Fireplace Fitter Littlehampton West Sussex (BN17): Re-opening up an old fireplace or having a new one installed is a wonderful way to add a touch of charm to any room of your dwelling in Littlehampton. If you add a back boiler to your new fire you'll even be able to enjoy free hot water as well. Chilly winter's days can be a pleasurable experience as you sit back beside your fireplace surrounded the crackle of firewood.
If you are to create an attractive, efficient and safe fireplace in your property in Littlehampton, there are crucial considerations you must think of before you commence any work. The UK Building Regulations, Part J for combustible appliances for starters, which impacts on any work undertaken on chimney breasts, flue linings, hearths and fireplaces.
PROFESSIONAL FIREPLACE INSTALLATION OR DIY?
You may be capable of doing some of the remodeling work to a bricked-up fireplace if you have the skills to do so, however there is always a problem in finding structural and safety issues which need to be resolved professionally. When your boarded up fireplace is exposed you may be lucky and find a sturdy lintel, hearth and chimney breast which needs little more than the services of a chimney sweep to get it working once more. It's much more likely however, that you will discover a blocked up flue and a swathe of crumbling brickwork that needs to be structural reinforcement to make sure that it's safe.
Employing a certified fireplace installer in Littlehampton is generally recommended, because a fireplace that's improperly installed can cause serious risk of fire and respiratory problems. A key part of Part J of the Building Regulations for fireplaces is that enough oxygen is available for a fire to burn safely and efficiently. An accumulation of toxic carbon monoxide fumes can be the result in a room where there's inadequate airflow, and death or serious injury is possible where a fire does not burn efficiently.
To effectively get over any airflow issues, vents may need to be installed in the room as part of a fireplace installation, to guarantee suitable levels of oxygen are able to reach the fireplace. Flue vents might also need to be fitted into blocked chimney flues which frequently cause damp areas and stains to to the chimney breast, due to condensed air being trapped.
BEFORE WORK STARTS
When you're re-opening a fireplace for refurbishing, you might be astonished at the magnitude of the soot and grime that has built-up there. A decent Littlehampton fireplace installer will bring coverings for your home furnishings and supply a bit of protection, but it's wise where possible to remove furniture and carpets from the area before any work starts in earnest. If your fireplace is being fitted as part of an overall restoration project then it ought to be one of the first things to be worked on after you've got the room back to its bare floors and walls. This avoids any discolouring damage to any refurbished work you might have already finished.
CONSTRUCTION & STRUCTURAL WORK
When the fireplace has been opened up and exposed, you'll get a clearer picture of the restoration work that needs to be done. You can also then proceed to sweep the chimney and clean any repairable portions of the hearth and back panel. You now ought to contact your chimney sweep, if you haven't already done so, to come and clean the old chimney and fireplace. They'll be willing to provide expert guidance on the chimney and flue after sweeping, regarding the condition of the chimney and if you need to switch the existing flue liner.
It might be vital to install a new flue liner to observe the current Building Regulations, and work may also be needed to strengthen the existing chimney and breast. A competent fireplace installer and builder in Littlehampton will be needed to perform this work, and will have the knowledge and skills in construction to follow all building regulations.
If it is necessary to change the size of opening of your exposed fireplace to something more suitable for your design, a supporting concrete lintel must be installed. Once your lintel is safely in position you can now press on with the upgrade, installation and renovation of the fireplace's hearth. If the existing hearth is set into the floor you will have to raise it above floor level to comply with the latest building regs. You can select from a range of popular sized hearths to complement the decor of your home, or there are tailor-made options to fit just about any style and size of fireplace.
STYLE OF FIREPLACE
Choosing your ideal fireplace can be challenging when faced with the various designs and styles available from an online dealer or fireplace showroom. Every fireplace will not be appropriate for your chimney and flue and it is sensible to accept any advice and guidance from your fireplace installers in relation to your specific situation.
An open fireplace option may be suitable for some rooms and properties in Littlehampton, while a wood burning or multi-fuel stove will be a better choice for others. If you are fortunate enough to have a home with an inglenook fireplace for instance, this can be a perfect position for a traditional iron wood-burner stove. This won't only reflect any heat that's generated back into the room, but will also emphasise the beauty and charm of the stove itself.
If your Littlehampton home doesn't have a chimney you've still got the option of a feature fireplace through the installation of a wood burning or multi fuel stove. As long as you've got an external wall through which a stainless steel flue from the back or top of the stove can be routed, you don't need a chimney structure in place to enjoy a real fire.
