A new wood-burning fireplace, installed in Rio Vista
The chimney that comes with a factory-built fireplace is part of its listing, and we install it that way.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Situations that lead to a new wood fireplace
- Rusted metal inside an old fireplace
- Cracked panels in a worn-out unit
- A second fireplace for another room
- Chimney parts from mixed brands
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How a new fireplace is built into the house
Building a chase for an exterior chimney
A chimney that runs up the outside of the house must be enclosed in a chase. Manuals ask for that chase to be built like the other outside walls, sealed against air leaks and fitted with false ceilings and firestops as it rises. It is a small wall system of its own.
We explain how the chase ties into your exterior finish and roof. Stucco, siding or another cladding may need its own trade, and the estimate says so. The chase framing, the firestops inside it and the chase top are listed as separate items.
A lined flue above a masonry fireplace
The code requires masonry chimneys to be lined, with a lining suited to the appliance connected. Above a site-built fireplace, that can mean clay flue liners or a listed lining system, as the code allows. The chimney walls themselves have a minimum thickness as well.
We explain the lining choice in the proposal and why it suits a wood fire. The flue size is set by the fireplace opening, so the two are designed together. Once the chimney is closed, the lining cannot be changed without major work, which is why the decision comes early.
Cleaning access planned into a masonry chimney
Masonry chimneys need a way to remove fallen soot from the bottom of every flue, and the code names a cleanout door with a noncombustible cover for that. Fireplace flues are exempt where cleaning can happen through the fireplace opening. The design has to make that access real, not assumed.
We explain how your future chimney will be swept and from where. If the smoke chamber or flue layout would block cleaning through the opening, a proper cleanout goes into the plan. Designing for maintenance now keeps later visits simple and thorough.
An old hearth may not suit the new unit
The hearth extension in front of an old unit was sized for that unit's listing. A replacement may need a larger extension, different thermal protection underneath or a different height. Keeping the old hearth only works when the new manual agrees with it.
We check the existing hearth against the new requirements during the free inspection. If it falls short, we explain whether it can be extended or must be rebuilt. Tile matching is hard to promise, so we discuss the finished look honestly before you approve.
What your written installation scope lists
- Factory-built unit and its listed chimney
- Header and framing near the unit
- Firebrick, baffle and refractory placement
- Written record of the completed installation
What people ask about wood fireplace installation
Do kitchen fans and bathroom fans affect a wood fireplace?
They can. Exhaust fans remove air from the house, and the fire needs air to replace what goes up the chimney. We review the fans and the outside air plan together, and at handover we explain how to start fires with the strongest fans off.
Does a new wood fireplace need a damper?
A masonry fireplace must have a ferrous metal damper operable from the room, under the code. A factory-built unit includes the damper its maker designed. Either way, the damper stays fully open while a fire burns.
Do you offer maintenance visits after the installation?
Yes. Maintenance visits follow the manual's checklist for the chimney, termination cap, refractory, grate and screen. We note what we find and do, and explain any part that will need replacing before it becomes urgent.
We received your request
Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo