Fireplace Fitter Rickmansworth Hertfordshire (WD3): A great way to add extra character and a welcoming feel to any dwelling in Rickmansworth, is to reopen an old fireplace to fit a open, wood burner or multi-fuel fire. So long as you've got a ready supply of timber or fuel, the addition of a multi-fuel stove or open fire for those frosty winter evenings could even be more cost effective than a regular central heating system. Combine a back boiler with your fireplace and you will be able to enjoy supplies of endless hot water to save you even more cash.
There are some important considerations you must bear in mind if you are to end up with a safe and efficient fireplace, before you commence knocking down the walls of a blocked up fireplace. Any combustible appliance installed within residential homes in Rickmansworth must comply with Part J of the building regs, and this covers flue linings, fireplaces, chimney breasts and hearths. If your property is a listed building you will also have to find out if planning permission is required from the local council before any work can begin.
DIY OR PROFESSIONAL FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?
If you're a keen and competent DIY'er it is possible to refurbish an existing blocked or bricked-up fireplace, but the chance of experiencing structural issues in most cases is unfortunately high. If you're fortunate when you expose a boarded fireplace you may find a decent hearth, lintel and chimney breast that requires little more than the advice and services of a chimney sweep to get it ready for use. What you will more likely discover is a pile of crumbling bricks that hides issues such as a blocked chimney or a lintel that requires replacement.
A poorly fitted fireplace can cause serious fire risk and respiratory health problems and should only be put in by a specialist fireplace installer in Rickmansworth with the knowledge and experience to do the work effectively. A major part of Part J of the Building Regulations for fireplaces is that sufficient oxygen is available for the fire to burn efficiently and properly. A fire will not burn properly in a room where there is not enough oxygen, and death or serious injury could occur when carbon monoxide gas is produced.
To guarantee a sufficient air flow for the fire to burn safely and properly, a specialist fireplace installation company will analyse the situation and install vents around the room, or under the floor, thus resolving this issue. Unused and blocked up chimney flues may also have to have air vents fitted as they can often trap moist air inside them causing damp to build up inside the chimney breast.
BEFORE WORK COMMENCES
Huge amounts of dirt and soot will enter your house when you are having a disused fireplace opened up. To ensure that your possessions do not get impaired by the dust, soot and dirt that is emitted during work by a fireplace installer, removing carpets, rugs and furniture beforehand is recommended. If it is just part of a larger home restoration project, the opening up of a disused fireplace ought to be one of the first tasks that you tackle, due to the mess involved. This will limit damage to other parts of your renovation project (i.e. newly painted walls or fresh plaster), by soot and dirt that's emitted.
CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL WORK
The time will come to sweep and clean the chimney and hearth and identify what can be repaired, once the opening up of the fireplace has been completed. This will be the ideal time to get in touch with a local Rickmansworth chimney sweep to find out if it's convenient to come and examine your fireplace and chimney. They will not only make certain your flue and chimney are nice and clean, but they can additionally investigate the state of the flue liner and existing chimney and provide guidance if you need to upgrade any section of the chimney structure and flue.
Construction might be essential to strengthen the original breast and chimney, and a new flue liner may also have to be installed. All of this work must adhere to the all important Building Regulations which are of course there for you and your loved one's safety. These are tasks that should be done by a capable tradesman with a knowledge of the pertinent regulations and reliable construction skills.
If the size of the original fireplace is greater than your needs, a new concrete supporting lintel will have to be installed. Once your new lintel is safely in position you may now press on with the installation, upgrade and renovation of the fireplace's hearth. The latest Building Regulations say that the hearth must be set slightly above floor level, although in past days it would quite often have been sunk into a void in the floor. You could ask your fireplace builder in Rickmansworth about a bespoke, custom-built hearth that will match your property's style and design, or if your fireplace is of a standard size, there's a wide selection of ready to install options in marble, granite and slate.
FIREPLACE STYLES
Browsing on the net or checking out a nearby fireplace outlet will give you a sense of the wide array of different styles of fireplace for you to pick from. It usually pays to follow the advice of the fireplace installation team when it comes to which fireplaces will be appropriate for your flue, chimney and ventilation situation, because some won't be.
A multi-fuel or wood burning stove may be appropriate for some rooms and homes in Rickmansworth, whilst an open fireplace will be more suitable for others. If you're lucky enough to have a property with an inglenook fireplace for instance, this can be an ideal position for a cast iron wood-burner stove. This won't only deflect any heat that is produced back into the room effectively, but will also highlight the charm and character of the stove.
