Fireplace Fitter Stretford Greater Manchester (M32): A splendid way to add charm to any Stretford property is by installing a brand new fireplace, or renovating an existing one. Chilly winters' evenings can become a joy as you sit back in front of your new fireplace surrounded by the crackle of a burning fire, and if your fire is combined with a back boiler you can even enjoy a plentiful supply of hot water too.
Before you go chipping away at a bricked-up chimney there are a few things you'll need to do to ensure you can safely install your new fireplace. All work carried out must follow Part J of the Building Regulations, which covers the installation and construction of flue linings, fireplaces, chimney breasts and hearths of any combustible appliance. If your home is a listed building you'll also need to ascertain if planning permission is required from the local council before any work can commence.
DIY OR PROFESSIONAL FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?
You might be able to do some of the work in remodeling a pre-existing fireplace if you've got the ability needed, however there is always a problem in finding structural and safety issues that need to be resolved by a professional tradesperson. You may be fortunate when you reveal the old fireplace and find that you need little more than a decent chimney sweep and a quick clean out of the hearth in order to get a fire roaring. Much more likely you will come across old brickwork that requires structural reinforcement and a blocked flue.
Because of the serious health and fire risk issues that can result from an improperly fitted or restored fireplace, it's best to avail yourself of the experience and knowledge of an experienced fireplace installer in Stretford. There always has to be a decent air flow into a room where a fireplace is installed to guarantee adequate levels of oxygen allow the fire to burn effectively. If the airflow is not good enough then it's quite possible that a fire will burn inefficiently and cause carbon monoxide fumes to build up, which can be lethal.
It could be necessary to fit airflow vents in walls and floors to enable the fireplace to receive sufficient oxygen to burn effectively and safely all the time. To prevent condensed air from becoming trapped in blocked off or unused chimney flues and producing damp spots and staining, vents may have to be fitted by the fireplace installation team to introduce some airflow.
BEFORE WORK COMMENCES
Opening up an old fireplace can create huge amounts of grime and soot. A thoughtful Stretford fireplace fitter will bring coverings for your home furnishings and supply some form of protection, however it is advisable where possible to remove woven floor coverings and furniture from the area before work starts. If you are performing a complete renovation of a room or property, the fireplace ought to be opened up and worked on before any plastering or decorating is undertaken. This avoids any staining damage to any renovated work you might have already completed.
STRUCTURAL & CONSTRUCTION WORK
Now that you can see the opening of your fireplace it's time to sweep and clean the chimney and hearth and identify what can be repaired. The first item on your agenda will be to bring in a competent chimney sweep. A chimney sweep will firstly clean the flue and whilst doing so can check the condition of the chimney and offer you advice on whether you need a new flue liner.
It might be necessary to install a new flue liner to comply with the current Building Regulations, and construction may also be needed to strengthen the existing chimney and chimney breast. A reliable fireplace installer and builder in Stretford will be needed to complete this task, and should have the knowledge and skills in construction to closely follow all regulations.
If the size of the existing fireplace is larger than your requirements, a supporting concrete lintel must be put in. When your concrete lintel is safely in position you may now proceed with the updating, installation and renovation of the fireplace hearth. In the old days the hearth was normally sunken into a hole in the floor, but the current regulations demand that it is raised above floor level. Off-the-shelf solutions from concrete, slate or marble are available to accomplish this, or your fireplace builder in Stretford may be able to provide you with a bespoke, custom-made hearth to match your room style.
STYLES AND DESIGNS OF FIREPLACE
If you go to a fireplace showroom you'll find that you have plenty of choice with the range of different choices open to you. It's possible that owing to your existing chimney and flue, that certain fireplaces may not be appropriate, therefore it's a good idea to follow the the recommendations and advice of your fireplace company in this respect.
Certain rooms and homes will look better with an open fireplace than a wood burner or multi fuel stove and vice versa. As an example, an attractive inglenook fireplace can be a perfect backdrop for an old-fashioned cast iron wood burning stove, which highlights its character and deflects the heat into the room.
Even if your Stretford home doesn't have a chimney you've still got the option of a fireplace feature by installing a wood burning or multi fuel stove. A chimney isn't needed in this instance since the flue is taken directly from the rear or top of the stove and taken out through an external wall.
MULTI-FUEL, OPEN, ELECTRIC, GAS OR WOOD FIREPLACE?
The ambience and feel of an open fireplace cannot be matched, however what alternatives are available if this kind of fireplace isn't possible within your Stretford home?
Electric Fireplaces - A wide selection of electric fireplaces to suit pretty much any house in Stretford, can easily be fitted by any competent individual. Modern electric fires can deliver authentic looking flames and even the crackling sound of wood to imitate a real fire when inset into an old fashioned fireplace.
Open Fireplaces - Provides an attractive focal point for any room and can utilise an assortment of solid fuels. A professionally installed contemporary open fire will be no comparison to the smoky old fireplace that was blocked up by former owners, and its warm elegance is a welcome addition to any property in Stretford.
Gas Fireplaces - There are a variety of different styles to suit all home types and their effectiveness in warming a room is better than wood burning stoves or open fireplaces. Must be professionally maintained and installed by a Gas Safe registered tradesman.
Multi-Fuel Stoves - Multi-fuel stoves provide you with options to use gas, coal, oil and wood to deliver a versatile stove for any house in Stretford. The AGA range for instance is well known as being able to provide heating for an entire home, a constant supply of hot water and an oven and hob all in one useful appliance.
Wood Burning Stoves - Wood burners have become "the in thing" in a lot of properties in Stretford, and can have modern or classic styling to match your decor. A version with a back boiler will deliver extra heating by connecting the hot water to radiators in cold spots in your home.
You should be able to find fireplace installation companies in Stretford, and adjacent areas such as: Northern Moor, Weaste, Gorse Hill, Trafford Park, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Ashton upon Mersey, Old Trafford, Flixton, Barlow Moor, Davyhulme, Firstwood, Brooklands. Postcode areas like M15 5QE, M15 5PE, M15 4AL, M15 4BX, M16 0HG, M15 4EP, M16 0BH, M15 4FU, M16 0JT, and M16 0LT are also covered. Stretford fireplace installers will generally have the postcode M32 and the dialling code 0161. This is of course one thing to check if you favour using a locally based fireplace installer. Stretford home and business owners are spoilt for choice when trying to find fireplace installers. You can just click the "QUOTE" banner to get more information about fireplaces and fireplace installation in the area.
Flues
A flue liner or chimney liner is a vital part of the chimney system on your home, enabling it to perform a lot more effectively than it would without one, and improving it's overall safety. Installed inside chimneys to transport toxic fumes outside, flue liners are conduits made from ceramic material, clay or metal. Chimneys on older homes in Stretford may not be fitted with flue liners at all, or will need to be re-lined depending on their age and condition.
Your fireplace flue lining can, over time, be affected by the dangerous gases and fumes that are produced by the burning of a fire. Your flue must be frequently assessed for potential problems and damage every time it is being cleaned. Instead of venting those hazardous gases outdoors, an impaired flue lining can enable them to leak into your home's living area. Extreme heat may also be allowed to penetrate into the structure of the chimney, generating the possibility of fires.
Ways To Lower Your Heating Bill Plus Keep Your Open Fireplace In Excellent Shape
With concerns over the environment, the classic fireplace is missing some of its appeal, but it's still a favourite with many folks in Stretford. The natural comfort of a fireplace stimulates very special memories for those who've got them. Having a fireplace has its benefits but there are a few drawbacks that could affect its usefulness. With energy costs rising dramatically year after year, your fireplace must give out heat in a very cost-effective way. When you have a fire roaring in the fireplace, it can actually take away warm air out from the room, making your heater work harder. If there is no fire, a damper ought to regulate the airflow. Often times though, fireplace dampers are renowned for being inefficient in keeping warm air in the home and cold air out.
Many property owners in Stretford who have a fireplace don't know how it can impact the cost of heating their home. Rather than preserving resources, and heating costs, it can often be adding 100s of pounds of energy expense. However it's not all hopeless as there are ways to make your fireplace more cost-efficient. Just about all you need to do is basically four fundamental things improve the performance of your fireplace. All of these is going to make your fireplace very affordable and very efficient.
The initial thing that must be done is to replace the damper with a top sealing damper. This kind of damper is located towards the top of your chimney and helps to stop rain from coming in. It does a superb job of preserving warm air in the property during winter months and cool air from escaping in the summertime. The damper is straightforward to install, and can be purchased on the web. A second thing that can be done should be to position a fire-back at the rear of your fireplace. This is a cast iron plate that's intended to enhance the room interior decoration, while protecting the back wall from being damaged due to the heat. The fire-back takes the heat from a fire, and sends it back into the room, improving the overall performance of the fireplace.
The next thing that could also help is a fireplace heater, which heats the air which is being circulated through an internal chamber, and blows it back inside the room. These gadgets are set up as closed systems to make sure they do not give off any smoke, but they're very effective in warming your home. And finally, adding glass doors, even though a bit on the costly side, can be helpful in making your open fireplace economical to run. Browsing around, you will be able to locate a great deal, and with instructions, you can even put them in on your own. These glass doors help to stop the heat from leaking out and additionally it keeps children and pets from getting burnt.
