Fireplace Fitter Cottenham Cambridgeshire (CB24): If you are frustrated by soaring energy prices and want to find an alternative way to heat your property in Cottenham, why not open up that disused fireplace and put in a budget friendly open, multi-fuel or wood burning fire? Chilly evenings in winter can become enjoyable as you sit back in front of your fireplace listening to the crackling of a burning fire, and if your fire is combined with a back boiler you can even benefit from cheap hot water too.
In order to build a safe, efficient and attractive fireplace in your dwelling in Cottenham, there are vital things you must think about before any work commences. Any heating appliance installed within residential homes in Cottenham must comply with Part J of the building regs, and this applies to chimney breasts, hearths, flue linings and fireplaces. For the installation of a fireplace in a building that is listed, or one that is situated in a designated conservation area, you will need to check with you local planning office if planning permission will be needed.
PROFESSIONAL OR DIY FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?
If you are a keen and competent DIYer it is quite possible to refurbish an existing blocked up fireplace, but the probability of running into structural problems in the majority of cases is high. You could be fortunate when exposing your old fireplace and find that you need little more than a good clean up of the hearth and a sweep of the chimney to get a fire roaring. However, a blocked flue and old brickwork that needs to be reinforced structurally is what you're most likely to find.
Hiring a certified fireplace fitter in Cottenham is normally advised, because a fireplace which is incorrectly installed can can cause a fire risk and respiratory health problems. There always has to be a decent air flow into a room or space where there's a fireplace to guarantee sufficient quantities of oxygen for the fire to burn safely. Dangerous carbon monoxide can build up from an inefficiently burning fire in a poorly ventilated room.
To ensure a satisfactory air flow for the fire to burn safely and effectively, an experienced fireplace installation technician will assess the situation and fit vents around the room, or underneath the floors, thus resolving this issue. Moist, condensed air can easily get trapped inside unused chimney flues which might also need to have air vents installed, to prevent issues with dampness and staining on the chimney breast.
BEFORE WORK STARTS
Chimney breasts are notorious for the volume of soot and grime that can build-up inside of them, thus when you go through the process of opening up an unused fireplace for refurbishing you can anticipate that it will be a rather messy affair. It's advised to remove your your belongings and any woven materials before any fireplace renovation work and chimney sweeping commences, because even with coverings for your belongings, the chance of impairment from soot and muck is still a possibility. If you are conducting a full restoration of a room or house, the fireplace should be opened up before any plastering or decorating is tackled. This will help to prevent damage to other parts of your remodelling project (i.e. paint on walls or fresh plaster), by dust and chimney soot that's emitted.
STRUCTURAL & CONSTRUCTION WORK
You'll have a better understanding of the renovation work that is needed, once the opening up of the old fireplace has been completed. You will also be in a position to sweep the chimney and clean any of the hearth that remains. This will be the ideal time to make contact with a local Cottenham chimney sweep to find out if they are able to come and look at your fireplace and chimney. A professional chimney sweep will firstly clean the flue and while doing so will inspect the condition of the chimney and provide you with advice on whether a new flue liner is necessary.
It may be essential to put in a new flue lining to observe the UK Building Regulations, and work might also be needed to reinforce the existing chimney and chimney breast. Experience in the right construction practices and an awareness of the Building Regs will be needed by anyone who undertakes this kind of construction work, so what you really need is a skilled builder or fireplace fitter and should not attempt to do it on your own.
If you need to modify the width of opening of your exposed fireplace to a more suitable size for your new design, a supporting concrete lintel must be installed. The upgrade, installation and renovation of the fireplace hearth can go ahead once the lintel is in place. Many fireplace hearths were sunk into voids in the floor in past times. If that is the scenario with your hearth it will have to be raised slightly above the normal floor level if it's to abide by the Building Regulations for the UK as they stand. You could ask your fireplace builder in Cottenham about a custom-made, bespoke hearth to fit in with the design and style of your property, or if your fireplace is of a standard size, there's a wide range of off-the-shelf options in concrete, marble and granite.
FIREPLACE STYLE
A trip to a fireplace showroom or a browse online will demonstrate the choices that are available for the different fireplace styles and designs. Every fireplace will not be suitable for your existing chimney and flue therefore it's wise to accept any advice from your fireplace installers with regards to your specific situation.
