Total Chimney Care's Blog

Why hire a professional for your fireplace installation?

Countless homeowners love a good DIY project: It can be a fun and rewarding challenge to improve the look, feel and value of your home. If there is one project you shouldn’t try to do yourself, however, it is a fireplace installation. So why should you hire a certified professional to install your fireplace?

A professional will make sure your chimney fits your fireplace.

If you are installing a new fireplace or heating stove unit into an existing fireplace space, it might seem like an easy job to hook your new heating appliance into the chimney. But not all chimneys and fireplaces are a perfect match. Chimneys need to be properly sized to the fireplace, fireplace insert or heating stove to draft and vent properly, or you risk filling your home with smoke or carbon dioxide when you light your unit. Also, some types of chimney liners are not made for certain types of heating fuel. That means if your chimney was built for a wood-burning fireplace or stove, you absolutely should consult with a professional before hooking in a gas fireplace or insert.

A professional will follow all building codes to make sure your fireplace will burn safely.

There are countless building codes that apply to fireplaces and chimneys. The fireboxes and chimney liners require proper clearance of surrounding wall supports and home materials to avoid fire risks. A heavy masonry fireplace or metal fireplace insert might require additional foundation support. A certified fireplace professional has been trained in building codes that apply to fireplaces. That means having your fireplace installed by a professional means that your fireplace will be installed following all building codes and manufacturer’s recommendations so that your fires will burn and exhaust safely.

A professional will ensure that all necessary infrastructure is in place for installation.

For all but open-hearth wood-burning fireplaces, there is additional infrastructure that goes into installing fireplaces, fireplace inserts and heating stoves. A gas fireplace, insert or fireplace fitting with gas logs will need a properly run gas line. Electric fireplaces and even wood-burning, pellet and gas inserts and stoves require electrical hookups to power pilot lights, fans, blowers and augers. A professional fireplace installer will make sure that you have all of the electrical and gas hookups you need to have your fireplace installed properly.

If you are ready to upgrade your home with a fireplace, don’t do it yourself; call the professional fireplace installers at Total Chimney Care! We can help you design your hearth, pick the perfect fireplace for your home-heating needs and install your fireplace the right way. At Total Chimney Care, we install fireplace in newly constructed homes and existing homes. We install gas, wood-burning and pellet fireplaces, heating stoves and fireplace inserts, as well as gas logs and outdoor fireplaces. Whatever your fireplace installation needs, you can be confident that the professionals from Total Chimney Care will install your new fireplace the right way.

Why hire a professional for your fireplace installation?

Countless homeowners love a good DIY project. It can be a fun and rewarding challenge to improve the look, feel and value of your home. If there is one project you shouldn’t try to do yourself, however, it is a fireplace installation. So why should you hire a certified professional to install your fireplace?

A professional will make sure your chimney fits your fireplace.

If you are installing a new fireplace or heating stove unit into an existing fireplace space, it might seem like an easy job to hook your new heating appliance into the chimney. But not all chimneys and fireplaces are a perfect match. Chimneys need to be properly sized to the fireplace, fireplace insert or heating stove to draft and vent properly, or you risk filling your home with smoke or carbon dioxide when you light your unit. Also, some types of chimney liners are not made for certain types of heating fuel. That means if your chimney was built for a wood-burning fireplace or stove, you absolutely should consult with a professional before hooking in a gas fireplace or insert.

A professional will follow all building codes to make sure your fireplace will burn safely.

There are countless building codes that apply to fireplaces and chimneys. The fireboxes and chimney liners require proper clearance of surrounding wall supports and home materials to avoid fire risks. A heavy masonry fireplace or metal fireplace insert might require additional foundational support. A certified fireplace professional has been trained in building codes that apply to fireplaces. Having your fireplace installed by a professional means that your fireplace will be installed following all building codes and manufacturer’s recommendations so that your fires will burn and exhaust safely.

A professional will ensure that all necessary infrastructure is in place for installation.

For all but open-hearth wood-burning fireplaces, there is additional infrastructure that goes into installing fireplaces, fireplace inserts and heating stoves. A gas fireplace, insert or fireplace fitting with gas logs will need a properly run gas line. Electric fireplaces and even wood-burning, pellet and gas inserts and stoves require electrical hookups to power pilot lights, fans, blowers and augers. A professional fireplace installer will make sure you have electrical and gas hookups to install a fireplace properly.

If you are ready to upgrade your home with a fireplace, don’t do it yourself; call the professional fireplace installers at Total Chimney Care! We can help you design your hearth, pick the perfect fireplace for your home-heating needs. At Total Chimney Care, we install fireplace in newly constructed homes and existing homes. We install gas, wood-burning and pellet fireplaces, heating stoves and fireplace inserts, as well as gas logs and outdoor fireplaces. Whatever your fireplace installation needs, you can be confident that the professionals from Total Chimney Care will install your new fireplace the right way.

Be sure your chimney is ready for winter

As the summer rush slows down, it’s time to start thinking about fall maintenance. Of course, fall maintenance means preparing your chimney for its first fire. There are several steps you should take to be sure that your chimney is ready for winter.

Schedule your annual sweeping and inspection.

If your home has a chimney, the number one priority on your fall maintenance list should be having your chimney swept and inspected in preparation for winter. According to the National Fire Protection Association’s code, all fire-burning appliances and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected annually to help reduce the risk of a home fire. Each winter, your chimney develops a coating of creosote with every fire you burn. Creosote is highly flammable and, if left unchecked, it can ignite from the heat of your fireplace. Your annual chimney sweeping removes that creosote to reduce your fire risk.

Plan any repairs.

An important part of your annual chimney sweeping is the inspection, which looks for any damage or deficiencies in your chimney or fireplace that could compromise their function or make them unsafe for use. If your chimney inspection turns up the need for any repairs, or if you have noticed cracks or problems with your chimney, make sure you schedule your repairs now! Leaving repairs unattended throughout the winter could put your home at risk for a fire, or the damage could worsen over the course of the winter, leading to more extensive and more costly repairs next year.

Talk to your sweep about potential upgrades.

Did last winter have you considering upgrades to your fireplace? Were you thinking about a new fireplace insert to upgrade your hearth or new fireplace doors to enhance the look of your fireplace? As you prepare your fireplace and chimney for winter, be sure to talk to your chimney sweep about any upgrades you may have been considering. It’s best to have your chimney upgraded at the beginning of the fire-burning season so you can enjoy fireplace improvements all winter long.

Make sure your chimney is protected.

Winter is hard on your chimney. Snow, sleet, ice and freezing temperatures can cause damage to and lead to the breakdown of your chimney. As you prepare your chimney for the winter, you should make sure that your chimney is protected from water damage. The most important element in keeping your chimney safe from water damage is your chimney cap. Make sure that your chimney cap is firmly in place and free from damage. Your chimney crown also should be inspected from cracks or damage that could expose your chimney to water penetration. You also may consider a waterproofing treatment to prevent your chimney’s masonry from absorbing damaging moisture.

If you are preparing your chimney for the winter, call Total Chimney Care to schedule an appointment today! We can sweep and inspect your chimney and help you plan any repairs or upgrades to your chimney. The sooner you call, the sooner we can have your chimney ready for the winter!