Fireplace Fitter Westhill Scotland (AB32): Re-opening an old disused fireplace to put in a wood burner, a gas fire or an open fire is a good way to add some charm and a homely feel to any Westhill property. Nippy winters' evenings can become a pleasure as you relax beside your fireplace listening to the crackling of a burning fire, and if your fire is used in combination with a back boiler you can also benefit from plentiful hot water as well.
Before you go bashing away at a blocked up chimney there are some things you'll need to do to make sure you can safely install your new fireplace. Any combustible appliance installed within the home must comply with Part J of the UK's Building Regs, and this covers hearths, fireplaces, chimney breasts and flue linings. If you are living in a designated conservation area or a listed building you should check with the local council to find out if planning permission is needed for installing a fireplace in your home.
PROFESSIONAL OR DIY FIREPLACE INSTALLATION?
A simple remodel of a pre-existing fireplace can probably be executed by a keen DIY person, however if any construction work is necessary there is the chance of encountering structural problems that need to be dealt with professionally. If you're lucky when you open up a blocked up fireplace you may find a decent lintel, hearth and chimney breast that involves little more than the services and advice of a chimney sweep to get a toasty fire going. What is more typical however is a jumble of crumbling brickwork covering a stopped up flue, and needs some degree of structural reinforcement before it can be safely used.
An improperly fitted fireplace can cause serious respiratory health problems and fire risk and should only be fitted by a specialist fireplace installer in Westhill with the knowledge and experience to install it safely. A major part of the Building Regulations for fireplaces is that enough oxygen is available in a room for a fire to burn efficiently and properly. If there is not enough airflow then it's possible that a fire will not burn efficiently and cause a build-up of carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly.
It may be necessary to fit airflow vents in walls and floors to enable the fireplace to get enough oxygen to burn safely and effectively at all times. To prevent condensed air becoming trapped in blocked off or unused chimney flues and causing damp spots and staining, vents may need to be installed by the installation team to introduce some airflow.
BEFORE WORK BEGINS
A substantial amount of dirt and soot can be discharged from a blocked up chimney upon opening it up for renovation. Even with dust sheets for your home furnishings, the risk of damage from soot and grime is still possible and it's advisable to remove your carpets and furniture before any fireplace renovation work and chimney cleaning begins. If you are installing a fireplace as part of a larger renovation project then it should be one of the initial things to be worked on once you have taken the room back to its bare walls and floors. This will help to avoid any discolouring damage by soot and dirt to any completed restoration work.
CONSTRUCTION & STRUCTURAL WORK
With your fireplace open, it's time to see what is in a fit state to be renovated or replaced and to give the chimney and hearth a comprehensive cleaning. The very first item on your agenda should be to contact a professional chimney sweep. A chimney sweep will first of all clean the flue and while doing so can inspect the condition of the chimney and offer advice on whether a new flue liner is necessary.
It might be necessary to install a new flue liner to comply with the UK Building Regulations, and construction work might also be needed to reinforce the existing chimney and chimney breast. These are projects that require a capable craftsman with a good understanding of the pertinent regulations and sound construction skills.
If you need to modify the width of opening of your exposed fireplace to something smaller and more suitable for your design, a concrete supporting lintel must be put in. When you've supported your fireplace with a new lintel it is now possible to renovate or upgrade the hearth. If the existing hearth is set into the floor you will have to raise it above floor level to conform to the latest regulations. Off-the-shelf solutions from marble, slate or concrete are available to accomplish this, or your fireplace builder in Westhill may be able to offer you a bespoke, tailor-made hearth to match your room style.
DESIGNS AND STYLES OF FIREPLACE
If you check out a fireplace showroom you will find that you have lots of choice with a wide array of different choices open to you. The recommendations and advice from your installation team, which will be specific to your requirements, will enable you to choose a fireplace that's both suited to your existing flue and chimney, as well as for your decor.
Some properties and rooms will look better with an open fireplace than a wood burner or multi fuel stove and vice versa. If you have an attractive inglenook fireplace, a cast iron wood burner can look gorgeous in this surrounding, and has the added benefit of reflecting heat into the room from the brick or stone walls surrounding the stove.
A cast iron wood burner is also a great choice if you do not have a chimney breast in your Westhill property. An existing chimney isn't needed because a stainless steel flue is taken directly from the rear or top of the stove and taken out through an exterior wall.
WOOD, GAS, MULTI-FUEL, OPEN OR ELECTRIC FIREPLACE?