The information we just gave is not difficult to implement, and all of the items you need can be purchased on the internet. Try your best to ensure your fireplace is efficient and watch your heating bills plummet.
Chimney Sweeping Stretford
If you've got a wood burner or an open fire in your house in Stretford, the regular sweeping of your chimney is important. It is recommended that you sweep and clean your chimney at least once yearly.
To be confident that the job is being done properly, it's always a wise idea to call in a professional Stretford chimney sweep. There are additional benefits to calling in a professional, because if there are any safety issues or problems with your chimney, the chimney sweep is in a good position to spot them.
The build-up of soot, ash and creosote that results from failing to sweep a chimney in Stretford, could easily lead to a chimney fire. Blocked or poorly maintained chimneys can also cause another hazardous situation by drawing harmful carbon monoxide fumes back into your house.
You'll undoubtedly now appreciate the necessity for hiring a dependable chimney sweep in Stretford, and also one who's covered by adequate public liability insurance. To get a chimney swept in Stretford, GO HERE for a quote.
Stretford Fireplace Related Tasks
There are a wide range of tasks that can be carried out by your local Stretford fireplace fitter including multifuel stove installation, electric fire baskets, wood burning fireplaces in Stretford, fireplace hearths, chimney sweeping in Stretford, fireplace services in Stretford, brick fireplace installations, fireplace repairs, fireplace inserts, inset stove installations in Stretford, fireplace restoration Stretford, chimney lining, stone fireplace installations Stretford, fireplace replacement, electric fireplace installation, gas fireplaces Stretford, freestanding stoves, inglenook fireplace installation, cast iron fireplaces Stretford, flue liner installation, stone fireplaces, wood burning fireplace installations, brick fireplaces in Stretford, bespoke fireplaces, chimney modifications, oak beam fireplaces, fireplaces, limestone fireplaces, and more. These are just a handful of the tasks that are undertaken by those installing fireplaces. Stretford professionals will be happy to tell you about their full range of fireplace related services.
Stretford Skip Hire
When making plans for any home refurbishments or improvements in Stretford, you'll want to make allowances for any waste that is created. Varying levels of waste will be generated by fireplace installations, subject to your individual circumstances. Now some tradesmen will be prepared to take this waste away for you, and recycle it in an eco-friendly way, whilst others will just leave you to deal with it by yourself.
The simplest way to get rid of this waste is to hire a skip. To suit your precise needs, you can select from a wide variety of skip sizes. Mini-skips generally hold around 2 cubic yards of waste, midi-skips hold around 4 cubic yards of waste, builders skips hold around 6 cubic yards of waste and roll-on-roll-off skips hold around 20 cubic yards of waste. Skip bags generally hold 1-1.5 cubic yards of waste.
If you think you may need a skip for your home improvement project GO HERE for a quote.
Fireplace Installation Advice and Guidance
Enjoy a step by step You Tube guide on how to restore and install a Victorian cast iron fireplace range here. There is such a lot of info about fireplace installation available on the internet these days, and to find out about elegant fireplace designs click here. To ask questions pertaining to fireplace installation check out the Buildhub Forum (here), topics discussed include things like log burners, building regulations, pellet stoves and boilers, trims for stoves, widening fireplaces and chimney design. You can check out the Wikipedia webpage to read information regarding the environmental effects of fireplaces, the evolution of fireplaces, the different types of fireplace, the health effects of fireplaces, the heating efficiency of fireplaces and coal burning fireplaces. To get a feeling for how fireplace installation is currently being portrayed on social media, check this out.
Fireplace Installers Near Stretford
Also find: Firstwood fireplace installers, Weaste fireplace installers, Northern Moor fireplace installers, Barlow Moor fireplace installers, Ashton upon Mersey fireplace installers, Brooklands fireplace installers, Chorlton-cum-Hardy fireplace installers, Davyhulme fireplace installers, Trafford Park fireplace installers, Flixton fireplace installers, Gorse Hill fireplace installers, Old Trafford fireplace installers and more. Almost all of these places are served by people who install fireplaces. To adeptly install fireplaces in your property, these versatile tradespeople have the necessary experience and know-how. Residents, with the help of these committed professionals, can experience the atmosphere, comfort and warmth a fireplace adds to their living areas. By going here, local residents can obtain fireplace installation estimates.
Fireplaces Stretford
Fireplace Installers Near Me
Fireplace Installation StretfordFor local Stretford information go here
Fireplace installation in M32 area, and dialling code 0161.