Clarkston Fireplaces Repair (313) 355-3719

Clarkston Fireplaces(313) 355-3719

Having a properly built fireplace is essential to ensure proper smoke ventilation and heat return when having a fire in your home. Local Clarkston Fireplace experts who specialize in the building of fireplaces, fireplace re-facing, and fireplace repair. We are happy to help you with any insert or wood burning fireplace project.. Clarkston Fireplaces(313) 355-3719

Every Fireplace Is different Let us help you design the perfect fireplace for your home

We can help you create a warming environment with our properly constructed Michigan masonry fireplaces. In a Michigan cold winter having a fireplace that is built correctly is critical. We can supply a specialized fireplace contractor for your fireplace needs. Be they masonry fireplace, wood burning insert Fireplace or gas log Fireplace

Need a Clarkston Fireplace insert? We can supply a specialized fireplace contractor for your Clarkston Fireplace insert.

For A Chimney Inspection or Chimney Cleaning Call (313) 355-3719

Clarkston Fireplace strives to be the top Clarkston Fireplace company.

Chimney cleaning in Michigan is the same as chimney cleaning anywhere else; it is the removal of dangerous creosote build-up on the inside of the chimney. These deposits are highly flammable and are the cause of a great many fireplace chimney fires. Having a poorly built fireplace can also lead to chimney fires, or improper drafting.

A brick fireplace must be constructed with the utmost care. Fire brick must be laid to strict tolerances

Clarkston Fireplace

Here is what Wikipeda Says about the fireplace

Fireplace

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008)

A fireplace is an architectural structure designed to contain a fire for heating, as well as for cooking. Fireplaces are also used for the relaxing ambiance they create. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; achimney or other flue allows exhaust to escape. A fireplace may have: a foundation, a hearth, a firebox, amantel, an ashdump door, a chimney crane, a cleanout door, a grate, a lintel, a lintel bar, overmantel, achimney breast, a damper, a smoke chamber, a throat, a flue, a chimney chase, a crown, a cap, a shroud, or a spark arrestor.

Wood-burning fireplace.

CONTENTS

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[EDIT] TYPES OF FIREPLACES

Masonry fireplaces made from brick or stone.
Manufactured fireplaces with sheet metal fire boxes.

Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled with wood, natural gas, biomass and propane fuel sources. Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the US, some states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. They must be sized appropriately to the area to be heated. There are also air quality control issues due to the amount of moisture they release into the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are safety essentials.

Chimney and flue types:

Masonry (brick or stone fireplaces and chimneys) with or without tile-lined flue.
Reinforced concrete chimneys. Fundamental design flaws bankrupted the US manufacturers and made the design obsolete. These chimneys often show vertical cracks on the exterior.
Metal-lined flue: Double or triple walled metal pipe running up inside a new or existing wood-framed or masonry chase.

Newly constructed flues may feature a chase cover, a cap, and a spark arrestor at the top to keep small animals out and sparks from exiting the chimney cavity.

[EDIT] HISTORY

An outdoor fireplace

Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the ground, within caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires exists on all five continents. Chimneys, invented much later, partially fixed this problem, venting smoke outside.

In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, raised the grate of the fireplace, improving the airflow and venting system. The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. Ben Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace that greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also improved the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting out a longer area at the top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing the smoke up and out of the building. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the room. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern fireplaces.

[EDIT] EVOLUTION OF FIREPLACE DESIGN

Over time the design of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also served as a gathering place within the home. These fire pits were usually centered within a room, allowing more people to gather around it.

Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. Along with the industrial revolution came large scale housing developments, obviating a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design that was used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the quality of the materials used in their construction, instead of their size.

By the 1800's most new fireplaces consisted of two parts, the surround and the insert. The surround is the mantle and sides and was usually made of wood, marble and granite. The insert is the part of the fireplace where the fire is burned. This part was constructed of cast iron and sometimes decorated with tiles. During the Victorian era, fireplaces were thought to add a cozy, relaxing ambiance to homes.^[1]

[EDIT] HEATING EFFICIENCY

The heating effect of a fireplace is largely due to radiative heating, by which objects surrounding the fireplace are heated up, and some of this heat is transferred to the air. It is a common misconception that a fireplace leads to energy savings by reducing the heating load on a home. In fact, a fireplace moves large amounts of air out of the home which must be replaced by outside air.^[2] The outside air, presumably at a lower temperature, must be heated by the home's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Some fireplace units incorporate a blower which transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the air via convection, resulting in a more evenly heated space and a lower heating load.