A crackling fire on a cold evening creates a charm and ambience that simply cannot be beaten, however what are the other options available to install in your lovely new fireplace in Westhill?
Open Fireplaces - Provides a focal point for any room and can be used with an assortment of solid fuels. In earlier times an open fire may have been associated with being draughty, inefficient and smoky, but a skillfully installed fireplace is wonderful to watch while reclining in the warmth it provides.
Gas Fireplaces - Available in an array of designs to suit any home and are generally more thermally efficient than open fireplaces. Must be professionally installed and maintained by Gas Safe registered (replaced CORGI register in 2009) tradesman.
Electric Fireplaces - Can be fitted easily and safely by anyone who's reasonable competent and there are designs and styles that are suitable for virtually any room and property in Westhill. Can be inset into conventional fireplaces, and with "real feel" electric fires it can often be difficult to distinguish them from the genuine thing.
Multi-Fuel Stoves - Multi-fuel stoves provide you with options to use wood, gas, coal and oil to deliver a multi-purpose heater for any house in Westhill. They can be utilised not just for heating a room, but some styles like the AGA range, can provide useful cooking areas, supply hot water and can be used to heat the complete house if they're plumbed into an existing radiator network.
Wood Burning Stoves - A wide range of different styles to suit any period of house in Westhill, and can even be a free standing feature. A back boiler is an extra benefit and can provide hot water for personal use, or for heating in another area via a radiator.
It is not only in Westhill where you can get fireplace fitters - neighbouring areas like: Milltimber, Cults, Peterculter, Northfield, Skene, Dunecht, Mannofield, Elrick, Kingsford, Wester Ord, Echt, Bieldside, Kirton of Skene, Kingswells are also covered. If a fireplace installer has the postcode AB32 and the phone code 01224, you can presume that they hail from somewhere in Westhill area.
Tips To Take Care Of Your Open Fireplace And Lower Your Heating Bill
With concerns over the environment, the traditional fireplace is missing some of its charm, although it is still a favourite with many people in Westhill. There is nothing like feeling the warmth of a fireplace throughout a chilly winter's evening. Having a fireplace has its benefits but there are a couple of issues that could affect its performance. Due to power costs rising so quickly nowadays, your fireplace must be a source of heat, not one of inefficiency. When you've got a fire going in the fireplace, it can actually remove warm air out of the room, making your heater work harder. If you do not have a fire lit, the damper is supposed to keep heat in. Nevertheless, dampers are generally not very successful seals, so all of the warm air escapes and permits cold air to enter the home.
Many people in Westhill with fireplaces do not know how it can impact the cost of heating their home. As opposed to saving resources, and heating costs, it is typically adding 100s of pounds of energy expense. However it's not all gloom and doom seeing that there are techniques for making your fireplace more cost-effective. Just about all you need to do is basically 4 basic things to fix your fireplace. All of these will make your fireplace very cost effective and very efficient.
The first point is to swap your fireplace damper with a new top sealing damper. This type of damper is placed at the top of your chimney and helps to stop rain and snow from coming in. It stops the internal air from escaping, and the outside air from coming into the house, and works in cold or hot weather. This doesn't take much time to install and you can order one online. An additional thing that can be done is to place a fire-back at the back of your fireplace. It is manufactured from cast iron and is used to improve the look of your fireplace while shielding the back wall from fire damage. The fire-back gets warmed up by the flames and sends the heat back into a room, hence improving the fireplace's efficiency.
Another approach is to buy a fireplace heater, which draws in air in a room and warms it up. These devices are created as closed systems so they do not give off any smoke, but are effective at warming your property. The last and final thing that can be done is to fit glass doors, which may be the most expensive option. If you do your homework, you should be able to get a great deal on glass doors and they are not that challenging to fit yourself. These doors form a screen between the fireplace and living space, not only making the area less for the fire to heat, but also offering protection to the inhabitants.
Every one of these tips are easy to implement, and the required products can easily be sourced on the internet. Take care of your fireplace and observe your energy costs tumble.
Chimney Sweep Westhill
If your house in Westhill has a log burning stove or an open fire, it is imperative that you get your chimney swept frequently. At least once every year is the recommendation for chimney sweeping.
So as to get this job done correctly it is best to call in a specialist Westhill chimney sweep. There are additional benefits to calling in a professional, because if there are any problems with your chimney, the chimney sweep is trained to spot them.
A build-up of soot and ash can cause chimney fires if you neglect to sweep your chimney. Carbon monoxide gas can also be drawn back into your property if you allow your chimney to become badly maintained.
