Fireplaces Fort William

Fireplace Fitter Fort William Scotland (PH33): Fitting a new fireplace or re-opening a disused fireplace in your Fort William property is a splendid way to add a homely feel and some character to any room. The addition of a wood burning stove or open fire for those chilly winters' evenings can even be less expensive than some central heating systems, providing that you have a ready source of wood. If used in combination with a back boiler it can provide you with plentiful hot water in the process.

There are some important considerations to make before you start any work, if you are going to create an attractive, efficient and safe fireplace in your house. All work must abide by Part J of the Building Regulations, which addresses the installation and construction of chimney breasts, flue linings, hearths and fireplaces of any combustible appliance. Planning permission may also be needed before work commences if your home is listed or in a conservation area.

DIY OR PROFESSIONAL FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?

A simple renovation of a pre-existing fireplace can be achieved by a competent DIYer, however if any construction work is needed there's the possibility of running into structural issues which will have to be addressed professionally. You may be fortunate when uncovering your old fireplace and find out that you need little more than a decent chimney sweep and a quick clean out of the hearth in order to get your fire roaring. What's more common however is a patch of old brickwork covering a blocked flue, and needs some form of structural reinforcement before it can be safely used.

Employing a certified fireplace installer in Fort William is widely recommended, since a fireplace that's poorly installed can can cause a fire risk and respiratory health conditions. According to the Building Regulations, a room with a fireplace must have ample oxygen and airflow to allow the fire to burn correctly. Carbon monoxide gas can build-up in a poorly ventilated room where a fire that is burning inefficiently is installed.

To overcome this problem a fireplace specialist in Fort William will analyse the circumstances and install vents around the room, or beneath the flooring, to ensure a sufficient amount of air flow for the fire to burn effectively and safely. Blocked off and unused chimney flues may also need to have air vents installed because they can sometimes trap moist air causing damp to develop inside the chimney breast.

BEFORE WORK BEGINS

It's astonishing just how much dust and soot can build up inside an old fireplace and you'll not know precisely what's there until you proceed to open it up. Even with covers and other dust protection for your furniture, the risk of damage from muck and soot is still likely and it is advised to remove your furniture and carpets before any fireplace restoration work starts. If you are lucky enough to be working on a complete home renovation project then it should be one of the very first jobs to concentrate on before re-plastering and decorating the walls. This will help to prevent any harm by soot and other chimney dirt to any previously completed work.

CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL WORK

Once you have revealed your old fireplace you will have a better understanding of the work that needs to be done, and also be able to thoroughly sweep the chimney and clear out any sections of hearth that can be re-used. You should now get in touch with your chimney sweep, if you haven't already done this, to come and clean the old fireplace and chimney. They'll be willing to provide professional advice on the flue and chimney after sweeping, as to the condition of the chimney structure and whether it would be advisable to upgrade the existing flue liner.

After a chimney sweep examination it may be required to install a new liner and/or strengthen the chimney breast as laid down in Part J of the UK Building Regulations. These are tasks that need to be done by a competent tradesman with a knowledge of the relevant building regs and quality construction skills.

If the dimensions of the existing fireplace are greater than your needs, a concrete supporting lintel should be put in. When you have supported your fireplace with a lintel it is now possible to repair or update the hearth. You might discover that the original hearth has been set into the floor, but to conform to latest building regulations it is required to be raised above floor level. If your fireplace isn't of a standard size you may have to choose a made to measure hearth, however there are also a wide variety of "off-the-shelf" hearths in marble, slate or concrete.

STYLES AND DESIGNS OF FIREPLACE

A quick browse online or a trip to a fireplace showroom will show the options that are available for the different fireplace designs and styles. The suggestions and advice from your sales and installation team, which will be in keeping with your specific requirements, will enable you to pick a fireplace that's both perfect for your chimney and flue, as well as for your home's decor.

Certain rooms and houses will look better with an open fireplace than a multi-fuel stove or a wood burner and vice versa. If you've got an inglenook fireplace, a wood burner can look spectacular set within it, and also has the benefit of effectively deflecting the heat into the room from the stone or brick walls surrounding the stove.

Even if you haven't got a pre-existing chimney breast in your Fort William property, it is still possible to install a wood burning or multi fuel stove. Providing that you have an external wall through which a flue from the top or back of the stove can be routed, you do not need a chimney structure to be able to benefit from that "real" fire experience.

WOOD, OPEN, ELECTRIC, MULTI-FUEL OR GAS FIREPLACE?

A crackling fire on a cold evening creates a charm and ambience that simply can't be matched, however what other options are available to put into in your new fireplace in Fort William?

