Fireplace Fitter Old Catton Norfolk (NR6): A great way to add charm to any Old Catton home is by the installation of a brand new fireplace, or the restoration of an existing one. Adding a wood burning stove or open fire for those cold winter evenings can even prove to be more economical than certain central heating systems, so long as you've got a regular source of fuel. If combined with a back boiler it can provide you with plentiful steaming hot water at the same time.
However before you begin knocking down the walls of a bricked-up fireplace there are some essential considerations you must bear in mind if you are to finish up with an efficient and safe fireplace. Any combustible appliance installed in the home must follow Part J of the UK's Building Regulations, and this covers fireplaces, hearths, chimney breasts and flue linings. Planning permission may also be necessary before work commences if your property is listed or in a conservation area.
PROFESSIONAL OR DIY FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?
If you are an enthusiastic and competent DIYer it is quite possible to renovate a blocked up fireplace, but the chances of running into structural problems in most cases is unfortunately high. You could be lucky when uncovering your old fireplace and find out you need little more than a decent clean out of the hearth and a sweep of the chimney to get your fire roaring once more. What you'll most likely discover is an area of crumbling, old bricks that conceals issues such as a lintel that needs to be replaced or a blocked up chimney.
If fireplaces are installed improperly there is not only a risk of fire to your property, but there can be associated health hazards, which is why it is advisable to hire a competent Old Catton installation company for a fireplace. There must always be airflow into a room where there's a fireplace to ensure adequate amounts of oxygen for the fire to burn properly. Deadly carbon monoxide can develop from a fire burning inefficiently in an inadequately ventilated space.
To safely overcome any airflow issues, vents might be installed in the room during a fireplace installation, to ensure suitable levels of oxygen are able to reach the fire. To avoid condensed air from becoming trapped in blocked off or unused chimney flues and creating damp spots and staining, vents may need to be fitted by the fireplace installation team to increase the airflow.
BEFORE WORK BEGINS
It is astonishing just how much soot and muck can build up inside an old chimney and you won't know precisely what's there until you proceed to open it up. A decent Old Catton fireplace installer will bring covers for your home furnishings and provide some form of protection, but it's wise where possible to remove woven floor coverings and furniture from the room before any work commences. If you're fortunate enough to be carrying out a full home renovation project then it should be one of the very first jobs to complete before you re-plaster or decorate the walls. This should help to avoid any harm by dirt and chimney soot to any completed restoration work.
STRUCTURAL & CONSTRUCTION WORK
With the fireplace now open, it's time to see what is in a fit state to be renovated and give the chimney and hearth a good cleaning. The very first job on your checklist should be to contact a competent chimney sweep. They'll be able to offer you professional advice on the flue and chimney after sweeping, as to the state of the structure of the chimney and whether you need to exchange the existing liner.
After a chimney sweep assessment it may be required to strengthen the chimney breast or/and install a new flue liner as demanded by Part J of the Building Regulations. A reputable fireplace installer in Old Catton will be needed to undertake this work, and will have the knowledge and skills in construction to follow all regulations.
In older buildings you may find that the existing fireplace is too wide for your needs, in which case a concrete supporting lintel will be necessary to adapt the opening. When you have supported your fireplace with a lintel it is now necessary to renovate or upgrade the hearth. You might discover that your existing hearth has been sunken into a void in the floor, however to be in accordance with current regulations it must be raised above floor level. If your fireplace isn't of a standard size you may have to choose a tailor-made hearth, however there are a wide range of pre-made hearths in marble, concrete or slate.
STYLES AND DESIGNS OF FIREPLACE
Choosing your perfect fireplace can be challenging when faced with the many designs and styles that are available from a fireplace showroom or online dealer. The advice and suggestions from your installation team, which will be specific to your requirements, will help you to choose a fireplace that is both suitable for your flue and chimney, and suited to your decor.
You property's age, and the theme you're trying to create for your room, should all help you decide upon the type and design of fireplace that's best for you. If you've got an attractive inglenook fireplace, a cast iron wood burner can look striking set within it, and also has the benefit of effectively reflecting the heat into the room from the brick or stone walls that surround the stove.
Even if you haven't got an existing chimney in your Old Catton home, it's still entirely possible to put in a wood burning or multi fuel stove. Providing that you have an exterior wall through which a stainless steel flue from the stove can be passed, you do not need a chimney structure to be able to experience a real fire.
