Restoring the firebox, damper and face in Miami Shores
You approve every restoration item before work starts, and you see the price of each one.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Restoration needs you can spot from the room
- Patches in mismatched mortar
- Musty smell from the fireplace
- Crumbling joints in the face brick
- Firebox floor worn or broken
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How we restore a neglected fireplace
The grate and where it sits
A grate lifts the burning wood clear of the firebox floor so air can feed the fire from underneath. A grate that is too large pushes the fire against the back wall. One that is too small leaves wood falling onto the floor.
We check the grate for size, condition and placement. A burned-out grate can be replaced with one that suits the firebox. For a factory-built unit, the grate must be the one its manufacturer specifies, since the listing covers it. The grate is a small line on the estimate, but it protects the repaired firebox.
The steel support above the fireplace opening
Across the top of the opening runs the lintel, a noncombustible support that is often a steel angle. It carries the masonry above the opening. Rust can swell it, bend it or crack the brick above.
We check the lintel for rust, sag and cracks in the brick it supports. Surface rust can be treated. A lintel that has lost strength or pushed the face out of line is a larger repair and is priced separately. We explain what we see before any work above the opening begins.
Questions to ask before approving a restoration
Before you approve, ask which items are essential and which are for appearance. Ask what will be kept and what will be replaced, and why.
Ask how long the fireplace will be out of use and when it can burn again. Ask what happens if hidden damage appears. We answer each question on the visit, and the answers match the written estimate. If anything is unclear, ask again. A restoration should make sense to you before it starts. Good answers now save misunderstandings later.
When one repair is enough
Not every tired fireplace needs a full restoration. Sometimes a single item, such as a seized damper or a few loose firebricks, is the whole problem.
If that is what we find, we say so. We quote the single repair on its own rather than proposing a larger scope. You can still ask for finish work if you want it, but it will be listed as optional. A restoration is worth doing when several parts need work together, and we are straightforward about when that is not the case.
Line items for an old fireplace
- Face brick cleaned by the gentlest method
- Retained features listed on the estimate
- Free written estimate before any work
- Walkthrough of the finished fireplace
Common fireplace restoration questions
What if parts for my factory-built unit are discontinued?
We check for manufacturer-approved alternatives. If none exist, we explain what that means for the fireplace. Unlisted parts are not fitted, because the listing depends on the tested components working together.
What happens if you find hidden damage partway through?
We stop and explain it. The finding, the proposed repair and the price are set out before we continue. Nothing is added to the job without your approval, and the estimate is updated in writing.
What should I mention when I call about restoration?
Tell us how long the fireplace has been idle, how you want to use it and what you want to keep. Mention past repairs if you know of any, and whether the fireplace is masonry or factory-built.
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