Old fireplace restoration with a clear plan in Little Havana
An old fireplace can often be brought back without rebuilding it, and we explain how.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs a fireplace needs restoring
- Fireplace unused for many years
- Smoke stains above the opening
- Several small faults at once
- A face darkened by old fires
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The parts of a fireplace restoration
Resetting a stone face
A stone face can lose stones as its joints fail. Loose stones can shift, crack or fall, and the gaps they leave let the backing weaken.
We reset loose stones in a mortar suited to the stone and repoint open joints to match the existing ones. Broken stones are replaced with the closest available match. Where a manufactured stone face is involved, its maker's instructions guide the repair. The stone work is described on the estimate separately from any brick or tile.
Rust marks from fireplace metal
Orange or brown streaks on the face or the firebox often come from metal parts nearby. A rusting lintel, damper or ash door can stain the masonry around it.
We trace the stain to its source before cleaning it. The metal part is treated, repaired or replaced as part of the plan. Once the source is dealt with, the stain can be cleaned with a method tested first. Cleaning alone, without fixing the metal, would leave the stain to return.
Restoring an open fireplace after an insert comes out
Some fireplaces spent years holding an insert, and the owner now wants the open fireplace back. When an insert comes out, the firebox, damper and smoke chamber behind it may need attention.
The damper may have been removed or fixed open for the insert, and the firebox may carry marks from the installation. We check each part and plan what is needed to return it to use as an open fireplace. Removing the insert itself, and any liner that served it, is described separately on the estimate.
What the original look means in practice
Restoring the original look means returning the fireplace to how it was meant to appear, with materials that match. It does not mean making it look new or adding features it never had.
We match brick, mortar, tile and stone as closely as available materials allow. Where the original finish has been lost, we explain what can reasonably be recovered. If you want a different look, that is a design change, and it sits outside restoration. We explain the limits of any match before the work starts.
The restoration scope in writing
- Damper freed, repaired or replaced
- Written record of the restoration work
- Walkthrough of the finished fireplace
- Open flue covered at the close of each day
Restoration answers for old fireplaces
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 there a discount on fireplace restoration work?
Yes. Restoration items booked inside 72 hours of your free inspection come with a 10% discount. The inspection and the written estimate stay free whether or not you go ahead.
Is the restoration covered by a warranty?
Our workmanship warranty covers the work we carried out. If a repair we made does not hold, tell us and we come back to look. We explain what the warranty covers for your job before you approve.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Chimney Flashing RepairRepair the chimney-to-roof connection with a scope that accounts for the adjoining roofing and masonry.
- Stone Chimney RepairRepair affected stone chimney surfaces with the supporting construction and visual match considered together.
- Chimney WaterproofingTreat suitable chimney masonry after checking the surface, repair needs and product requirements.
- Chimney TuckpointingRenew deteriorated mortar joints around chimney bricks that can appropriately remain.
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