The most effective fireplaces in terms of heating efficiency are modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces. Modern masonry fireplaces are often equipped with a large fire window, enabling an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first phase the initial heat is provided through a large glass window while the fire is burning. During this time the structure, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This heat is then evenly radiated for many hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only provide heat radiated from its surface. Depending on outside temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature.

[EDIT] ACCESSORIES

Fireplace in home

A wide range of accessories are used with fireplaces, which vary between countries and regions, and historical periods. For the interior, common in recent Western cultures are grates, fireguards, logboxes,andirons, pellet baskets, and fire dogs, all of which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. Heavy metalfirebacks are sometimes used to capture and reradiate heat, to protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. For fireplace tending, tools include pokers, bellows, tongs, shovels, brushes and toolstands.

Madison Heights CHimney Repair CHimney cleaning Madison Heights

Madison Heights Mi Chimney Cleaning, Chimney Repair, Brick Porch Repair & Masonry Restoration Specialists

Clarkston Fireplace (www.michiganchimneyrepair.com) Is a local masonry contractor serving Genesee County, Madison Heights Mi. Hire a fireplace and masonry company that has years of experience specializing in masonry restoration and repair. Our chimney sweeps can inspect your brick chimney fireplace and our chimney sweeps can provide you with your annual chimney cleaning or chimney repair We are experts at matching brick and mortar color. We are not a handyman service, aim to be Madison Heights Mi 's and Madison Heights Townships leading brick fireplace chimney cleaning and chimney repair company. Michigan masonry network is a group of masonry craftsmen devoted to chimney repair Masonry restoration and quality brickwork. Beautifying Madison Heights, Holly and Rose Township 1 brick at a time.

Highland Township White lake and Waterford. As the years have gone by we have grown to support the grounding cities such as Grand Blanc, Madison Heights & Rose Township. We have a real sense of satifaction knowing that if we are in Livonia, West Bloomfield or even Detroit a satisfied chimney repair customer is never far away. We have strong ties to down Holly Mi Where we did the historic brick restoration of the Holly Hotel and love the beautiful brick homes Birmingham has to offer.

Let us help you repair and restore your homes masonry beauty. Clarkston Fireplaces(313) 355-3719 Madison Heights Michigan leading chimney cleaning, chimney repair, and historic brick repair company. We have worked hard to earn a reputation for quality and look forward to showing the residents of Madison Heights Mi that it is well deserved. Our goal is to leave every customer satisfied and willing to use us again, or recommend us to a friend. We pride ourselves on building corners not cutting them.

Our Masonry contractors and chimney sweeps offer free chimney repair estimates to all Madison Heights , Holly, Grand Blanc Rose Township, and Lindon residents for any of the following services: chimney cleaning, chimney repair, masonry construction, chimney crown repairs, chimney cap replacement, chimney rebuilds, tuck pointing, natural stone, limestone replacement, cultured stone, brick porch repair, Brick porch construction, masonry wall construction, brick wall repair, brick replacement, tuck-pointing, pointing and re pointing work, grout replacement, and historic restoration. We look forward to the opportunity to help you with your masonry construction and chimney cleaning projects.

Why fireplaces do not work, how to make your chimney draft properly and how to build a chimney and fireplace that draft properly are a common topic of discussion among bricklayers and masonry contractors. Since man first discovered fire and dug the first fire pit all the way up tiill huge chimney stacks and furnaces suplied heat to industrial plants and homes having your fireplace burn properly has been the problem hand. The prices of building a brick or stone fireplaces and chimney has steadily grown as knowledge of brick stone and masonry has increased. During these modern times we have the advantage of learning from our fore fathers and developing formulas and techniques to combat draft and increase fireplace and chimney efficiency. Still today we find that some fireplace chimney's work better than others.

The main principle of why a chimney or fireplace works because heat rises. When you start a fire, in your fireplace the air inside chimney warms and begins to rise .The heat of the fire in your fir box draws in the cooler air from the room it is in. This cooler air flows into the firebox fanning the fire increasing the flame in an ongoing cycle. The heat dynamic created pressure differentials can also create a pleasant breeze as it moves across the top of your chimney.