Check that your chosen chimney sweep in Westhill is properly covered by public liability insurance, and is experienced in this field. CLICK HERE and enter your requirements to get Westhill chimney sweeps quotes.
Flue Linings
An essential element of your chimney structure, a chimney liner or flu liner improves the overall safety of your chimney whilst enabling it to function more efficiently than it would otherwise. Installed inside chimneys to carry fumes to the outside, flue liners are ducts made from clay, metal or ceramic material. An older chimney in Westhill may in fact not have a liner at all, or will need relining based on it's condition and age.
The hazardous gases and fumes that are produced when you burn a fire can eat away at your chimney's flue. Whilst it is being cleaned, get the chimney sweep or fireplace specialist to check your flue lining for any damage or any risks of it failing in the foreseeable future. If it is damaged, those harmful gases may be able to seep into your home rather than being safely vented outside. There's an additional risk with impaired flue liners, in that they might allow extreme heat to penetrate the structure of the chimney, which could cause fires.
Westhill Fireplace Related Tasks
There are a number of different tasks that can be completed by your local Westhill fireplace fitter including cheap fireplaces, fireplace repairs in Westhill, inglenook fireplace installation, fireplaces Westhill, wood burning fireplace installation, Victorian fireplace installations, limestone fireplace in Westhill, wood burning fireplaces Westhill, fireplace design, flue liner installation, multifuel stoves, fireplace inserts in Westhill, open fireplaces, three-sided fireplaces in Westhill, cast iron fireplace installation, fireplace hearths Westhill, gas fireplace installation, chimney cowl installations, modern fireplace, traditional fireplaces, fireplace cleaning, stone fireplace installations, marble fireplace installation in Westhill, Victorian fireplaces, fireplaceestimates in Westhill, fireplace replacement, chimney sweeping, classic fireplaces, fireplace refurbishment Westhill, brick fireplace installation, made-to-measure fireplaces, brick fireplaces Westhill, chimney repairs, wood burning stove installations Westhill, electric fireplace installations, and more. Listed are just a small portion of the activities that are conducted by those installing fireplaces. Westhill providers will be happy to inform you of their whole range of services.
Fireplace Installation Help and Advice
Get concepts for installing a gas fireplace on YouTube here. To see what's happening on social websites, check this out. To check out an interesting and enlightening article about fireplace decorating ideas check this out. Fireplace Installation information and advice is available from internet forums, therefore to make the most of this you should pop along to the Buildhub Forum (here), subjects include understanding building regulations, trims for stoves, widening a fireplace, log burners, pellet boilers and stoves and chimney flues. You can have a look at the Wikipedia webpage to learn info about the history of the fireplace, the health effects of fireplaces, coal burning fireplaces, the different types of fireplaces, the environmental effects of fireplaces and fireplace heating efficiency.
Westhill Skip Hire Services
Sometimes it is hard to estimate the volume of waste that is going to be generated when doing home improvements or renovations in Westhill. According to your individual situation, fireplace installations will result in different quantities of waste. In many instances the tradesman you are hiring will gladly take away the waste that is generated in the course of the work, but be warned - quite a few of them certainly don't!
Where there's a substantial amount of waste, most homeowners in Westhill opt to hire a skip. Skips come in all sizes and shapes, so there is certain to be one out there to suit your exact needs. The volumes of the popular skips are skip bags 1-1.5 yd³, mini-skips 2-3 yd³, midi-skips 4-5 yd³, and builders skips 6-8 yd³.
If you think you might need a skip for your home improvement project CLICK HERE for a quote.
Fireplace Installers Near Westhill
Also find: Milltimber fireplace installers, Echt fireplace installers, Wester Ord fireplace installers, Mannofield fireplace installers, Kingsford fireplace installers, Dunecht fireplace installers, Northfield fireplace installers, Skene fireplace installers, Cults fireplace installers, Peterculter fireplace installers, Elrick fireplace installers, Kingswells fireplace installers, Kirton of Skene fireplace installers, Bieldside fireplace installers and more. There are companies who fit fireplaces in most of these towns and villages. The adept installation of a fireplace in your property is well within the capabilities of these versatile tradespeople, given their experience and know-how. Residents can experience the warmth, comfort and atmosphere that a fireplace brings to their homes with the assistance of these dedicated professionals. If you're a local home or business owner looking to obtain accurate and competitive fireplace installation quotes tailored to your specific needs, you just have to click here. Today is the perfect time to kick off your fireplace installation.
To obtain local Westhill information click here
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Fireplace installation in AB32 area, phone code 01224.