Repairing the firebox inside a fireplace in Sunset

We protect the room, contain the dust and haul the old brick and mortar away when the firebox is done.

Owned and run locally
Available for same-day service
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Family owned and run

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Firebox damage worth a closer look

Firebrick pieces on the firebox floor
Crumbling faces on the back wall
Corner joints opening
Thick, lumpy joints from past repairs

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Keeping a firebox lining sound in Sunset

Why ordinary mortar fails inside a firebox

Mortars in the fire chamber meet high surface heat and combustion gases. Brick industry guidance explains that refractory mortar, based on fireclay, is made for those conditions and has to be used in thin joints. General-purpose mortar and cement patching compounds break down far sooner there.

That is why a firebox repair names its mortar. When we find joints filled with the wrong material, we explain what it is doing and why it has to come out. Refilling over it simply seals a weak layer behind a new face.

Rust streaks running down the back wall

Orange or brown streaks on the upper back wall usually come from metal above, most often the damper plate or frame. Moisture carries the rust down across the firebrick.

The stain itself does little harm to the brick. It is the moisture and the rusting metal that need attention. We check the damper and note where the water may be coming from. Firebox joints near the streaks are checked for softening, and any repair to them is listed apart from the damper work.

Small fires first after a firebox repair

Fresh refractory mortar is cured by heat in stages. One maker's directions call for a low fire first and a hotter one later. A full fire on the first evening can drive moisture out too fast and crack new joints.

We tell you how long to wait and how to build the early fires for the product we used. Keep them small, keep them on the grate and watch the repaired area. If a joint cracks during curing, tell us rather than filling it yourself.

Checking the firebox after a chimney fire

Under the national fireplace and chimney standard, an event likely to have caused damage is a reason to have the system examined. An earlier chimney fire is exactly that kind of event, and the firebox takes part of its heat.

After a chimney fire, we check the lining for cracked and spalled units and failed joints, and the damper seat above. The chimney itself is examined by the services that cover it. Firebox repairs are listed separately so you can see what the event did to each part.

Firebox repair lines you approve

Failed joints raked to sound depth
Replacement firebrick sized to the lining
Room and hearth protection
Old brick and mortar hauled away

Your firebox questions, plainly answered

What happens to the damper during a firebox rebuild?

The damper frame often rests on the top of the firebox walls, so a rebuild near the top keeps it supported and resets it in its bed. If the damper plate itself is damaged, that repair is listed separately.

How should I prepare the firebox before you arrive?

Let it go cold, remove cold ashes into a covered metal container kept outside, and leave loose pieces where they fell. Clear the hearth so we can kneel and work, and set out any manual or note of earlier repairs.

Can the brick face around the opening be repaired at the same time?

Often, yes, as a separate line. The face uses different brick and mortar from the firebox, so it is repaired by its own rules. We keep the two apart on the estimate so you can see what each involves.

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Local service. Careful repairs. A fireplace worth coming home to.

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Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With

DuraVent
Olympia Chimney and Venting
Copperfield Chimney Supply
Rutland
Heatilator
Heat & Glo