Fireplace Fitter Southsea Hampshire (PO4): Putting in a new fireplace or re-opening a disused fireplace in your Southsea property is a splendid way to add charm and a homely feel to any room. If you opt to combine your new fireplace with a back boiler, you can not only enjoy the ambience and warmth of an open fire on those chilly winters' evenings, you'll also be provided with lots of steaming hot water.
However before you begin smashing down the walls of a blocked up fireplace there are some important things to consider to achieve an efficient and safe fireplace. Any combustible appliance in the home must comply with Part J of the Building Regulations, and this covers chimney breasts, fireplaces, hearths and flue linings. Planning permission may also be necessary before work begins if your home is listed or in a conservation area.
DIY OR PROFESSIONAL FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?
You might be capable of doing some of the restoration work on a bricked-up fireplace if you've got the skills needed, however there is always a problem in finding safety and structural problems which need to be resolved professionally. If you are lucky when you open up a blocked up fireplace you may find a decent lintel, hearth and chimney breast that needs nothing other than the services and advice of a chimney sweep to get a toasty fire going. What is more commonplace however is a jumble of crumbling brickwork that conceals a stopped up flue, and also requires some degree of structural modification before it can be used safely.
It is normally better to draw on the experience and know-how of a professional fireplace installer in Southsea, due to the severe fire and health risks associated with an improperly installed or renovated fireplace. Making certain that sufficient oxygen is available in a room for the fire to burn safely is a key element of the Building Regulations for fireplaces. A fire which is burning inefficiently in a poorly ventilated area can lead to an accumulation of lethal carbon monoxide gas.
It may be necessary to fit airflow vents in walls and floors to enable the fire to get enough oxygen to burn safely and effectively at all times. Unused and blocked up chimney flues may also have to have air vents installed as they can often trap moist air within them and cause damp to occur inside the chimney breast.
BEFORE WORK STARTS
A large amount of soot and grime can be discharged from a blocked up chimney when reopening it for renovation. It is wise to remove any rugs, carpets and furniture from a room where you are going to expose an old fireplace, to prevent them from being damaged by soot, dust and dirt that might be stirred up during the fireplace installation works. If you're installing a fireplace as part of a larger restoration project then it ought to be one of the first things to be completed once you have taken the room back to bare floors and walls. By opening a fireplace first you will stop any chimney soot causing damage to other stages of your project, such as fresh plasterwork or wallpapered walls.
CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL WORK
With your fireplace revealed, it's time to see what needs to be restored and to give the hearth and chimney a good clean. The very first item on your agenda will be to call in a professional chimney sweep. They'll be able to provide professional guidance on the flue and chimney after sweeping, as to the state of the chimney structure and whether it would be advisable to replace the existing lining.
It may be vital to fit a new flue lining to conform to the all important Building Regulations, and construction might also be required to beef up the original chimney and chimney breast. A good fireplace installer in Southsea will be required to perform this work, and will need the knowledge and skills in construction to follow all regulations.
If the size of the original fireplace is larger than your needs, a concrete supporting lintel will need to be put in. When your concrete lintel is safely in position you can now proceed with the renovation, upgrade and installation of the fireplace hearth. In past times the hearth was usually sunken into the floor, but the latest building regulations require it to be raised above floor level. You can get tailor-made options to fit virtually any size and style of fireplace, or you can select from a range of popular size and shape hearths to fit in with your decor.
STYLES OF FIREPLACE
If you pay a visit to a fireplace showroom you'll find that you are spoilt for choice with the wide range of different choices open to you. It is entirely possible that because of your existing flue and chimney, that some fireplaces may not be appropriate, and it's advisable to follow the the advice and recommendations of your fireplace company with respect to this.
Whether you opt for a wood burner, a multi-fuel stove or an open fireplace will hinge on the overall style you're trying to develop, your existing decor and in some situations, your property's age. If you've got an inglenook fireplace, a wood burning stove can look amazing set inside it, which also has the benefit of deflecting heat into the room from the brick or stone walls that surround the stove.
A cast iron wood burner is also a splendid choice if you haven't got a chimney breast in your Southsea property. This style of fireplace can be installed with a stainless steel flue that is routed through an external wall and does not need a chimney, to be safely installed.
WOOD, ELECTRIC, MULTI-FUEL, GAS OR OPEN FIREPLACE?
The charm and ambience of an open fireplace can't be surpassed, however what alternatives are available if this form of fireplace is not possible in your Southsea property?
Open Fireplaces - A flickering fire is a focus for any room and it has the capability to burn almost any solid fuel that is available. In the past an open fire may have been associated with being draughty, inefficient and smoky, but a skillfully installed contemporary fireplace is a joy to sit in front of and bask in the warmth it provides.
