Fireplace Fitter Strood Kent (ME2): Re-opening an old disused fireplace to install an open fire, a gas fire or a wood burner is a splendid way to add charm and a homely feel to any Strood home. Cold winter evenings can become a joy as you relax in front of your new fireplace listening to the crackle of firewood, and if your fire is used in combination with a back boiler you can even enjoy free hot water too.
There are a few vital considerations you must think of before you begin any work, in order to establish an efficient, attractive and safe fireplace in your home. Any combustible appliance in residential homes in Strood must comply with Part J of the UK's Building Regs, and this applies to hearths, fireplaces, flue linings and chimney breasts. 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 a competent and enthusiastic DIYer it may be quite possible to renovate an existing bricked-up or closed-off fireplace, but the chances of running into structural problems in most cases is regrettably high. If you are fortunate when you open up a boarded fireplace you might find a decent lintel, chimney breast and hearth that needs little more than the advice and services of a chimney sweep to get a toasty fire going. What is more commonplace however is a swathe of crumbling, old brickwork that hides a blocked flue, and also requires some degree of structural reinforcement before it can be safely used.
A wrongly fitted fireplace can cause significant fire risk and respiratory health problems and should only be fitted by a professional fireplace installer in Strood with the knowledge and experience to do the work safely. There always has to be enough airflow into a room where there's a fireplace to ensure adequate levels of oxygen for the fire to burn safely. Insufficient oxygen means the fire won't burn well, and an accumulation of carbon monoxide fumes could occur, which can lead to death.
It may be necessary to install airflow vents in walls and floors to enable the fire to receive enough oxygen to burn properly and safely all the time. To avoid condensed air from becoming trapped in blocked off or unused chimney flues and producing staining and damp spots, vents may need to be installed by the fireplace installation team to introduce more airflow.
BEFORE WORK STARTS
It is surprising just how much muck and soot can accumulate inside an old fireplace and chimney and you'll not know precisely what's there until you proceed to open it up. A fireplace installer will bring dust sheets to cover up your home furnishings and supply a bit of protection, however it is sensible where possible to remove carpets and furniture from the area before work commences. If you are carrying out a complete restoration of a room or property, the fireplace ought to be opened up and worked on before any plastering or decorating is undertaken. By opening a fireplace first you'll stop any soot from the chimney causing staining damage to other phases of your restoration project, such as wallpapered walls or fresh plasterwork.
CONSTRUCTION & STRUCTURAL WORK
Now that you're able to see the fireplace opening it's time to sweep and clean the chimney and hearth and figure out what can be refurbished. You should now speak to your chimney sweep, if you've not already done this, to come and look at the old fireplace and chimney. They will be willing to provide professional guidance on the chimney and flue after sweeping, regarding the condition of the structure of the chimney and if it would be advisable to upgrade the existing lining.
If you need to strengthen the chimney or install a flue lining all UK Building Regulations must be followed to the letter. This work should be completed by a competent tradesman who is acquainted with the appropriate building regulations and good working practices.
If the size of the existing fireplace is larger than your needs, a supporting concrete lintel will need to be put in. When you've successfully supported your fireplace with a new lintel it is now possible to repair or update the hearth. If the current hearth is set into the floor you'll have to raise it to observe the latest regulations. Pre-made options from concrete, marble or slate are available on the market to accomplish this, or your fireplace fitter in Strood may be able to offer you a bespoke, custom-made hearth to match the design of your room.
STYLES AND DESIGNS OF FIREPLACE
A quick browse online or a visit to a fireplace showroom will reveal the options available for the different fireplace designs and styles. It is possible that because of your current flue, chimney and airflow to the room, that certain fireplace designs might not be appropriate, and it pays to follow the recommendations from the fireplace installer with respect to this.
You home's age, and the theme that you're trying to create for your room, will all help you to decide on the type and design of fireplace that's most suitable for you. If you have an attractive inglenook fireplace, a cast iron wood burner can look striking set inside it, and has the added benefit of deflecting the heat back into the room from the brick or stone walls surrounding the stove.
Even if your Strood home hasn't got a chimney breast you still have options for a feature fireplace through the installation of a multi-fuel stove or a wood burner. So long as you have an external wall through which a stainless steel flue from the back or top of the stove can be routed, you don't need an existing chimney structure in place to be able to experience a real fire.
GAS, ELECTRIC, MULTI-FUEL, WOOD OR OPEN FIREPLACE?
