Fireplace Changeout or Repair for Your Historic Fireplace: What’s Your Best Option?

Historic fireplaces in older homes need periodic work to keep them safe and efficient. At some point, you may be wondering whether you should keep repairing the fireplace (and its chimney) or opt for a fireplace changeout.

Felgemacher does a lot of work with historic fireplaces in the Rochester, NY, and Buffalo, NY, areas. Here are some tips on deciding between continued repair work and a new fireplace as your current fireplace ages.

Safety is #1

A damaged fireplace is an unsafe fireplace. How do historic fireplaces become damaged?

• Decades of intense heat can deteriorate firebox bricks and panels.
• Smoke and acids from combustion gases can damage the interior firebox, the fireplace damper, and other parts of the fireplace and chimney system.
• A chimney leak can cause ongoing decay in firebox bricks.
• Old age finally catches up with everything.

Historic chimneys have their own set of problems, including old age, no liner in place (see below), a cracked liner, leaks anywhere in the system, and built-up flammable creosote.

Chimney liner issues

Chimneys built before the middle of the last century were often built without protective chimney liners. Professional chimney crews regularly install liners in historic chimneys to reduce the chance of fire and widespread structural damage.

Some older chimneys have liners that aren’t the right size for the fireplaces they draft. This can lead to smoke and carbon monoxide backups and a rapid accumulation of creosote.

Repair vs. changeout

Repairing a historic fireplace will only take you so far. If the damage is relatively minor, repair is a smart option; when damage becomes extensive or continuous, it’s time to consider a changeout to keep from throwing good money after bad, as the saying goes.

All work on older fireplaces should start with a proper inspection. A licensed fireplace and chimney inspector can see things you can’t, and they will be able to anticipate what could happen down the line if you keep making repairs instead of changing out the fireplace. Inspections save homes and lives.

How a fireplace changeout works

A changeout differs from installing a brand-new fireplace in a wall in your home. Changing out a fireplace means adding an insert to your existing fireplace.

A fireplace insert is a pre-made unit that fits right into your firebox. Key advantages and features of inserts include the following:

• Can run on either gas or wood
• Produces three to five times more usable heat than a standard masonry fireplace
• Drafts with its own pipe through the existing chimney
• Insulated for safety
• EPA-approved for reduced emissions
• A closed-combustion system dramatically reduces draftiness
• Available in many styles, colors, and finishes that will complement any historic home décor

Various building and fire-safety codes must be met when performing any kind of fireplace restoration work. If you live outside the greater Rochester, NY, or Buffalo, NY, regions, make sure you hire a fireplace company that knows how to comply with these codes. If you live in our service area, Felgemacher’s fireplace team knows all the codes and knows how to meet them.

Does your historic fireplace need service?

Felgemacher has been repairing historic fireplaces and performing changeouts since 1953. If your fireplace needs to be inspected, repaired, or upgraded, call us first in Monroe County, NY, or Erie County, NY.

Reach a historic fireplace restoration pro by phone or through our contact form.