WOOD, ELECTRIC, MULTI-FUEL, GAS OR OPEN FIREPLACE?
A flickering fire on a dark evening creates an ambience and charm that simply cannot be beaten, but what are the other options available to put into in your lovely new fireplace in Old Catton?
Electric Fireplaces - A wide selection of electric fireplaces to suit any home in Old Catton, can be easily fitted by any reasonable competent individual. They can be set into conventional fireplaces, and with "real feel" electric fires it can often be difficult to distinguish from the genuine thing.
Open Fireplaces - The classic fireplace that can make use of various fuels such as smokeless coal, briquettes, wood and other combustive materials. An expertly installed open fire will be nothing like the old style smoky fireplace that was perhaps blocked up by past owners, and its warm charm is a delightful addition to any property in Old Catton.
Multi-Fuel Stoves - Multi-fuel stoves provide you with options to use oil, wood, gas and coal to deliver a multi-purpose heater for any property in Old Catton. They can be used not simply for heating a single room, but some designs such as the AGA range, can provide useful cooking areas, supply hot water and can be used to heat the whole property if plumbed into a radiator network.
Wood Burning Stoves - Wood burners have become "the in thing" in a lot of properties in Old Catton, and can have classic or modern design to complement your decoration. A model with an integrated back boiler will provide supplementary heating by transferring the piping hot water to radiators in cold rooms in your house.
Gas Fireplaces - Delivering instant heat and being more efficient (thermally) when compared with open fires, there are a wide range of styles and designs to suit any type of Old Catton home. A Gas Safe certified contractor must fit and maintain any gas fire in your property, (CORGI was replaced by Gas Safe in 2009).
Fireplace installations are available in Old Catton and also in: Hainford, Hellesdon, Horsford, Crostwick, Frettenham, Drayton, Catton, Sprowston, Newton St Faith, Norwich, Horsham St Faith, Spixworth, Thorpe End, New Catton, Rackheath, Upper Hellesdon, Beeston, and in these postcodes NR6 7BJ, NR6 7AH, NR3, NR6 7HR, NR6 7NE, NR6 7RL, NR6 7AD, NR6 7DT, NR6 7BZ, NR6 7HU. Local Old Catton fireplace specialists will probably have the telephone dialling code 01603 and the postcode NR6. Checking this out can ensure that you're accessing locally based tradesmen installing fireplaces. Old Catton property owners can utilise these and lots of other related services.
Flues
A flue or chimney liner is a crucial part of your chimney structure, enabling it to perform a lot more effectively than it would otherwise, and improving the overall safety of your property. Flue liners are ducts fabricated from clay, ceramic material or metal which are fitted to the inside of chimneys to carry toxic fumes outside. Some chimneys in older homes in Old Catton may not even have a flue liner, or if the current lining is defective, may have to be re-lined.
Dangerous gases can be formed by the burning of fires and these can cause damage to the flue lining of your fireplace. Make certain your fireplace installer inspects the flue lining for potential issues and damage. Instead of expelling those hazardous gases outdoors, a damaged flue can enable them to seep into your home's living area. There is an added risk with defective flue linings, in that they might allow intense heat to penetrate the structure of the chimney, which might result in fires.
How To Retain Your Open Fireplace And Bring Down Your Heating Bills
With all of the current green concerns, the open fireplace has lost a little of its former charm, however it's still a favourite feature for many property owners in Old Catton. The natural ambiance of a fireplace triggers special memories for those who have them. The fireplace offers a lot of benefits for your property, but there are some important drawbacks that might need to be monitored. With energy costs increasing each year, your fireplace needs to give out heat in a very cost-effective way. Although having a fire going in a fireplace keeps the people around it toasty, it can actually suck warm air from the rest of the area, causing your heater to work harder. If you don't have a fire lit, the damper is designed to keep heat in. However, dampers are usually not terribly efficient seals, therefore all the warm air escapes and permits cold air to come into the room.
Many homeowners that possess a fireplace in their property in Old Catton don't understand how the fireplace can cause their energy bills to skyrocket. Instead of preserving resources, and heating costs, it can often be adding 100s of pounds of energy expense. But it is not all gloom and doom as there are techniques for making your fireplace much more cost-effective. All you need to do is just 4 fundamental things to fix your fireplace. These will certainly make your present fireplace a lot more economical, and reduce your heating bills.