There are numerous reasons a chimney and fireplace may not function properly. Will start with the the most simple & obvious solutions Please bear in mind this list may not solve all of your fireplace and chimney issues but it should provide you a good place to start. Here is a list of common reasons that fireplaces and chimneys don't work .

To really understand fireplaces chimney sweeping and chimney's requires extensive knowledge masonry and fireplaces. Being a chimney sweep does not mean you a qualified to do chimney repair. Likewise being good at masonry and brick work does not make you good with chimneys. When dealing with your chimney repair and chimney problems you want a contractor familiar chimney building codes, pressure differentials, and actual fireplace construction techniques. If the information provided here does not help you solve the problem with your fireplace, consider hiring an experienced, chimney sweep and masonry restoration expert in your area. The problem may be obvious to someone with chimney and fireplace experience once they can actually look over the fireplace and chimney..

Clarkston Fireplace chimney fires are a reality of life They destroy thousands of homes and lives. Having a regular chimney cleaning by your local chimney sweep can prevent most chimney fires. Most Madison Heights Commerce and Highland residents don't even realize the risk their homes could be in from chimney fires. First, let us establish who is at risk.

If proper precautions are taken, brick fireplace chimney fires can be avoided. A Chimney should be inspected by a chimney sweep and chimney cleaning specialist regularly. First, you need to understand the anatomy of how a fireplace works and how a fireplace chimney fire is set into motion. When a fire is built in a masonry or brick chimney it is started in the fireplace fire box.

The chimney firebox is built out of fire brick. A fire brick, firebrick, or refractory brick is a block of refractory ceramic material used in lining furnaces, kilns, fireboxes, and fireplaces. A fireplace fire box is primarily to withstand high temperature, but will also usually have a low thermal conductivity for greater energy efficiency. Fireplace firebrick are weaker, but they are much lighter, and insulate far better than dense bricks. A brick fireplace brick fire box should be free from cracks. The fireplace fire brick will taper in toward a damper and smoke shelf. A fireplace firebox is the only spot in which burning wood should occur.

Everybody knows where there is chimney smoke there is fire, so obviously when you burn wood in your masonry and brick fireplace chimney, smoke is released and travels up from your fire box and into a smoke shelf and chimney flue liner. As the warm smoke travels up the chimney flue liner it begins to cool . That smoke condenses on the inside walls of your chimney flue liner and is converted into creosote.

Creosote is a highly flammable material that ignites easily from flame or spark. The type of wood that is burned in a brick chimney fireplace and frequency of chimney cleaning affects the amount of creosote built up on the chimney flue liner. Green, or unseasoned wood, contains a lot of moisture. This means it takes more heat to burn the wood in the brick fireplace firebox. Green wood produces more creosote.

Outside temperature also plays a factor in the amount of creosote formed. Chimneys that run up the side of your brick house are more apt to produce creosote. than one that runs up the center of your home This is because brick concrete and stone masonry has a low insulation value. The warm smoke being hit by cool temperatures condenses more quickly.

Proper air flow is critical to your stone or brick chimney. Making sure your fireplace damper is open all the way so that smoke ventilates through the chimney quickly also reduces the risk of creosote forming. A Fireplace chimney must be built to a proper height to draft properly. Usually three feet above the roof or ten feet from the roof.

You must make sure to have a chimney cleaning profession or chimney sweep clean your chimney annually. When you ignite paper or cardboard in your fireplace, often times small flaming pieces of ash and soot can drift up the flue liner and are more likely to ignite the creosote that has built up.

Clarkston Fireplace as contractors specialized in fireplace chimney construction, Fireplace remodeling, chimney cleaning, chimney repair and historic brick restoration. Our chimney sweeps can provide cost effective chimney cleaning. We also repair brick porches and brick wall repair on a daily basis. If you would like more information about chimney fires, please visit HTTP://michiganchimneyrepair.blogspot.com/2010/01/chimney-repair-Madison Heights Mi.html If you would like information about chimney repair or masonry constructionhttp://michiganchimneyrepair.com/ChimneyFires.aspx

