked in the masonry. The mortar has expanded and left a void for rain water to enter.
The brick and mortar is cleaned before sealing the chimney
Firstly, the chimney cap and the bricks with mortar are cleaned and scrapped for loose particles and debris. Any holes and openings found are patched with sealant designed for this exact purpose. Secondly, the entire structure is water sealed to prevent further decay after the holes and cracks are sealed.
The chimney will last for at least 10 years once sealed. However, the leaking started years ago and when left under served created the water in the fireplace.
Many happy customers tell us their problems were solved after we sealed and secured their chimney. Water in the fireplace will destroy gas log burners, dampers and interior flooring quickly.
Also, is the chimney cap leaking?
Some builders cut corners on the quality of chimney caps. For instance, the good ones are made from stainless steel and coated to prevent rust and leaks. Over time, the chimney cap not sealed can leak. Caps are blown off in a high wind because they were not secured properly. This will lead to instant leaks from a heavy rain storm.
Before installation of a wood stove hearth pad, here is why it is critical to properly size and lay down a hearth pad. This protects from embers and fire. Even with an enclosed fire cabinet, hot glowing embers will pop out of the stove when new wood is added or adjusted. For all of our wood burning stoves Clear Chimney installs, we provide these hearth pads as part of our service.
These embers will ignite carpet or wooded floors if not caught in time. Your family’s safety depends on keeping these embers off of combustible surfaces. Let’s explore the various wood stove hearth pad installations available.
Hearth pads come in many sizes and shapes for your room
Your chosen wood stove and chimney service company provides options for different types of pads. The code requires at least 18″ from every side of the opening be protected. If you are installing a wood stove on a wood floor, the pad will protect the floor. For carpeting, we suggest going farther out, just in case a wild ember pops. It is worth the extra money to protect a room of carpet. You have a significant investment in your wood stove. Don’t go cheap here.
What configurations are available in hearth pads?
Hearth pads come in many different sizes and shapes. The standard shape is square. Remember, one and 1/2 feet from the opening is required. The other sizes often have an edge cut off for looks. Corner units are often used as the stove is out of the way. The material is stone or slate or a concrete material. The outer rim is wood or metal. The bottom has a soft pad for protection. Therefore, before you order with us, consider the design aspect, too.
Flagstone and slate are the common materials used on hearth pads. The top is either a flat shine or a shine buffed to stand out more. The highest cost are Venetian inlay black patina hearth pads. These are beautiful and are the top of the cost of hearth pads.
What do wood stove hearth pads cost?
The cost depends on the size, shape and materials of the hearth pads. We provide many different looks for your wood stove. The bottom end of a pad installed starts around $500. Most of the pads we install are around $1800 out the door complete. We do install a few that run $2500 on the high end. With so many options, we will help you blend cost with functionality.
How do you tell if a firebrick repair is urgently needed? Here is what to look for when it is time to call a professional to replace the fire brick if needed. In the Knoxville TN area, firebrick is frequently inspected as part of our Platinum Chimney Sweep Service. There are several reasons why the fire brick condition is so critical to the health of your fireplace or wood burning stove. Let’s go through the issues.
First, the brick serves two purposes. It protects the outer housing from high temperatures. A wood burning stove can produce temperatures up to 600 degrees internally. In addition, without the brick, the heat and flames would do major damage to the metal, access doors and surfaces. The brick forms a barrier between the fire and the walls of the stove or wood structure in a fireplace.
Second, the fire brick also absorbs and radiates heat inside the stove or fireplace. This allows the heat to continue to radiate out into the space even as the burning wood starts to fade.
In addition, ask for a full inspection of your flue and chimney cap.
After a thorough cleaning, inspect the insides to see if a firebrick repair is required.
By inspecting the stove or fireplace annually, any damage to the firebrick will quickly be seen. A reliable, professional chimney sweep company inspects this brick very closely for damage.
Firebrick and other masonry repairs in a chimney are usually not a do it yourself project. This is special brick and is sourced from different reliable vendors. However, outside patio fire pits use firebrick also and chimneys as well. Pay attention to the type of brick needed for your home’s safety and protection. For instance, brick is expensive. Only buy quality fire brick. Use qualified professionals to install it. Therefore, necessarily hire a contractor based on low price. A fire is expensive. Fire from a chimney issue is often very substantial. Even if it is contained early your insurance cost will go up. Check out the 5 star reviews of chimney sweep companies near youfor reliable installers of firebrick.
Is firebrick special?
Firebrick is used in chimneys on decks and around pools. We inspect these bricks as part of the home inspection process for chimneys also. Outdoor bricks are exposed to the elements. Rain harms bricks. Similarly, snow harms bricks. Freezing rain harms bricks. In other words, the weather breaks down the bricks in addition to the fire.
In conclusion, the brick is special because it stands up to very high temperatures. It is a special type of brick. First, it gets pitted and degrades over time. The effectiveness of the brick is lowered in protection. Secondly, we check for excessive pitting and crumbling of the brick. This indicates it is time to replace the brick. Brick can not be fixed or made new. Finally, it must be replaced for safe operation.