In selecting the type and design of fireplace which is the best option for your particular situation, you will need to look at your home's age, and the look you are trying to develop for your room or space. If you are fortunate enough to have a property with an inglenook fireplace for example, this can be the perfect setting for a traditional cast iron wood-burner stove. This won't only reflect any heat that is generated back into the room effectively, but will also draw your gaze towards the charm and character of the stove.
Even if you haven't got an existing chimney breast in your Cottenham home, it's still possible to put in a multi-fuel or wood burning stove. This kind of fireplace can be installed with its own stainless steel flue that is routed through an external wall and doesn't require a chimney, to be safely installed.
ELECTRIC, OPEN, GAS, MULTI-FUEL OR WOOD FIREPLACE?
Who can deny that they enjoy the warmth and glow of a natural fire on a cool evening, however if your circumstances do not permit this, what are the other available options?
Gas Fireplaces - More efficient thermally than multi-fuel stoves or wood burners, gas fires are available in a wide range of styles to complement your house in Cottenham. Gas fires must only be fitted and maintained by a suitably qualified Gas Safe registered engineer, (Gas Safe replaced CORGI registration in 2009).
Open Fireplaces - An open fireplace can be used with many different solid fuels, and establishes a focal point for any room in your home. An open fire is a sight to behold and contemporary fireplaces are no longer the draughty, inefficient and smoky things they used to be.
Multi-Fuel Stoves - Multi-fuel stoves can be fired up with with various different fuels, including oil, coal, gas or wood, to create an eye-catching focal point in your property in Cottenham. If you choose a multi-fuel stove from AGA for example, you can get supplied with hot water, do cooking, and when linked up to your central heating system, heat your whole home.
Electric Fireplaces - Basic installation and a diverse choice of designs make electric fires an extremely popular choice for Cottenham properties that don't have a chimney breast. It can often be difficult to distinguish them from the genuine thing with with "real feel" electric fires, and they can be installed into traditional fireplaces when required.
Wood Burning Stoves - A whole host of different styles to match any period of property in Cottenham, and can even be a freestanding feature. If coupled with a back boiler can provide piping hot water for radiators or for use around the house.
Fireplace installation companies can be found in Willingham, Milton, Landbeach, Chesterton, Fen Ditton, Horningsea, Stretham, Aldreth, Rampton, Earith, Impington, in these postcodes: CB24 8QR, , CB24 8UF, CB24 8RL, CB24 8SX, CB25 9PQ, CB24 8TA, CB24 9AG, CB24 8TB, and CB24 8SZ, plus in Cottenham itself. Locally based Cottenham fireplace fitters will probably have the telephone dialling code 01954 and the postcode CB24. Cottenham householders can enjoy the benefits of these fireplace services.
Chimney Sweep Cottenham
If you have a wood burner or an open fire in your home, it is imperative that you get your chimney swept on a regular basis. It is typically advised that at least once every year your chimney should be swept and cleaned.
This is an unpleasant job, so you should always call in a qualified Cottenham chimney sweep. Not only does this mean that you chimney is kept clean, the chimney sweep will be on hand to highlight any safety issues with you chimney.
If you don't continually sweep your chimney in Cottenham, the resulting accumulation of soot, ash and creosote can quite easily lead to a chimney fire. A blocked or poorly maintained chimney can also cause odourless carbon monoxide fumes to be drawn back into your property, a dangerous situation that you want to avoid at all costs.
All of these factors add up to the importance of picking a professional Cottenham chimney sweep, who is also covered by public liability insurance. For Cottenham chimney cleaning quotes GO HERE.
Improve the Efficiency of Your Fireplace
With all the current concerns about the environment, the traditional fireplace has lost a little of its glamour, but it still is a favourite feature for many in Cottenham. There is nothing quite like feeling the genuine warmth of an open fireplace during a freezing winter evening. The open fireplace provides a lot of benefits for your property, but there are also several major drawbacks that need to be addressed. As energy costs increase, you need to make certain that your fireplace is giving off heat in an efficient way. When you have a fire roaring in the fireplace, it can in fact extract warm air out of the room, making your heat source work harder. When there is no fire, a damper is supposed to regulate the airflow. Yet, dampers are usually not terribly efficient seals, consequently a lot of the warm air escapes and allows cold air to come into the room.