OPEN, WOOD, MULTI-FUEL, ELECTRIC OR GAS FIREPLACE?
You cannot really beat a flickering fire on a dark winter's evening, to create a unique charm and ambience in your Littlehampton property, but what are the alternatives?
Multi-Fuel Stoves - As you'll probably guess from the name, these useful stoves can be fed a selection of different fuels, including oil, wood, gas or smokeless coal, and furthermore, they can also be an interesting focal point for your home in Littlehampton. If linked up with your central heating system, some of the multi-fuel stoves (such as AGA) can provide you with heating for the whole house, as well as hot water, cooking facilities and even outdoor barbecue grills.
Gas Fireplaces - There are many designs to suit all home types and their efficiency to warm a room is better than wood burners. A Gas Safe certified engineer must maintain and install any gas fireplace in your home.
Open Fireplaces - Can be used with a variety of solid fuels, and provides a stunning focal point for any of your rooms. In the old days an open fire may have had the reputation of being smoky, inefficient and draughty, however a skillfully installed fireplace is wonderful to watch while lounging in the warmth it provides.
Wood Burning Stoves - These stoves can have modern or classic styling to match your decor, and they have recently become "the in thing" in many households in Littlehampton. They are able to provide hot water to heat radiators or for use in your home, if fitted with a back boiler.
Electric Fireplaces - Simple installation and a diverse choice of styles make electric fires the obvious choice for Littlehampton homes that don't have a chimney breast. Can be inset into traditional fireplaces, and with "real feel" electric fires it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish them from the genuine thing.
Fireplace installation work can be done in Littlehampton and also in nearby places like: Kingston, West Preston, Climping, Poling, Ferring, Kingston Gorse, Goring by Sea, Ford, East Preston, Atherington, Wick, together with these postcodes BN17 5PE, BN16 9TG, BN17 5DJ, BN17 5LD, BN17 5BQ, BN17 5DX, BN17 5BX, BN17 5EP, BN16 3NW, and BN17 5JH. If a fireplace installer has the phone code 01903 and the postcode BN17, you can presume that they come from somewhere in Littlehampton area.
Flue Linings
A safety feature that enables your chimney to perform more efficiently, a flue liner (or chimney liner) is a vital part of your chimney set-up that shouldn't be neglected. Crafted from clay, metal or ceramic material, flue liners are conduits that are installed inside chimneys to carry toxic fumes to the outside. There is a pretty good possibility that if your Littlehampton home is quite old, the chimney may not even have a flue lining, and even if it does it will almost certainly need a replacement.
While a fire is burning, some dangerous fumes and gases are created, and the flue of your chimney can be impaired and worn away by these gases. Your flue needs to be routinely assessed for damage and possible problems whenever it's being swept. A flue that's been damaged might allow those harmful gases to seep into your living area, rather than chanelling them out into the atmosphere. Impaired flue linings can also cause house fires - so make certain that you have them checked out!
Improve the Efficiency of Your Open Fireplace in Littlehampton
Along with worries about the environment, the classic fireplace has lost some of its appeal, although it is still a favourite for many folks in Littlehampton. There's nothing quite like feeling the warmth of an open fireplace on a chilly winter evening. There are countless benefits to having a fireplace although there are also a few drawbacks that could possibly need to be taken care of. Because of power costs rising so quickly nowadays, your fireplace must be a reliable source of heat, not one of inefficiency. When a fire is burning, it may provide warmth for those standing close to it, but it can in fact pull warm air out of the room, making your heater work even more. In case you don't have a fire alight, the damper is supposed to keep heat in. Yet, dampers are usually not particularly successful seals, so a lot of the warm air escapes and allows cold air to enter the home.
What many property owners in Littlehampton don't realise about their fireplace is that it doesn't necessarily do what they think it's doing. Instead of warming a house naturally, a fireplace can in fact add 100s of pounds to the cost of your heating. However it's not all bad news because there are techniques for making your fireplace very cost-effective. All you need to do is just four basic things enhance the performance of your fireplace. You will appreciate that these guidelines will help to make your fireplace produce quality heat and your present energy bill lower.
The initial step is to remove the old damper and swap it for a top sealing damper. This form of damper is placed at the top of your chimney and helps to stop rain and snow from entering. It stops the outside air from coming in, and the internal air from escaping, and performs in cold or hot weather. It is not very hard to put in and may be easily bought on the web. Next, you should have a fire-back in the rear part of your fireplace. It's made of cast iron and is used to improve the overall look of your fireplace while at the same time shielding the back wall from fire damage. The fire-back basically heats up from the flames and reflects the heat back into a room, thus boosting the fireplace's efficiency.
