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Fireplaces Cheltenham by Turner Baker
Reopening Fireplaces Cheltenham
Having a fire or a fireplace are enjoying a renaissance in homes all around the UK, as many homeowners dream to enjoy the warmth and ambiance provided by a cosy open fire on a cold winters evening. Turner Baker are an experienced flue lining and chimney maintenance company and can inspect fireplaces Cheltenham, so you can trust them with yours in your home or business.
A fireplace previously was the centre of the home. As it was used for cooking, heating and light. Modern homes no longer need a fire for heating, cooking or lighting due to technological improvements, such as central heating. This is why today’s fires and are more frequently installed for aesthetical or ambiance reasons.
Many fireplaces Cheltenham were boarded up in many period properties due to the installation of central heating. However they are now proving to be popular and being unboarded to be used once again in the homes of Cheltenham.
Safety Checking
There are several safety checks that should be done before lighting your unboarded fire, due to the inherent risks involved in lighting a fire in a property:
- The flue inside the chimney that you are intending to use should be swept properly by a NACS or Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps registered practitioner. They will then be able to clear any obstructions that may have collected in the flue and fireplaces Cheltenham whilst it has not been in use, such as bird nests and other wildlife.
- Then an internal test of the flue needs to be carried out to ascertain whether the flue is safe to use. A CCTV survey will immediately show whether the flue is lined or unlined. If the flue is lined, it will give an indication of the integrity of the liner. Chimney lining has bee common practise for many years now. This often means modern flue liners are available in one piece, whereas early liners were generally supplied as pipes that slotted together and it is not unusual for the joints in these early liners to fail.
Surveying and Testing Flues/Fireplaces Cheltenham
A camera survey will also identify any bends in the flue where debris might have collected, possible timber lintels in the brickwork and any obstructions such as old spit mechanisms.
A CCTV survey will give detailed information on the condition of the inside of your flue but not how well your flue works. To establish this, there are two different smoke tests available:
- A Dynamic smoke test – This checks the drawing ability of an appliance or open fire. This means, when the fire is lit, a dynamic smoke test is designed to establish if the smoke escapes up the flue efficiently or if it fills the room where the fire is with smoke.
- A Static smoke test – This checks the integrity of the flue. When an appliance is used or a fire is lit in fireplaces Cheltenham, this test will show if any smoke leaks from the flue into other areas of the property.
It is highly unusual for an unlined flue in a period property to be given a clean bill of health, especially if it has been out of use for a long period. The bricks and mortar that holds it together, particularly in areas where the original materials used are soft, are likely to have degraded over time and for this reason, the flue is unlikely to be smoke tight.
For period properties, where coal has been burnt in the past, the inside of the flue may well be affected by the sticky and hard to remove salts that are deposited from the coal that stick to the side of the flue.
Solutions for unsafe flues and fireplaces Cheltenham
There is a simple solution to the issue of a flue that is no longer fit for the purpose of hosting an open fire, gas fire or wood burning stove; get it professionally lined.
There are many different modern lining solutions available. From more cost effective solutions like stainless steel lining to the more expensive but longer lasting and flexible thermosetting resin liners that are available to be installed by Turner Baker.
Each period property has its own unique characteristics and a lining solution that may be perfectly safe for one property could be totally unsuitable for another. One of our highly trained installers will advise you on which system is best for your property.
Good Practice When Using Your Fire and Fireplace
Lining a flue will improve the performance and the safety of the flue and allow you to enjoy your open fire, wood burning stove or gas fire once again. However a liner is not a miracle solution. You still must follow good practice to ensure its lifes’ longevity, including the important regular sweeping. Using well-seasoned wood is also paramount to reduce the build-up of sticky tar in flues and fireplaces Cheltenham.
If you would like more information about opening up fireplaces Cheltenham or establishing whether a flue is safe to use, please call Turner Baker on 01432 839123.