The feel and ambience of an open fire can't be beaten, however what options are available if this type of fireplace is not possible in your Strood property?
Gas Fireplaces - There are a range of designs 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 fitted by a Gas Safe registered tradesperson.
Open Fireplaces - The classic fireplace that can be used with various fuels such as wood, briquettes, smokeless coal and other combustive materials. An open fire is a delight to the eye and contemporary fireplaces are no longer the smoky, draughty and inefficient objects they used to be.
Electric Fireplaces - A wide selection of electric fireplaces to complement pretty much any home in Strood, can easily be fitted by any competent person. They can be inset into conventional fireplaces, and with the "real" looking feel of some electric fires it can often be difficult to distinguish them from the genuine thing.
Wood Burning Stoves - Even the tiniest room in Strood can be improved by the installation of a wood burning stove, which are available in a variety of designs, and can even be fitted free standing. An integrated back boiler is an additional benefit and could provide hot water for use around the home, or to provide heating for the house via radiators.
Multi-Fuel Stoves - Multi-fuel stoves provide you with the option of using wood, coal, gas and oil to furnish you with a multi-purpose heater for any home in Strood. The AGA range is well known as being able to provide heating for the entire home, a constant supply of hot water and an oven and hob all in one unit.
It is not just in Strood that you can access fireplace installation companies - surrounding areas like: Chattenden, Wainscott, Upper Upnor, Higham, Lower Upnor, Frindsbury, Shorne, Cliffe Woods, Cuxton, North Halling can also be covered. Strood fireplace companies will generally have the postcode ME2 and the telephone code 01634. Strood home and business owners have the use of these fireplace services whenever they're in need of them. Clicking on the "QUOTE" form or banner will enable you to acquire fireplace installation details for your area.
Tips To Look After Your Fireplace And Lower Your Heating Bill
With all the current fears about the environment, the fireplace has lost some of its charm, but it still is a favourite feature for many householders in Strood. Sitting in front of the comfort of a fireplace, brings back many treasured memories for a lot of folks. The fireplace has numerous benefits for your property, but there are also some major drawbacks that might need to be monitored. With power costs rising so quickly these days, your fireplace must be a good source of heat, not one of inefficiency. Although having a fire blazing in a fireplace keeps those near to it toasty, it actually removes warm air from other parts of the room, causing your heater to work harder. If you don't have a fire going, the damper is supposed to keep heat in. However, dampers are generally not terribly effective seals, consequently all of the warm air escapes and permits cold air to come into the home.
A great many householders in Strood who have a fireplace don't realise how it can influence heating costs. Instead of warming a residence naturally, a fireplace can actually add hundreds of pounds to your heating expenses. You will find there's a way to take your ineffective fireplace, and turn it into a heat creating system that your budget will love. Just about all you need to do is only four simple things to fix your fireplace. These will certainly make your fireplace more economical, and reduce your heating bills.
The 1st thing that must be done is to replace the current damper with a new top sealing damper. This form of damper is installed at the top of the chimney, and operates like a storm door. It does a superb job of retaining warm air in the house during wintertime and cool air from escaping in the summer months. The damper is straightforward to install, and can be purchased online. An additional thing which can be done should be to position a fire-back at the rear of your fireplace. A fire-back is constructed of cast iron and it is meant to protect the wall behind from fire damage, while at the same time making your fireplace look more elegant. The fire-back also soaks up heat from the fire and sends it back into the room, making your fireplace more effective.
Another cost saver is a fireplace fan/heater, which heats the room by drawing the air into a chamber and recycling the air back into the room. These heating devices do not discharge any smoke and should be very efficient in keeping your house warm. The last and final thing you're able to do is to install glass doors, which might be your biggest expense. If you do your groundwork, you can secure a good price on glass doors and install them on your own. Such glass doors create a screen between the chimney and living space, not only making the area less for the fire to heat, but also affording some protection.
The suggestions given here are not that difficult to do and you should be able to obtain all of the items from the internet. Simply do your best to make sure your fireplace is efficient and notice your heating bills go down.
Flue Linings
A chimney liner or flu liner is a crucial part of your chimney system, enabling it to perform a lot more effectively than it otherwise would, and improving the overall safety of your property. Manufactured from metal, ceramic material or clay, flue liners are ducts that are installed inside chimneys to transport smoke and fumes outside. Depending on their age and condition, older chimneys in Strood may need to be re-lined, or may not be fitted with a flue liner at all.
