Firebox Repair & Installation
The firebox is the interior space in your fireplace where the wood is burned. Most fireboxes are made with firebricks held together by refractory mortar. Refractory mortar is built to withstand high temperatures, which is a critical feature in a firebox. Unfortunately, many fireboxes are not built using this mortar. This is why you see many fireboxes that have damage to the joints between the bricks.
Firebox Wear and Tear
Like any appliance, your firebox will start to wear out with use and time. That’s why it’s so important to have your firebox inspected each year, as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association. The heating and cooling that comes from burning wood in your firebox will cause the mortar between the firebricks to crack. As large chunks of the mortar falls out, this leaves gaps in the firebricks that can make your firebox unsafe to use. Hot gases can escape into these gaps and start a fire in your home.
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Tuckpointing
If the bricks in your firebox are in good shape, but the mortar is starting to break down, your firebox is in need of tuck pointing. In this process, we remove the existing mortar and repack the space between the bricks with high-temperature refractory mortar.
Firebox Installation
If both the bricks and the mortar are in bad shape, the best option is to tear out the existing fireplace and have a new firebox installed. This is a big job, but Mr. Smokestack Chimney Service has the experience to make this a mess-free and stress-free experience for you.
First, we will carefully remove the bricks in your existing fireplace using a small demolition hammer. Next, our expert masons will carefully rebuild your firebox one brick at a time, using the best quality, high-temperature bricks and mortar. Once the process is complete, you can rest assured that your new firebox will be safe and ready for years of worry-free use.
Another important working part of your chimney system is the damper which may need repair or replacement for increased efficiency and to prevent other problems. Our technicians are fully trained to repair or replace this often-overlooked chimney part, so give us a call.