Even if you do not have an existing chimney in your Rickmansworth home, it is still entirely possible to install a wood burner stove. You don't need a chimney to benefit from a real fire, provided that you've got an outside wall through which a flue from the wood burner can be passed.
WOOD, ELECTRIC, MULTI-FUEL, OPEN OR GAS FIREPLACE?
The ambience and feel of a "real" fire cannot be beaten, however what options are out there if this form of fireplace isn't possible in your Rickmansworth home?
Multi-Fuel Stoves - As the name implies they can be fired up with with various fuels, such as smokeless coal, oil, gas or wood, and become a unique focal point in any living room or kitchen in Rickmansworth. One of the most widely regarded brands of multi-fuel stoves is the AGA range, and these can not only provide you with cost-effective heat for your entire home, but also cooking and hot water.
Wood Burning Stoves - These stoves come in contemporary or traditional designs to suit your decoration, and they've recently become "the in thing" in many households in Rickmansworth. An added benefit of these devices is that they can provide hot water for domestic use around the home, or provide heating in another area of the home by means of a radiator, when used in tandem with a back boiler.
Gas Fireplaces - More efficient (thermally) than wood burners, gas fireplaces are available in a wide array of styles to suit your home in Rickmansworth. The installation and maintenance of gas fireplaces should only be conducted by a Gas Safe certified tradesman in Rickmansworth.
Open Fireplaces - A flickering fire is a focus for any room in your home and it has the capability to burn virtually any solid fuel that you can buy. An expertly installed open fire is a far cry from the old style smoky fireplace that was perhaps blocked up by former owners, and its warm charm is a delightful addition to any house in Rickmansworth.
Electric Fireplaces - These are a suitable option almost any room and type of house in Rickmansworth, and can be safely and quickly fitted by anybody who is fairly competent. Contemporary electric fires can provide "real" looking flame effects and even the sound of crackling wood to replicate an open fire when set into into an old fashioned fireplace.
Fireplace installation companies can be accessed in Rickmansworth itself, in the following postcodes: WD3 1AQ, WD3 0GX, WD3 1GB, WD3 0DN, WD3 1HQ, WD3 1GE, WD3 1DR, WD3 1FG, WD3 1EP, and WD3 0FL, as well as in surrounding areas like Mill End, Jordans, Dibden Hill, Maple Cross, Holywell, Chandlers Cross, Loudwater, Sarratt, Butler's Cross, Money Hill, Batchworth. If they have the postcode WD3 and the telephone dialling code 01923, it's fairly likely that they hail from Rickmansworth or somewhere close by. Confirming this will ensure that you access a locally based fireplace company. Rickmansworth home and business owners have the use of these fireplace services as and when they need them. To get details about fireplaces near you just click the "quote" banner.
Chimney Sweep Rickmansworth
The routine sweeping of your chimney is vital if you've got an open fire or a wood burning stove in your property in Rickmansworth. At least once every twelve months is the recommendation for chimney sweeping.
This can be an unpleasant job, so you should always bring in a qualified Rickmansworth chimney sweep. While the chimney sweep is cleaning your chimney, he'll also be keeping an eye out for any problems or safety issues, so that they can then be resolved.
The build-up of soot, ash and creosote that results from failure to sweep a chimney in Rickmansworth, can easily lead to a chimney fire. As well as preventing fires, you will also want to avoid the possibility of poisoning by carbon monoxide fumes. When a chimney becomes blocked this noxious substance can be drawn back into your property with dreadful consequences.
This all adds up to the fact that you should always employ a dependable Rickmansworth chimney sweep, and one who has decent public liability cover in case of any accidents or damage. CLICK HERE to get a chimney sweeps quote in Rickmansworth. chimney sweeps are also available in nearby areas.
Searching For Fireplace Installation Online
It is a lot simpler to search for tradesmen or services nowadays than it used to be, since we've got the benefit of modern technology and can quickly just do a search on the web. You will see immediate results with the use of Ask, Bing, Google or Yahoo, and without doubt that is the appeal of modern search engines. What you'll very quickly realise is that such top search engines throw up listings that are somewhat diverse. Most people in Rickmansworth, when trying to track down fireplace installers will visit Google or bing and key in "Rickmansworth fireplace installation", "fireplace installation near me", "fireplace installation Rickmansworth" or "fireplace installation in Rickmansworth".