Electric Fireplaces - Simple installation and a diverse choice of designs make electric fires an extremely popular choice for Fort William properties that don't have a chimney. Even if your home has a traditional fireplace, an electric fire that appears almost like a "real" fire can be fitted.

Gas Fireplaces - Delivering instant heat and more efficient (thermally) when compared to wood burners, there are a wide variety of styles to suit any period of property. Gas fires can only be installed and maintained by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer, (Gas Safe replaced CORGI registration in 2009).

Open Fireplaces - Provides a unique focal point for a room and can utilise a number of different solid fuels. An expertly fitted modern open fire will be nothing like the smoky old fireplace that was perhaps bricked up by previous owners, and its glowing elegance is a delightful addition to any home in Fort William.

Multi-Fuel Stoves - As the name indicates multi-fuel stoves can be used with various fuels, such as gas, wood, oil or coal, and become an attractive focal point in any lounge or kitchen in Fort William. The AGA range is renowned as being able to provide heating for the whole home, a constant hot water supply and a cooker all in one useful appliance.

Wood Burning Stoves - Wood burners have become very popular in a lot of properties in Fort William, and can have modern or classic design to match your decoration. A version with an integrated back boiler can supply supplementary heating capabilities by transferring the hot water to a radiator in a cold spot of your house.

Fireplace installers are accessible in Fort William itself, in the following postcodes: PH33 6EG, PH33 6DG, PH33 6LB, PH33 6TE, PH33 6QE, PH33 6UN, PH33 6UQ, PH33 6EL, PH33 6ER, and PH33 6EN, as well as in adjacent places like Onich, Spean Bridge, Torlundy, Lochyside, Fort Augustus, Druimarbin, Banavie, Inverlochy, Killin, Kinlochleven, Caol, Glencoe, Mallaig, Corpach. Local Fort William fireplace services will most likely have the postcode PH33 and the telephone dialling code 01397. You will want to confirm this if you prefer to use a locally based fireplace fitter. Fort William householders are spoiled for choice when searching for fireplace installers. If you want to access fireplaces and fireplace installation information for your region, simply click on the "QUOTE" banner.

Chimney Sweeping Fort William

The routine sweeping of your chimney is essential if you've got an open fire or a wood burning stove in your property in Fort William. To keep your chimney safe and working correctly, it ought to be swept at least once every year.

To ensure that the job is being conducted correctly, it is invariably a good idea to call in a professional Fort William chimney sweep. There are additional advantages to calling in a professional, because if there are any safety issues or problems with your chimney, the chimney sweep is in a good position to spot them.

Routine sweeping prevents a build-up of ash, creosote and soot, a common cause of chimney fires. Poisonous carbon monoxide fumes can also be drawn back into your property if you allow your chimney to become blocked or poorly maintained.

This all adds up to the fact that you should always use a trustworthy Fort William chimney sweep, and one who has decent public liability cover in case of any accidents. CLICK HERE to get chimney sweeping quotes for the Fort William area. You should also be able to get chimney sweeping done in neabry locations.

Flue Liners

Enabling your chimney to perform a lot more effectively, a flue or chimney liner is a vital addition to your chimney set-up. With the purpose of carrying smoke and fumes safely to the outside of a property, flue liners are ducts made from clay, ceramic material or metal that are installed inside chimneys. In accordance with their condition and age, older chimneys in Fort William may have to be re-lined, or may not be fitted with a flue lining at all.

The dangerous fumes and gases which are formed when burning a fire can damage your chimney's flue. Whilst it is being cleaned, get the chimney sweep or fireplace specialist to assess your flue lining for any damages or any chances of it failing in the near future. If it is impaired, those hazardous gases might possibly seep into your home rather than being properly vented outdoors. There's also the risk of fires inside the property because a compromised flue can allow extreme heat to penetrate the chimney's structure.

Tips To Maintain Your Open Fireplace And Lower Your Heating Bill

The age-old fireplace may have lost some of its glamour as a result of concerns for the environment but it is still loved by many in Fort William. The natural ambiance of a fireplace invokes special memories for those who have them. Having a fireplace has its perks but there are also a few downsides that could affect its usefulness. As energy costs rise, you need to make sure that your fireplace is giving you heat in an efficient way. Although having a fire blazing in a fireplace keeps those around it warm, it actually removes warm air from the rest of the area, causing your heat source to work harder. When there is no fire, a damper should control the airflow. Unfortunately, fireplace dampers can often be inefficient in keeping cold air out, and warm air in.

Many householders in Fort William who have fireplaces don't know how it can influence heating costs. Instead of managing the heating of a house naturally, a fireplace can actually add hundreds of pounds to the cost of your heating. But it is not all bad news seeing that there are options for making your fireplace much more cost-effective. There happen to be four simple steps that you can take to change your fireplace into the cost-effective heat sourse you're looking for. These will certainly make your fireplace far more effective, and lower your heating bills.