The first point is to change your existing fireplace damper with a more efficient top sealing damper. This form of damper is positioned at the top of your chimney and helps to stop rain from entering. It stops the outside air from coming in, and the inside air from getting out, and functions in cold or hot weather. It is not very hard to install and can be easily bought from a fireplace supplier or on the web. Another thing you're able to do is to fit a fire-back at the back of your fireplace. This is a cast iron plate that is created to enhance the room interior decoration, while shielding the back wall from damage due to the heat. The fire-back also takes up heat from the fire and returns it back into the room, making the fireplace more effective.
Another method is to get a fireplace fan/heater, which draws in air in a room and warms it up. These heating devices do not produce any smoke and are be very efficient in keeping your house warm and cosy. The last thing you're able to do is to fit glass doors, which may be your biggest expense. If you do some groundwork, you can actually get a great deal on glass doors and they are not too hard to put in yourself. These doors create a screen between your living space and the fireplace, not only making the area less for the fire to heat, but also affording some protection.
The information presented here isn't all that tricky to put into action, and most of the required products can be purchased online. Make the most of your fireplace and watch your energy bills tumble.
Chimney Sweep Old Catton
Regardless whether you've got an open fire or a wood burning stove, it is imperative that you get your chimney swept regularly. Chimneys need to be swept and cleaned at least once every twelve months to keep them in a safe state.
To be confident that the task is being conducted correctly, it is invariably a good idea to bring in a specialist Old Catton chimney sweep. Using the services of a chimney sweep doesn't only keep your chimney clean and tidy but also highlights any safety issues that there may be with your chimney.
A build-up of ash, soot and wood tar can result in chimney fires if you fail to sweep your chimney. A poorly maintained chimney can also cause carbon monoxide gas to flow back into your house, a dangerous situation that you want to avoid.
The importance of hiring a reputable chimney sweep in Old Catton, should now be apparent. For Old Catton chimney sweeps quotes GO HERE. You can also get chimney sweeping services in Hainford, Hellesdon, Horsford, Crostwick, Frettenham, Drayton, Catton, Sprowston, Newton St Faith, Norwich, Horsham St Faith, Spixworth, Thorpe End, New Catton, Rackheath, Upper Hellesdon, Beeston, and in Old Catton itself.
Old Catton Fireplace Related Tasks
There is a variety of work that can be undertaken by your local Old Catton fireplace installer including fire grate conversions, marble fireplace surrounds in Old Catton, electric fireplace installations in Old Catton, chimney repairs, wood burning fireplace installations, brick fireplace installation in Old Catton, electric fire baskets, 2-sided fireplaces Old Catton, Victorian fireplaces Old Catton, electric fireplaces, fireplace services, tiled fireplaces Old Catton, fireplaces, cheap fireplaces, chimney modifications, fireplace mantels, classic fireplaces Old Catton, limestone fireplace Old Catton, the installation of chimney cowls, fireplace suites, double-sided stoves Old Catton, gas fireplaces Old Catton, fireplace surrounds, elm fireplaces Old Catton, fireplace removal in Old Catton, open fireplaces, cast iron fireplaces Old Catton, marble fireplaces, fireplace replacement, three-sided fireplaces Old Catton, made-to-measure fireplaces, Victorian fireplace installation in Old Catton, chimney strengthening, freestanding stoves Old Catton, flue lining, hearth fireplaces Old Catton, and more. These are just a few of the activities that are handled by tradesmen installing fireplaces. Old Catton companies will tell you about their entire range of services.
Skip Hire Old Catton
Taking care of the waste that's produced when engaged in home improvements or refurbishments in Old Catton, is one of the major downsides to conducting this type of project. Whether or not lots of waste is generated by your fireplace installations will depend on the particular circumstances of your project, sometimes there will be lots of waste, other times not much at all. Now some tradesmen will be prepared to take away this waste for you, and dispose of it in an eco-friendly way, whilst others will just leave you to dispose of it on your own.
Where there's a fair amount of waste, most people in Old Catton opt to hire a skip. If you have never hired a skip before, you may not be aware of the fact that skips come in a multitude of different volumes and sizes. Skips can be hired in the following forms: skip bags (1-1.5 cubic yards), mini-skips (2-3 cubic yards), midi-skips (4-5 cubic yards), builders skips (6-8 cubic yards), roll-on roll-off skips (20-25 cubic yards).