Madison Heights Mi chimney repair. Clarkston Fireplace is happy to serve the following communities: Auburn Hills, Beverly Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield township, Brighton, Canton, Clarkston, Clawson, Commerce, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Ferndale, Drayton Plains, Eastpointe, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Grosse pointe, Highland, Highland Park, Howell, Hunington Woods, Keego Harbor, Lake Orion, Lathrup Village, Lincoln Park, Livonia, Madison Heights, Madison Heights, New Hudson, Northville, Novi, Oak Park, Orchard Lake, Orion, Orchard Lake, Ortonville, Pontiac, Redford, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Romulus, Roseville, Royal Oak, South Lyon, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Sylvan Lake, Troy, Utica, Walled Lake, Waterford, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights Mi Madison Heights Mi , Wayne County, Macomb County, Livingston County Madison Heights Mi Chimney repair

With any chimney repair or masonry restoration project comes debris. Small chunks of mortar, pieces of concrete, and chunks of brick from the demolition of the brickwork can add up fast. And lets face it, its not like your local garbage man or trash removal service is going to grab a garbage can that weighs 500 lbs and carry it away. That is why whenever you plan on doing any kind of demolition project, chimney repair, or brickwork you need to know what to do with your debris and trash.

One option is to remove the brick debris, concrete, and mortar yourself. This involves filling up a trailer or truck and hauling out the brick, concrete, and mortar. You can then haul this material to the dump, but the dump charges by weight. A much more practical method of removing the debris, is to find a local concrete recycling company. Most concrete recycling companies will take any concrete and mortar you have and dispose of it. A select few concrete recycling companies, commonly referred to as the concrete crusher, will take your brick debris also. Concrete, brick, and mortar are ground up to a gravel sized consistency. This aggregate is then recycled into new concrete. The problem with using concrete crushers and recyclers is unless you have a dump truck or dump trailer, you must handle your material and debris not only when you haul it off of the job, but when you dump it. By far the most cost-effective way to go on any large scale demolition project is to rent a dumpster. Whenever you rent the dumpster be sure to specify what you plan on disposing of inside of it.

For information about Michigan chimney sweeps chimney cleaning chimney repair

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West Bloomfield Mi Residents looking for chimney inspection or chimnea chimney sweep visit:

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If You live in Livonia Mi and would like information about brick repair or chimney-related work visithttp://michiganchimneyrepair.com/LivoniaChimneyRepair.aspx

To learn about brickwork and chimney repair estamites in Highland Mi visit

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Chimney Repair Tuck pointing Basics

Michigan chimney repair contractor explains Tuck pointing basics a Mark has 12 years experience in specialized in chimney repair, masonry restoration, and historic brick restoration.

Mark Maupin address tuck pointing basics- Tuck pointing is the replacement of damaged mortar in between the brick. Having masonry joints fall apart deteriorate, and over time is a common problem in Michigan constantly changing weather. Repairing cracks in the mortar joints may not be as difficult as one may think. With the purchase of a few tools, and a little patience anyone can tackle some basic tuck pointing and brick repair. Most of these tools necessary can be purchased at your local hardware, stores. You will need a masonry trowel, a tuckpointer, either a circular saw or an angle grinder equipped with a diamond blade, and of course mortar (recommend type n redi mix mortar), and a jointing tool.

Take time to carefully saw or grind out the damaged mortar. A careless slip with the grinder can make for a damaged brick instead of a cleaned out joint. Remove the mortar at least an additional 3/4 of an inch deeper than the existing joint depth. Make sure to cover any dust sensitive areas with a drop cloth or tarp. Always wear a respirator, and safety glasses: this is dusty work. The type of brick you are working with and temperature on the day you are working on can affect your new mortar strength and longevity. On warmer days and when working with a softer brick you will want to clean the exposed joints out with water. This has two benefits, 1) it will allow for a slower cure time for your mortar giving you stronger joints. 2) It ensures that the exposed joint has been properly cleaned out which will allow the new mortar to bond with the old mortar. When working in colder temperatures

it is recommended that you heat the area in which you plan on tuck pointing and clean out the brick joints with a brush or shop vac

Once you have a clean joint you can begin pointing in your mortar. There are several methods you can use to get the new mortar into the joint. The first and most traditional method is to use a trowel or hawk and tuckpointer. When using this method stiffer mortar is preferred. Mortar is scooped onto the trowel, or hawk, and then worked into the joint with the tuckpointer. Once the mortar has set it is struck with the preferred jointing tool.

