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Restoring a neglected wood fireplace in Boca Pointe

Say yes inside 72 hours of your free inspection, and the restoration you book is 10% off.

  • Owned and run locally
  • Available for same-day service
  • Fully licensed and insured
  • Family owned and run

Clues that point to a full restoration

  • Damper that no longer moves
  • Rough stepped masonry above the throat
  • Debris or nesting in the firebox
  • A face darkened by old fires
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What restoring a fireplace involves

Keeping a factory-built unit within its listing

The Florida Building Code asks that factory-built fireplaces be installed to their listing and the manufacturer's instructions. That rule still applies when the unit is old and tired.

For restoration, it means replacement panels, grates, screens and damper parts come from the manufacturer's list for your model. We read the label for the model and serial number and order to match. If a part is no longer made, we tell you what that means rather than improvising a substitute that the listing does not cover.

The right mortar for the firebox

The mortar in a firebox is not the same as the mortar in a garden wall. The building code calls for firebrick to be laid with a refractory mortar made for high heat. Ordinary mortar can break down under direct fire.

Every firebox joint we set or refill uses a heat-rated fireplace mortar, applied and cured as its maker directs. If earlier repairs used the wrong material, we explain whether it has to come out. The mortar is hard to see once the work is done, so the estimate names it.

Smoke stains that tell a history

Dark stains above the opening record smoke that did not go up the flue. They tell us the fireplace had a draft problem at some point, even if nobody remembers it.

We look for the cause before cleaning the stain. It may be a damper that did not open, a rough smoke chamber or a fire built too far forward. Cleaning the face without fixing the cause would only prepare it for new stains. The plan addresses the cause first and the face after.

Checking how the restored fireplace draws

Once the work is complete and the mortar has cured as directed, the fireplace should draw smoke up the flue without spilling into the room. That is the test that matters most.

We explain how to judge the draft on the early fires and what to watch for. If smoke spills, let the fire burn out and tell us. The cause may be something outside the restored parts, such as the flue or the air supply in the house, and we explain what that would involve.

What goes on a brick fireplace estimate

  • Damper freed, repaired or replaced
  • Lintel condition noted
  • Listed parts for factory-built units
  • Grate size and position checked

Restoring an old fireplace, questions answered

What does a fireplace restoration include?

It returns a neglected fireplace to safe use and to the look it was built with, under one plan. Typical items are firebrick and firebox repairs, damper work, smoke chamber parging, face cleaning and repointing, and hearth repairs, each priced separately.

How long does a fireplace restoration take?

It depends on how many parts need work and on mortar curing times. We give you a sequence with the estimate. If the job runs over several days, the open flue is covered at the close of each work day.

Is restoration worth it if I will rarely light a fire?

If you will light it at all, the parts that keep a fire safe still need to work. If you will not burn in it, tell us, and we explain which items still matter for a fireplace that stays closed.

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