What most property owners in Cottenham may not know about their fireplace is that it doesn't always do what they believe it is doing. Instead of keeping the cost of heating down, it may actually do the precise opposite if one is not careful. There's a simple way to take your inefficient fireplace, and turn it into a heat producing system that your budget will love. All you need to do is just four basic things to fix your fireplace. These will make your fireplace very cost effective and more efficient.
The initial step is to take away your current damper and replace it with a new top sealing damper. This type of damper is positioned at the top of your chimney and helps to stop rain and snow from coming in. It does an excellent job of preserving warm air in the property during winter and cool air from getting out in the summertime. The product is simple to install, and can be purchased on the web. Next, you will need to have a fire-back at the back section of your hearth. A fire-back is constructed of cast iron and it is actually meant to shield the wall behind from fire damage, whilst making your fireplace look stylish. The fire-back gets warmed up by the flames and sends the heat back into the room, consequently enhancing the overall efficiency of the fireplace.
Another approach is to buy a fireplace heater, which draws air into the room and warms it up. These heaters don't discharge any smoke and can be very efficient in keeping your house warm and toasty. And finally, putting in glass doors, although a bit on the expensive side, can be helpful in making your open fire economical to run. If you do your homework, you can definitely get an excellent deal on glass doors and they're not that challenging to fit yourself. Glass fireplace doors is able to keep the air in your residence from escaping up the chimney and also help to safeguard your pets and children from falling into the fire.
The advice presented here is not difficult to implement, and all of the items you need can be purchased on the internet. Try your best to keep your fireplace efficient and watch your heating bills plummet.
Flues
Allowing your chimney to perform a great deal more efficiently, a chimney lining or flue lining is a crucial part of your chimney structure. Carrying toxic fumes to the outside of your home, a flue liner runs the whole length of a chimney, and can be made from a number of materials including clay, ceramics or metal. If you live in an older house in Cottenham, it might be that you do not have a flue lining in your chimney at all, or that the old one is impaired and will have to be replaced with a new one.
The burning of fires creates harmful gases which can cause considerable damage to the flue inside your chimney. Your flue lining should be frequently examined for possible problems and damage each time it is being cleaned. A faulty flue can allow those harmful gases to leak into your home. Damaged flue linings can also trigger house fires - so have them looked at!
Brick Fireplaces Cottenham
For centuries, brick fireplaces have been a classic feature in Cottenham homes, and rightly so. They provide warmth, character and a touch of rustic charm that cannot be replicated by any other feature. So, if you are considering adding a brick fireplace to your home in Cottenham, here are some things to bear in mind.
First, you'll need to think about the style of fireplace you prefer. Conventional brick fireplaces commonly feature a hearth and mantel, whilst modern fireplaces often have a sleeker design with clean, neat lines. You should also consider what size of fireplace you want. A larger fireplace can make an eye-catching statement in a room, while a smaller one can provide an inviting nook.
With regards to brick selection, you have plenty of options. Bricks come in a range of colours and textures, therefore you can choose the ideal brick to complement the style of your property. You can even mix and match brick styles to create a unique and distinctive look.
As well as the visual considerations, you'll also want to look at the functional elements of a brick fireplace. Adequate venting is essential for safety, and you may want to look into adding glass doors or a fireplace insert for improved efficiency. You will also have to ensure that the hearth is completely level and that the bricks are properly installed to prevent any potential hazards.
A brick fireplace can be a functional and beautiful addition to your house in Cottenham. With a little attention to detail and planning, you can build a fireplace that doesn't just provide warmth but also adds charm and character to your home.
Family & Friends Recommendations
Friends and family members are a great source of recommendations, when your are on the lookout for a contractor in Cottenham for your project or undertaking. These word of mouth referrals can be one of the most effective ways to filter out third-rate contractors and companies with poor records of service, and help you to choose someone who is the perfect fit for your needs.
Asking a friend or member of your family for feedback also means you get first hand experience of the punctuality and reliability of the contractor, and if things went pear-shaped, how quick were problems rectified and what the contractor's attitude was like. They'll be in a position to tell you how the final price compared to the original quote they were given, or if the company offers a price guarantee for their work.