The initial thing to do is to replace the existing damper with a new top sealing damper. This style of damper is installed at the top of the chimney, and operates like a storm door. It stops the inside air from getting out, and the outside air from going in, and works in hot weather or cold. It is not very hard to install and may be easily bought online. An additional thing you can do is fix a fire-back in the back part of your fireplace. This is a cast iron plate that's intended to add to the room interior decoration, while saving the back wall from being damaged by the heat. The fire-back basically heats up from the fire and reflects the heat back into a room, consequently enhancing the efficiency of the fireplace.

Another means to cut down on fuel bills is to use a fireplace fan/heater, which heats the space by pulling the air into a heat chamber and blowing the air back into the room. These devices are created as closed systems so they don't give off any smoke, but they're effective in warming your property. Lastly, you may install glass doors which could be the costliest. If you do your homework, you can certainly get an excellent deal on glass doors and they aren't that difficult to fit yourself. Such doors create a barrier between the fireplace and living space, not only stopping the warm air in the room from escaping up the chimney, but also offering protection.

All of these tips are straightforward to do, and the products can be found on the internet. Retain your existing fireplace and lower heating costs by making it more efficient.

Fort William Fireplace Related Tasks

There is a wide range of work that can be accomplished by your local Fort William fireplace specialist including fireplace inserts, inset stoves, chimney strengthening Fort William, electric fireplace installation, stone fireplace installations, fake fireplaces Fort William, fireplace surrounds, oak beam fireplaces Fort William, electric fireplaces Fort William, cast iron fireplace installations Fort William, fireplace services, multifuel stove installations, three-sided fireplaces, fireplace removal Fort William, stone fireplaces, fireplaces Fort William, marble fireplace installation, freestanding stoves Fort William, brick fireplace installation, traditional fireplaces, classic fireplaces, chimney modifications Fort William, fireplace design Fort William, chimney sweeping, fireplace cleaning in Fort William, inglenook fireplace installation Fort William, wood burning fireplaces Fort William, period fireplaces, Victorian fireplace installations, fire grate conversions in Fort William, marble fireplaces in Fort William, open fireplaces in Fort William, fireplace mantels, fireplace packages Fort William, fireplace hearths, and lots more. These are just a handful of the tasks that are carried out by those installing fireplaces. Fort William providers will be delighted to keep you abreast of their entire range of services.

Fireplace Installation Help and Advice

To read a short article about fireplace decorating ideas click here. To answer or ask questions pertaining to fireplace installation check out the Buildhub Forum, discussion topics comprise stove vents, pellet boilers and stoves, understanding building regulations, widening fireplaces, chimney design and log burning stoves. To discover fireplace pictures and related social media marketing, check this out. By studying You Tube videos like this it's possible to discover how to install a recessed electric fireplace. To find out more regarding the environmental effects of fireplaces, the different types of fireplace, the evolution of fireplaces, the health effects of fireplaces, wood burning fireplaces and the heating efficiency of fireplaces, you can head over to Wikipedia and search for "Fireplace".

Fireplace Installers Near Fort William

Also find: Fort Augustus fireplace installers, Spean Bridge fireplace installers, Onich fireplace installers, Banavie fireplace installers, Corpach fireplace installers, Glencoe fireplace installers, Kinlochleven fireplace installers, Inverlochy fireplace installers, Druimarbin fireplace installers, Killin fireplace installers, Lochyside fireplace installers, Mallaig fireplace installers, Caol fireplace installers, Torlundy fireplace installers and more. There are companies who install fireplaces in all of these places. In your home, these skilled tradespeople can put their expertise and know-how to use for adeptly installing fireplaces. These devoted specialists assist residents in achieving the atmosphere, warmth and comfort a fireplace contributes to living spaces. Local homeowners can get fireplace installation quotes by simply clicking here. Does your house need a fireplace? Get a quote today!

For the latest local Fort William info take a look here

More: Fireplaces, Custom Fireplaces, Open Fireplaces, Fireplace Services, Log Burner Installation, Custom Fireplaces, Fireplaces, Fireplace Restoration, Brick Fireplaces, Fireplace Replacement, Fireplace Replacement, Electric Fireplaces, Fireplace Services, Fireplace Installation, Log Burners, Electric Fireplaces, Fireplaces, Bespoke Fireplaces, Custom Fireplaces, Cheap Fireplaces, Fireplaces, Fireplace Services, Fireplaces, Fireplace Fitters, Fireplaces, Custom Fireplaces, Log Burner Installation, Fireplace Restoration, Fireplace Services, Bespoke Fireplaces.

Fireplace installation in PH33 area, 01397.