The hazardous gases and fumes which are formed when burning a fire can eat away at your fireplace's flue lining. Your flue lining should be frequently checked for damage and potential problems every time it's being swept. If there is damage, those toxic gases may be able to seep into your home instead of being safely expelled outdoors. There is an additional risk with impaired flues, in that they might enable intense heat to pass into the chimney's structure, which can contribute to fires.
Chimney Sweeping Strood
No matter whether you've got an open fire or a wood burner, you need to get your chimney swept regularly. At least once every twelve months is the advice for chimney sweeping.
This is a filthy job, so it is best to call in a professional Strood chimney sweep. While you're getting your chimney cleaned, the sweep will also be on the lookout for any safety issues or problems that there might be with your chimney.
Routine sweeping helps prevent a build-up of ash, soot and wood tar, a common cause of chimney fires. Another hazardous situation that you want to avoid at all costs is carbon monoxide fumes being drawn back into your home, which can also be caused by a blocked or poorly maintained chimney.
This all adds up to the fact that you should always employ a reputable Strood chimney sweep, and one who has good public liability cover in case any accidents or damages occur. To get a chimney swept in Strood, CLICK HERE for a quote.
Fireplace Installation Help and Guidance
For more information regarding the heating efficiency of fireplaces, the health effects of fireplaces, the evolution of fireplaces, the different types of fireplaces, how fireplaces affect the environment and gas fireplaces, head over to Wikipedia. A forum is a fantastic place to get information and facts on fireplace installation, so why don't you take a look at the Buildhub Forum (HERE), subjects include pellet stoves and boilers, wood burners, chimney flues, widening a fireplace, trims for stoves and building regulations. To read a fascinating article about fireplace decorating ideas check this out. To follow the kind of social media marketing that's being done on fireplaces, check this out. Find ideas for installing a gas fireplace on YouTube here.
Strood Fireplace Related Tasks
There are a wide array of tasks that can be carried out by your local Strood fireplace fitter including chimney strengthening Strood, marble fireplace installations, fireplace suites in Strood, fireplace design in Strood, chimney repairs, freestanding stoves in Strood, modern fireplace installation, wood burning fireplaces in Strood, oak beam fireplaces, electric fireplace installations, chimney sweeping, fireplace replacement Strood, fireplace removal, Victorian fireplaces, bespoke fireplaces, fireplace services Strood, electric fire baskets, fireplaces in Strood, fireplace repairs, fireplace mantels, marble fireplaces in Strood, inset stove installations in Strood, cast iron fireplaces, the installation of chimney cowls, Victorian fireplace installations Strood, fireplace fitting in Strood, cast iron fireplace installations, fake fireplace installation, and lots more. These are just a selection of the duties that are accomplished by tradesmen fitting fireplaces. Strood specialists will tell you about their entire range of fireplace related services.
Browsing the Internet
Searching on the web is the way that the majority of people in Strood look for any kind of services or tradesmen in this day and age. Google, Ask, Bing or Yahoo will supply immediate results that will to some degree be relevant to your search term. Going through these listings can be somewhat challenging and all may not be as it seems initially. Typing in "fireplace installation in Strood", "fireplace installation near me", "fireplace installation Strood" or "Strood fireplace installation" will generally be the procedure to use when trying to track down fireplace installers in Strood.
All the same, you'll subsequently discover that many of the 1st page of results on those search engines will either be listings from the top trade portals such as Quotatis, TrustaTrader, Rated People, Bidvine, My Builder or Checkatrade, business directories like Cyclex, Yelp, Yell or Gumtree, or PPC adverts that the search engine has for profit inserted there. The web sites applying to real fireplace installers in the area will probably be shown much lower down the listing results - on page 2 or 3 perhaps.
Fireplace Installers Near Strood
Also find: Upper Upnor fireplace installers, Higham fireplace installers, Lower Upnor fireplace installers, Shorne fireplace installers, Cuxton fireplace installers, North Halling fireplace installers, Cliffe Woods fireplace installers, Wainscott fireplace installers, Frindsbury fireplace installers, Chattenden fireplace installers and more. All of these areas are catered for by companies who fit fireplaces. Possessing the necessary knowledge and experience, these skilled tradesmen can adeptly install fireplaces in your property. These dedicated specialists can help residents experience the comfort, warmth and atmosphere that a fireplace brings to their homes. By simply clicking here, local residents can obtain fireplace installation estimates. So, why not get cracking with your fireplace installation right away!
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