Wood Burning Stoves - A wide selection of styles to suit any period of home in Southsea, and can even be free standing. A back boiler is an extra benefit and can provide piping hot water for use around the home, or for heating for the house via radiators.
Electric Fireplaces - Basic installation and a wide choice of styles make electric fireplaces an extremely popular choice for Southsea houses without a chimney. They can be inset into traditional fireplaces, and with the "real" looking feel of some electric fires it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from the real thing.
Gas Fireplaces - There are a variety of styles to suit all property types and their efficiency to warm a room is superior to wood burning stoves. Gas fires must only be fitted and maintained by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer, (previously CORGI registered).
Multi-Fuel Stoves - Can be fired up with with a variety of fuels, (gas, oil, coal, wood) to generate an attractive focal point in your house in Southsea. Some types, like the AGA range of multi-fuel stoves, are also suitable for generating hot water, cooking and heating your whole home.
Fireplace installers are available in Farlington, Eastney, Gunwharf Quays, Fratton, Copnor, Hardway, Hilsea, Alverstoke, Portsea, Cosham, Bedhampton, Wymering, Buckland, Widley, in the following postcodes: PO4 0AL, PO5 1QE, PO4 9BJ, PO4 0DR, PO5 1SF, PO4 8DS, PO4 0AN, PO4 0LQ, PO4 9BG, and PO4 0LW, plus in Southsea itself. If a fireplace fitter has the telephone code 023 and the postcode PO4, it is most likely that they operate in the Southsea area.
The Best Way To Retain Your Open Fireplace And Bring Down Your Heating Bills
Sparked by worries about the environment, the traditional fireplace has lost some of its charm, although it's still a favourite for many homeowners in Southsea. The natural warmth of a fireplace triggers special remembrances for those who have them. Having a fireplace has its advantages but there are also a handful of issues that could affect its performance. With energy costs rising so quickly these days, your fireplace needs to be a source of heat, not one of inefficiency. When a fire is burning, it might provide warmth for those who are standing around it, but it can actually pull warm air out of the room, making your heater work even more. The fireplace damper is expected to stop cold air from entering your home when you haven't got a fire going in the fireplace. Unfortunately, dampers have a very ineffective seal, so cold air gets in, and warm air will go out.
Many families that currently have fireplaces in their residence in Southsea don't realize how the fireplace can cause their energy bills to rise. Instead of managing the heating of a house naturally, a fireplace can in fact add hundreds of pounds to your heating bills. There's a simple way to take your less than efficient fireplace, and turn it into a heat producing system that your budget will love. There happen to be 4 simple things that you can do to make your fireplace into a cost-effective heat resource. You will see that these suggestions will help make your fireplace create quality heat and your present energy bill smaller.
The initial thing to do is to replace the damper with a top sealing damper. This style of damper is set up at the top end of the chimney, and works like a storm door. The top sealing damper will keep the air in your home from getting away and will work effectively in both cold and hot weather conditions. The seal is simple to fit, and can be bought on the web. Next, you should fit a fire-back at the back area of your fireplace. It is manufactured from cast iron and it is used to help the appearance of your fireplace while protecting the back wall from heat damage. The fire-back will take the heat from a fire, and sends it back into the room, enhancing the efficiency of the fireplace.
The next thing that will help is a fireplace fan/heater, which heats the room air that is being circulated through an internal chamber, and blows it back into the room. These clever devices do not release any smoke and should be extremely efficient in keeping your house warm and cosy. And finally, adding glass doors, while a bit on the expensive side, can be effective in making your open fireplace cost efficient. If you do a bit of groundwork, you can find a good price on glass doors and fit them yourself. Glass doors is able to keep the air in your home from escaping up the flue and also help to protect your family from falling into the flames.
The suggestions given here aren't terribly tough to accomplish and you can buy everything you need online. Try your utmost to ensure your fireplace is efficient and notice your heating bills plummet.
Flue Liners
A flue liner is a vital part of the chimney structure on your home, allowing it to function more effectively and improving the overall safety of your chimney. With the objective of carrying smoke and fumes to the outside of a building, flue liners are ducts made from metal, clay or ceramic material which are fitted to the inside of chimneys. A chimney on an older property in Southsea might not be fitted with a lining at all, or will need relining subject to it's condition and age.
Dangerous gases and fumes are created by burning fires and these can quickly eat away at the flue lining of your chimney. Whilst it is being cleaned, get the sweep or fireplace specialist to examine your flue for any damage or any chances of it deteriorating in the future. If there is damage, those dangerous gases may seep into your living area instead of being safely vented outside. There is an added risk with damaged flue liners, in that they may permit extreme heat to penetrate the chimney's structure, which might lead to fires.
