Fireplace and chimney cleaning for homes in Idlewyld

A wood mantel or trim that sits too close to a fireplace opening can char slowly for a long time before anyone notices. The Florida Building Code's fireplace section limits how close combustible trim and mantels may sit to a masonry fireplace opening. A factory-built fireplace sets its own clearances in its listing and manual.

Those rules exist because the face of a fireplace gets hot, and wood that is heated again and again can ignite at a lower temperature than fresh wood. Dark marks on the underside of a mantel, cracked paint or a surround that feels hot to the touch are worth mentioning. Our family team in Idlewyld checks those clearances as part of every fireplace inspection.

When a mantel or trim is too close, our locally owned team explains the options. They range from changing how the fireplace is used to having a carpenter move the trim. Mantel work itself belongs to a carpenter, and we say so plainly. We also check the hearth extension in front of the opening, which must be noncombustible and wide enough to catch embers.

Tell us whether the mantel has been replaced, whether the fireplace burns wood or gas and whether you have noticed heat marks. Please avoid lighting a fire while a mantel shows fresh scorching. A description of where the marks sit, and how far they spread, is enough to start. Opening, surround, mantel position, hearth extension and firebox are each checked during the free inspection.

If a repair is needed on our side, it goes on a free written estimate with upfront pricing. Approving it during the 72 hours after the free inspection takes 10% off. The written record notes what we checked and any change we recommend, and any repair on our side carries our workmanship warranty.