Internet directories such as Gumtree, Yelp, Yell or Hotfrog, or entries from large trade portals like Checkatrade, Bidvine, TrustaTrader, Quotatis, Rated People or My Builder will most likely show up highly on the resulting page 1 listings, as will solely PPC (Pay Per Click) adverts. The actual websites of fireplace installers in Rickmansworth (when they have one), is likely to be buried on page two or three of the search engine listings. Consequently you'll need to delve deeper. Rickmansworth fireplace fitters don't invariably their own web sites, therefore to obtain a good illustration of precisely who is currently available, it's still recommended to use a trade vetting portal like Trustatrader or Rated People.
Rickmansworth Fireplace Related Tasks
Your local Rickmansworth fireplace fitter can provide a wide array of services, and along with what's previously been covered they can do inglenook fireplace installations, elm fireplaces, fireplace packages in Rickmansworth, brick fireplaces in Rickmansworth, fireplace surrounds in Rickmansworth, chimney repairs, marble fireplace installation, modern fireplace, fireplace removal, made-to-measure fireplaces, wood burning fireplaces, inset stoves, the installation of Victorian fireplaces in Rickmansworth, fireplace fitting, stone fireplace installations, chimney strengthening in Rickmansworth, tiled fireplace installation, traditional fireplaces, marble fireplace surrounds in Rickmansworth, fireplace rates, fireplace design, Victorian fireplaces, fireplace installation, wood & multifuel stoves, open fireplaces in Rickmansworth, oak beam fireplaces, chimney lining, chimney sweeping, Victorian fireplace installations, designer fireplaces, to mention a few. This is simply a selection of what can be done by the local fireplace installer. Rickmansworth companies will provide a complete list of fireplace sevices if you need one. You can always CLICK HERE and enter your details on the quote form provided, if there are additional Rickmansworth fireplace requirements that you need but don't see here.
Friends & Family Recommendations
A good idea, when you are searching for a contractor or service for your project in Rickmansworth, is to get recommendations from friends and relatives. In an effort to identify someone who's suitable for your needs, word of mouth referrals are normally preferable, and can sometimes give you the chance to single out an inferior contractor or a company with a mediocre record for service.
By getting this type of feedback from a friend or family member you can find out the attitude of the contractor if things went awry, how rapidly any errors were resolved, and also get an insight into their work ethic, reliability and timekeeping. They'll also be in a good position to give you information about how the final price stacked up compared to the original estimate that was given, specifics which are normally tricky to get from the contractors themselves.
Your relatives and friends are folks that you know, and ultimately in regards to advice, they're the individuals to trust. If they have had a poor experience with a specific contractor or fireplace fitter, they may well be hesitant to discuss them in any great detail. Even though it might not necessarily be the case, in many instances people are happier to speak about a good contractor than an inferior one, and may even endorse a different company instead of 'bad mouthing' one who didn't fully meet their expectations.
Fireplace Installation Help and Guidance
To discover the social media reaction to fireplace trends, check this out. A whole host of facts about fireplace installation can be located on one of the fireplace installation forums, so it might be a wise idea to head on over to the Buildhub Forum (HERE), subjects include things like wood burning stoves, pellet boilers and stoves, widening fireplaces, building regulations, chimney flues and trims for stoves. These days there are plenty of exceptional posts about fireplace installation on the web, so if you're eager to learn about fireplace mantels check this out. Get a simple YouTube guide on how to install and restore a Victorian cast iron fireplace here. Go to Wikipedia to find more details on fireplaces.
Fireplace Installers Near Rickmansworth
Also find: Chandlers Cross fireplace installers, Sarratt fireplace installers, Money Hill fireplace installers, Butler's Cross fireplace installers, Dibden Hill fireplace installers, Holywell fireplace installers, Loudwater fireplace installers, Jordans fireplace installers, Maple Cross fireplace installers, Batchworth fireplace installers, Mill End fireplace installers and more. Fireplace installers are ready to serve those living in all these localities. These tradespeople, with their expertise and know-how, are well-equipped to perform precise fireplace installations in your home. With these dedicated professionals at their service, residents can bask in the comforting and warm atmosphere a fireplace brings to their homes. To obtain fireplace installation price quotes, local homeowners can click here.
For the latest local info about Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire click here
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Fireplace installation in WD3 area, (dialling code 01923).
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