Another thing that will help is a fireplace fan/heater, which heats the room air that is being circulated through a chamber, and sends it back towards the room. These fireplace heaters are set up as closed systems in order that they do not give off any smoke, but they're effective in keeping your house warm. And finally, putting in glass doors, even though a bit on the expensive side, can be helpful in making your fireplace more cost-efficient. If you do your homework, you should be able to get a great deal on glass doors and they're not that difficult to install yourself. These doors help to prevent the heat from getting away and additionally it keeps pets and children from being burnt.
These suggestions aren't all that hard to do and you can purchase most of the items from the internet. Retain your existing fireplace and lower heating bills by making it more efficient.
Chimney Cowls Littlehampton
A chimney cowl is a hood-shaped cap for your chimney that improves draft and helps prevent back-up. It is generally produced from galvanized iron and sits over the chimney to keep the wind from blowing smoke back down. A chimney cowl can be bought in a hardware shop or on the web. Whether you prefer to acquire a brand new one or make an existing one work better, a cowl will keep your stove or fireplace working effectively.
A chimney cowl can also help to protect your house and keep you secure. There are various forms of chimney cowl available, each one has been developed to address different problems. Before buying one, consider a few aspects to ensure you get one that will help protect your house. Once you know exactly what you need, you can then pick out a chimney cowl based on your budget and needs.
Chimney cowls are an effective way to stop birds from building nests in your chimney and blocking the whole thing up. They are reasonably priced and simple to install. You should make certain you have clear access to the space above the chimney stack to install one effectively. It can also stop debris from building up inside the chimney.
Chimney Sweeping Littlehampton
If your house in Littlehampton has an open fire or a stove, it is essential that you get the chimney swept regularly. To keep your chimney in a safe state, it ought to be swept at least once yearly.
So as to get this job done properly it is best to call in a professional Littlehampton chimney sweep. While the chimney sweep is cleaning your chimney, he will also be on the lookout for any safety issues, so that they can then be quickly resolved.
The build-up of ash, soot and creosote that results from neglecting to sweep a chimney in Littlehampton, can easily lead to a chimney fire. Blocked chimneys can also cause another dangerous situation by drawing carbon monoxide fumes back into your house.
Make sure that your chosen Littlehampton chimney sweep is qualified and is also covered by ample public liability insurance. GO HERE to get chimney sweeping quotes for the Littlehampton area. chimney sweeps are also available in nearby areas.
Family & Friends
An excellent idea, when you're trying to find a contractor or service for your project in Littlehampton, is to get friends and family recommendations. Word of mouth referrals are usually the best way to choose someone who is suitable for your requirements, and can equally single out a bad contractor or a company with a below par service record.
Getting this form of feedback from a family member or friend will also give you insights into the contractor's reliability and punctuality, and if things went wrong, how they were dealt with and how swiftly they were resolved. They should also also be in a good position to provide you with info about how the final price charged measured up in comparison to the original quote that was given, specifics which are usually hard to get from the contractors directly.
Ultimately, the folks that who you know and can depend on are your friends and family, so in regards to advice, rely on them. If you find that they're unwilling to talk about a particular contractor or fireplace installer, it is likely because they have had an unsatisfactory experience. Most people will be perfectly willing to discuss a decent quality contractor, less inclined to mention a mediocre one, and rather than 'bad mouth' a far from perfect business they've dealt with previously, they might offer some alternative company.
Leaving a Review
When all is said and done, reviews and testimonials are the driving force for any Littlehampton business, and having positive reviews can mean the difference between securing a prospective consumer or seeing them go someplace else for their services. Why don't you make an effort to thank someone who has done a good job, by leaving a review of their workmanship and performance. In this manner you will be able to benefit both the fireplace company itself and its prospective future clients, by telling of your personal experience. If reviews helped you to decide on who to hire for your fireplace project, you will surely understand how this can be useful. Even if you had visited a company website which appears extremely professional, you might well have carried on looking if they didn't have positive reviews and testimonials.
But, can the so called customer reviews be trusted or believed when you're actually on a business's own website? Did actual people write these glowing reviews or did a member of the company, looking to create leads, make them up?
An easy way to look for genuine and frank reviews is to go through the the reviews on Google My Business listings. For establishing the reputation of any company, this is THE review website that's trusted throughout the world, and the search engine results of a business website can also be impacted by the results. The second biggest review platform for local businesses in Littlehampton is Bing Places for Business, and this is the serious rival to Google My Business. Leaving an honest review on either of these sites will establish a rundown of the company that worked on your fireplace project and help in raising the profile of that company locally.