A more efficient method is to use a grout bag. Mortar is mixed with a thinner consistency and piped through the grout bag into the cleaned out mortar joints. When using a grout bag I find there is less risk of smearing mortar onto the faces of the brick.

At Redford Chimney we are experts at matching mortar and brick color, and texture. We offer free estimates for any of the following services: Chimney repair, Chimney construction, Chimney crown repair, chimney cap replacement, Chimney rebuilds, Chimineas Chimney repair, Tuckpointing, Natural stone instalation, Limestone replacement, Cultured stone, brick porch repair, Brick porch construction, Brick wall construction, toothing work, pointing and repointing work, grout replacement, and historic restoration. We look forward to the opportunity to help you with and brick, block or stone project.

Redford Chimney is happy to serve the following Michigan communities - Auburn Hills, Beverly Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield township, Brighton, Canton, Clarkston, Clawson, Commerce, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Ferndale, Drayton Plains, Eastpointe, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Highland, Highland Park, Howell, Huntington Woods, Keego Harbor, Lake Orion, Lathrup Village, Lincoln Park, Livonia, Madison Heights, Milford, New Hudson, Northville, Novi, Oak Park, Orchard Lake, Orion, Orchard Lake, Ortonville, Pontiac, Redford, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Romulus, Roseville, Royal Oak, South Lyon, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Sylvan Lake, Troy, Utica, Walled Lake, Waterford, West Bloomfield, White Lake Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County, Livingston County

Chimney Repair Michigan - Chimney Repair Tips for the Do-it-yourself (DIY) Homeowner

Chimney Repair Michigan: Chimney repair can be dangerous work for the average homeowner. When a homeowner or property investor is in need of chimney repair, the first step is gain access to the chimney. If your chimney is very tall and difficult to access it would be wise to hire a chimney repair specialist. Most reputable masonry contractors will provide you with a free estimate. Once you have gained access to your chimney you can begin the repair process.

The second step is to evaluate the level of chimney repair needed. A cracked chimney crown can sometimes be easy enough for an experienced do-it-yourselfer. The chimney crown is the top concrete part of the chimney. The chimney crown repair begins with the removal of the damaged crown. Most Chimney repair specialist will chip away the concrete with a rotary hammer or pneumatic chisel. As a DIY homeowner an older and more manual method may be necessary to remove the chimney crown. For this I would recommend a chisel, 5 lb sledge hammer, & brick hammer. Of coarse the tool necessary for chimney repair and chimney crown replacement are dependent on the size and thickness of the crown.

Once you have removed the chimney crown inspect the flue on the chimney. The chimney flue liner is the ceramic insert that runs up the center of the chimney. If the flue is cracked it may be time to call in a chimney repair professional. If you find the chimney flu to be in good condition you can begin replacing the chimney crown. Using a stiff, bristle brush, clean the debris and dust from the top of the chimney.

The next step in the chimney repair process is to mix up some concrete. In most cases I recommend that the DIY homeowner use a redi-mix concrete. When I do a chimney repair I prefer using fiber reinforced crack resistant concrete. I have found that the thicker/stiffer the concrete is mixed the less likely it is to run down the side of the chimney. The results will be a cleaner chimney repair job. If you are working in a warmer climate where temperatures exceed 80 degrees, you should mix your concrete more thin/loose.

Be sure to slope your concrete away from the ceramic flue liner to allow for proper water drainage. I find that when you make your chimney crown thicker it makes for a longer lasting chimney repair. Pour the concrete 4-7 inches thick at the flue and slope it down to a 2 inch edge. Achieving a smooth finish on your concrete can take years of practice to master but with some patience most DIY homeowners can handle this repair.

The above information has been provided for the benefit of tLLC he DIY homeowner by Livonia chimney cleaning and Redford CHimney. Local Redford Michigan mason contractor with years specialized in masonry restoration and chimney repair. We are experts at matching brick and mortar color We offer free estimates for any of the following services: Chimney repair, Chimney construction, Chimney crown repair, chimney cap replacement, Chimney rebuilds, Chiminey Tuckpointing, Natural stone, Limestone replacement, Cultured stone, brick porch repair, Brick porch construction, Brick wall construction, toothing work, pointing and repointing work, grout replacement, and historic restoration. We look forward to the opportunity to help you with and brick, block or stone project.