GO HERE and enter your requirements to get Old Catton skip hire quotes.
Fireplace Installation Norfolk
In the Norfolk area you can additionally get: East Winch fireplace installers, Great Massingham fireplace fitters, Coltishall fireplace fitters, Reedham fireplace installation, Newton Flotman fireplace installers, Tasburgh fireplace installations, Hainford fireplace installations, Hickling fireplace installations, Catfield fireplace installation, Watton fireplaces, Swanton Morley fireplace fitters, Northrepps fireplaces, Stoke Holy Cross fireplace fitters, Scole fireplace fitters, Horstead fireplace fitters, Hempnall fireplace installers, Potter Heigham fireplace installations, Salhouse fireplaces, Thorpe St Andrew fireplace installers, Tasburgh fireplace installers, Cromer fireplace installation, Narborough fireplaces, Wroxham fireplace fitters, Drayton fireplace installers, Reedham fireplace installations, Mundford fireplace installers, Cromer fireplace installers, Castle Acre fireplace installers, Drayton fireplace fitters. In every district of Norfolk you will be able to find fireplace specialists who'll provide high quality services for all your fireplace requirements. If you're unable to identify a suitable fireplace installer in Old Catton itself you should not have any problem finding one nearby.
Fireplace Installation Information
To find out the easiest way install a log burning stove you could take a look at YouTube tutorials like this. To view fireplace photographs and related social media advertising, check this out. The dedicated Wikipedia "fireplace" page is the spot to head for facts on how fireplaces affect the environment, electric fireplaces, the history of the fireplace, the types of fireplaces, fireplace heating efficiency and the health effects of fireplaces. Fireplace Installation advice and guidance is readily accessible from online forums, so to take advantage of this fact you should pop along to the Buildhub Forum, topics include things like building regulations, wood burners, pellet stoves and boilers, stove vents, widening fireplaces and chimney flues. There are some excellent posts about fireplace installation online, consequently if you are curious to learn about fireplace mantels click here.
Fireplace Installers Near Old Catton
Also find: Thorpe End fireplaces, Crostwick fireplaces, Drayton fireplaces, Hainford fireplaces, New Catton fireplaces, Horsham St Faith fireplaces, Sprowston fireplaces, Hellesdon fireplaces, Spixworth fireplaces, Catton fireplaces, Upper Hellesdon fireplaces, Beeston fireplaces, Frettenham fireplaces, Norwich fireplaces, Rackheath fireplaces, Horsford fireplaces, Newton St Faith fireplace services and more. The majority of these areas are serviced by tradesmen fitting fireplaces. Old Catton householders can get estimates by going here.
Fireplaces Around Old Catton: In Proctor Road, Lavare Court, Desmond Drive, Grange Close, White Woman Lane, Lindley Close, Carterford Drive, Lancaster Close, Chartwell Road, Lodge Lane, Louis Close, Overstone Court, Blacksmiths Way, Brayfield Way, Spixworth Road, Mansel Drive, George Hill, Lodge Farm Drive, Catton Chase, Park Close, Sywell Close, Longland Close, Constitution Hill, Norman Drive, as well as these Old Catton area postcodes: NR6 7BJ, NR6 7AH, NR3, NR6 7HR, NR6 7NE, NR6 7RL, NR6 7AD, NR6 7DT, NR6 7BZ, NR6 7HU. property owners have just recently needed fireplace installation. These locations recently saw activity by local installers of fireplaces. Old Catton homeowners enjoyed high quality and dependable fireplace services on each occasion.
Fireplaces Old Catton
Fireplace Installers Near Me
Fireplace Installation Old CattonTo find local Old Catton info check here
More Norfolk Fireplace Fitters: More Norfolk fireplace fitters: Kings Lynn, Attleborough, Stalham, Thetford, Taverham, Fakenham, Swaffham, Cromer, Acle, Hunstanton, Aylsham, Diss, Norwich, Hellesdon, Watton, Wymondham, Holt, Gorleston, Downham Market, North Walsham, Loddon, Hingham, Hethersett, Sheringham, Drayton, Caister-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Costessey, Old Catton, Sprowston, Bradwell, Heacham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Dereham, Dersingham, Reepham and Thorpe St Andrew.
Fireplace installation in NR6 area, (dialling code 01603).