Chimney Sweeping Southsea
Getting the chimney swept is something that householders often put off or forget, but it is essential to get this done on a regular basis if you've got an open fire or a stove in your Southsea property. To be totally safe, it's advisable to sweep your chimney twice each year, particularly if you are burning bituminous coal or wood.
To ensure that the task is being conducted properly, it is invariably a good idea to bring in a qualified Southsea chimney sweep. Bringing in a chimney sweep doesn't only keep your chimney clean and tidy but also highlights any problems that there may be with your chimney.
You may be running the risk of a chimney fire if you fail to remove the build-up of ash, soot and creosote by sweeping it. Apart from the risk of fires there are other dangerous situations that can be caused by a poorly maintained chimney, one example is that of carbon monoxide gas being drawn back into your home.
Check that your chosen chimney sweep in Southsea is properly covered by public liability insurance, and is skilled in this field. To find a price for chimney sweeping in Southsea CLICK HERE. You should also be able to get chimney sweeping done in neabry locations.
Chimney Repair
The safety and efficiency of fireplaces and heating systems hinge on proper chimney repair. Over the years, chimneys are susceptible to wear and tear, resulting in issues like blockages, cracks or leaks. Timely repairs are a necessity to avert potential threats like fire and carbon monoxide exposure. In Southsea, chimney repair professionals can rectify these problems, ensuring the chimney functions optimally and meets safety standards. By performing regular repairs and inspections, home and property owners ensure a prolonged chimney life expectancy and diminish the necessity for expensive future repairs, enjoying peace of mind and an efficient heating source. (39607 - Chimney Repairs Southsea)
Searching On the Web
There's no question that your initial impulse when you're looking for a tradesman or service in Southsea is to hook up to the internet and "Google it". Logic would say that you're looking at this page right now because you found us by looking on Yahoo, Google, Ask or Bing and it appeared on page one. Occasionally the first page listings displayed are not actually what you had expected when searching with these types of search engines. When searching for fireplace installers in Southsea, you will very likely enter "Southsea fireplace installation", "fireplace installation near me", "fireplace installation in Southsea" or "fireplace installation Southsea" into the search engine and see what listing results this brings up.
Unfortunately, most of the page one listings on the various search engines, as you will soon discover, are either going to be "paid for" results or entries from large lead creation sites like Quotatis, My Hammer, Checkatrade, TrustaTrader, Rated People or Bidvine or web directories such as Thomson Local, Yell, Yelp or ThreeBestRated. In order to get the sites of real life fireplace installers, you will need to scroll to page 2 and 3 or possibly even further down the search engine listings. Obtaining free price quotes, customer appraisals and reviews on a trade portal like Trustatrader or Rated People can come in handy, because there are going to be fireplace fitters working with such platforms who haven't got their own company websites or associated social media accounts.
Southsea Fireplace Related Tasks
There are a whole host of tasks that can be undertaken by your local Southsea fireplace specialist including wood burning fireplaces, bespoke fireplaces Southsea, open fireplaces, fireplaces Southsea, chimney repairs, gas fireplace installation in Southsea, fireplace suites, electric fireplace installation, multifuel stove installations, freestanding stoves Southsea, inglenook fireplaces, fake fireplaces, brick fireplace installation, fireplace services, modern fireplace installation Southsea, chimney modifications in Southsea, fireplace replacement, cast iron fireplaces, cheap fireplace installation Southsea, cast iron fireplace installations, chimney strengthening Southsea, chimney lining, fireplace inserts in Southsea, fireplace repairs in Southsea, gas fireplaces, double-sided stove installation, electric fire suites, inset stove installations, and lots more. Listed are just an example of the tasks that are carried out by people fitting fireplaces. Southsea providers will let you know their whole range of fireplace related services.
Fireplace Installers Near Southsea
Also find: Farlington fireplace installers, Copnor fireplace installers, Cosham fireplace installers, Fratton fireplace installers, Widley fireplace installers, Portsea fireplace installers, Alverstoke fireplace installers, Buckland fireplace installers, Gunwharf Quays fireplace installers, Hilsea fireplace installers, Wymering fireplace installers, Bedhampton fireplace installers, Eastney fireplace installers, Hardway fireplace installers and more. There are companies who fit fireplaces in practically all of these places. To adeptly install fireplaces in your home, these seasoned tradesmen possess the necessary experience and know-how. These devoted professionals assist residents in achieving the atmosphere, warmth and comfort a fireplace contributes to homes. By simply clicking here, local homeowners can get fireplace installation quotes. Does your property need a fireplace? Why not get a quote today?
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