Fireplace restoration in Northdale

A full inspection before the plan

The national standard for chimneys and fireplaces, NFPA 211, calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected for soundness, freedom from deposits and correct clearances. A restoration plan built on anything less is guesswork.

Our pros look at the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, lintel, hearth, face and clearances before writing a single line of the plan. The inspection is free, and the findings stay with you.

When the firebox walls need rebuilding

Behind the lining, the code wants 8 inches of solid masonry in the back and side walls, and that 8 inches counts a firebrick lining 2 or more inches thick. Heat that has worked through a failed lining for years can damage that masonry too.

Our specialists check the wall behind the old lining once it is out. If the masonry itself has failed, rebuilding it becomes a separate line in the estimate, explained before the work goes further.

Restoring the lintel over the opening

The steel angle over the opening carries the brick above it, and code section R1001.7 calls for at least 4 inches of bearing at each end. Rust swells the steel, and the growth can crack joints, push brick forward or let the angle sag.

Brick industry guidance (BIA Technical Note 19) recommends room at the ends of a steel lintel for heat expansion. Our specialists clean and coat a lintel with surface rust, and replace one that has lost section, resetting the brick above it.

What your restoration estimate lists

Each stage of a restoration appears on its own line with its price, so you can approve the plan whole or in parts. Here is what the lines usually cover.

• Cleaning of the face and firebox, with the method
• Repointing, with the mortar type and color
• Firebox relining or rebuilding
• Smoke chamber and damper work
• Hearth, tile and ironwork repairs
• Curing steps before the first full fire