Leaving reviews on Twitter and Facebook is every bit as powerful for endorsing a company that has performed admirably. A major part of any small company's marketing and promotion strategy, such social media sites are a crucial aspect of the review process. Adding in your own approving reviews on Facebook or Twitter can help to reinforce their promotional message, and most likely generate more leads.
Even in these modern, high-tech times, it is still appropriate to send in a hand-drafted thank you letter, if you're not comfortable with computers. Such letters can be compiled to build a review portfolio which is valuable in face to face meetings with prospective customers, scanned and uploaded to the company website, or mounted in a frame for display in offices or reception areas. No matter what strategy you choose to create your review, it's cool to know that you've helped a local small business gain credibility in the marketplace.
Skip Hire Littlehampton
Let's be honest, most garden revamps or home refurbishments in Littlehampton tend to produce quite a bit of waste. Fireplace installation is not like constructing a house extension, where massive levels of waste can be created, nevertheless there could still be some waste to deal with. When you get your quotes you will need to ask if waste removal has been included, otherwise you'll have to make your own arrangements.
Hiring a skip is one of the simplest and most trouble-free ways to dispose of this waste. Skips come in various sizes based on your needs, and deciding what kind of skip to order is essential. The capacities of the most widely used skips are skip bags 1-1.5 yards, mini-skips 2-3 yards, midi-skips 4-5 yards, and builders skips 6-8 yards.
CLICK HERE to get a skip hire quote in Littlehampton.
Littlehampton Fireplace Related Tasks
There are a number of different tasks that can be completed by your local Littlehampton fireplace fitter including hearth-mounted electric fires, fireplace replacement, fireplace hearths, 2-sided fireplaces, tiled fireplaces Littlehampton, reclaimed fireplaces Littlehampton, fireplaceprices Littlehampton, gas fireplace installation, traditional gas fires, marble fireplace installation Littlehampton, outdoor fireplaces Littlehampton, marble fireplace surrounds Littlehampton, designer fireplaces Littlehampton, fireplace surrounds, electric fire baskets, the installation of outside fireplaces, wood & multifuel stove installations Littlehampton, chimney lining Littlehampton, contemporary fireplaces Littlehampton, elm fireplaces Littlehampton, gas fireplaces Littlehampton, fireplace fitting, fireplace repairs, Regency fireplaces Littlehampton, fake fireplaces Littlehampton, chimney strengthening, open fireplaces, hearth fireplaces Littlehampton, fireplace services Littlehampton, electric fireplaces, modern fireplace installation Littlehampton, electric fireplace installations in Littlehampton, brick fireplaces, limestone fireplace installation Littlehampton, stone fireplaces, and more. You can always click HERE and submit our quote form, if you've got fireplace requirements in Littlehampton, that you don't see here.
Fireplace Installers Near Littlehampton
Also find: Ferring fireplace installers, West Preston fireplace installers, Poling fireplace installers, Kingston fireplace installers, Climping fireplace installers, Goring by Sea fireplace installers, Ford fireplace installers, Kingston Gorse fireplace installers, Wick fireplace installers, East Preston fireplace installers, Atherington fireplace installers and more. It is possible to get fireplaces installed in all these areas. Possessing the necessary experience and know-how, these seasoned tradespeople can adeptly install fireplaces in your home. The comfort, warmth and atmosphere that a fireplace brings to their homes can be enjoyed by residents with the assistance of these dedicated experts. To obtain estimates for fireplace installation, local property owners can go here. Get started with your fireplace installation today, without delay!
More Littlehampton Tradespeople: Home improvement projects in Littlehampton frequently require the skills of many different tradespeople, and a tiling specialist in Littlehampton, a roofing specialist in Littlehampton, a plasterer in Littlehampton, a bricklayer in Littlehampton, a building contractor in Littlehampton, power washing in Littlehampton, a blacksmith in Littlehampton, a stonemason in Littlehampton, a handyperson in Littlehampton, stone cleaning in Littlehampton, a chimney sweep in Littlehampton, a heating engineer in Littlehampton, a carpenter/joiner in Littlehampton, a painter/decorator in Littlehampton, an electrician in Littlehampton, waste removal in Littlehampton, SKIP HIRE in Littlehampton, a floor specialist in Littlehampton might be needed even though you're currently on the lookout for fireplace installers in Littlehampton, West Sussex. Follow the links to get free quotes for all kinds of home improvement work.
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