Your friends and relations are folks that you know, and ultimately in regards to advice, they are the individuals to trust. If they have had an unsatisfactory experience with a particular contractor or company, they might be reluctant to talk about them in any detail. And, rather than 'casting aspersions on' a substandard contractor, a lot of people may even endorse a different company, because generally speaking most people will be perfectly willing to speak about a decent quality contractor and less likely to discuss a lousy one.
Leave a Review
At the end of the day, customer reviews are the lifeblood of any business in Cottenham, and having positive reviews can be the difference between gaining a prospective client or watching them go someplace else for their services. If someone has done a good job for you, it is only right that you should leave them a nice review, and let others know about how they did. Prospective future clients can benefit from hearing your personal knowledge, and obviously there are benefits for the business as well. After all, reviews were most likely useful for you when you were initially hunting for somebody to install a fireplace. Even if you'd visited a company website which looked extremely professional, you may have looked at other providers if they did not have positive reviews and testimonials.
However, when you are on a business's own website, exactly how much trust can be put on reviews that you see? Are they penned by genuine clients or by a member of the company hoping to promote their services?
If you want to find honest and genuine reviews on any company in Cottenham, an excellent technique is to check out the Google My Business reviews. Few would argue that this is THE review website for determining any business's reputation, and also has an effect on a business's ranking in the search engines. You could also visit Bing Places for Business when looking to leave a review for a local business in Cottenham, and this is by far the biggest rival to Google My Business reviews. Your review here can help to boost the local profile of the company that worked on your project and generate a rundown of their dependability and working standards.
Facebook and Twitter pages are also an effective place to leave testimonials for a business. The marketing and promotional advertising of any small company in Cottenham will depend heavily on such social media giants. Your feedback will help reinforce their message and give your relatives and friends a starting point if you give a recommendation of service for a similar project.
Even in these high-tech, modern times, a traditional hand-written thankyou letter is still appropriate. Believe it or not these are still useful in an internet crazy world and can be scanned in for use on websites, or maybe even framed or compiled to build a portfolio of reviews for use in face to face meetings with potential clients. Whatever strategy you use to provide your review, it is wonderful to feel that you've helped a local small business get a foothold in the marketplace.
Cottenham Fireplace Related Tasks
Your local Cottenham fireplace installer can deliver a number of different tasks, and along with what has previously been covered they will be able to do brick fireplaces Cottenham, fireplace packages, fireplace restoration, fireplace surrounds, chimney repairs, electric fire suites in Cottenham, oak beam fireplaces, hearth fireplaces, fireplace services, traditional gas fires, fireplaces, cheap fireplaces in Cottenham, the installation of outside fireplaces Cottenham, made-to-measure fireplaces, fireplace hearths, fireplace design Cottenham, fireplaceprices Cottenham, two-sided fireplaces, limestone fireplace installation Cottenham, gas fireplaces, stone fireplace installations in Cottenham, fake fireplaces, designer fireplaces in Cottenham, hearth-mounted electric fires Cottenham, Victorian fireplaces, Victorian fireplace installation, reclaimed fireplaces Cottenham, timber mantels, marble fireplace installations, flue lining inspections in Cottenham, marble fireplaces, corner fireplaces, traditional fireplaces Cottenham, Regency fireplaces Cottenham, wood burning fireplace installations, and more. These services are just a few of those on offer from your local fireplace installer. Cottenham companies will let you know their full range of fireplace services.
Fireplace Installers Near Cottenham
Also find: Willingham fireplace installers, Horningsea fireplace installers, Chesterton fireplace installers, Earith fireplace installers, Impington fireplace installers, Milton fireplace installers, Landbeach fireplace installers, Stretham fireplace installers, Fen Ditton fireplace installers, Aldreth fireplace installers, Rampton fireplace installers and more. These and other areas are serviced by fireplace fitters and associated tradesmen. With the requisite experience and know-how, these versatile tradespeople are adept at adeptly installing fireplaces in your home. With these dedicated experts at their service, residents can bask in the warmth and comforting atmosphere a fireplace brings to their living areas. If you're a local home or property owner looking to obtain competitive and accurate fireplace installation quotes tailored to your specific needs, you simply have to click here. Would your property benefit from the installation of a fireplace? Get a quote today!
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Fireplace installation in CB24 area, phone code 01954.
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