Home construction or renovation projects are often more complex than they seem to the average homeowner and it’s tempting to opt for one-stop-shopping and have your contractor handle everything. While your contractor can manage the various moving parts, we recommend that you do not rely on them for fireplace installation. Fireplace, stove, or insert installation comes with the potential for serious safety risks, and it requires specialized knowledge.
Why a General Contractor Shouldn’t Install a Fireplace
You may think that fireplace installation simply means running a few pipes up a chimney and placing a metal fireplace box into its allotted space. It’s much more than that. A general contractor may be competent as a plumber and electrician, but most don’t understand the finer points of fireplace venting and safety. They may also not be familiar with fireplace-related building codes.
A reputable general contractor will outsource fireplace installation to the pros because of the complexity and potential for problems.
Trained and certified fireplace installation professionals take the following into account:
Safety
Potential safety risks include improper installation that can result in gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning, poorly designed chimney flues that encourage creosote build-up (which can lead to chimney fires), and not enough clearance to combustibles. Building codes are very strict when it comes to fireplaces and stoves, with good reason.
Even if a fireplace is installed with safety in mind (and to code), there are often circumstances that dictate alternative solutions that the general contractor may or may not be aware of.
For example, a homeowner may want to hang a TV above their new fireplace. Electronics and heat don’t mix. The solution is not to hang the TV higher and hope the heat dissipates. Putting a TV above the fireplace is a popular way to optimize space and to protect the TV, we recommend installing a mantel which will block rising heat. While a general contractor shouldn’t install a fireplace, they should install the mantel. In new construction, adding a mantel is pretty straightforward. But in renovations, it’s hard to know what’s behind a wall including chimney vents, electrical wires, and plumbing. Fireplace professionals generally won’t install mantels due to the inherent risk of damaging what’s behind the wall. Hanging mantels is a job for the general contractor!
Performance and Efficiency
There are hundreds of makes and models of gas, wood, and electric fireplaces, inserts, and stove, and a general contractor can’t be expected to know how to operate every single one optimally, or even know the basics of a particular fire appliance.
We’ve had so many frustrated customers come to us saying that their contractor installed a gorgeous gas fireplace but didn’t explain how to use the remote or whether they should leave their pilot on. We’ve had customers complain that they have a new contractor-installed wood stove but were never told how to operate the catalytic combustor.
After-Sale Service and Support
A general contractor will not offer ongoing support or service for your new fireplace, including regular maintenance, chimney sweeping, safety inspections, troubleshooting, service, and upgrades such as fireplace door refacing or blowers.
Warranty and Insurance
Many fireplace manufacturers’ warranties are void unless the unit is installed by a qualified professional (certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America or the National Fireplace Institute.
Your insurance company may refuse claims related to chimney fires or other fireplace-related damage, if the unit was not installed by a certified professional.
Rely on Specialized Expertise
A general contractor can frame around the fireplace (with our guidance with regard to fire-safe framing materials, install surrounds and lighting, run electrical and gas connections, build the chase (framing around a chimney if the chimney is not masonry - again, with our guidance), and install a mantel.
But fireplace installation requires specialized knowledge and expertise. The good news is, Mountain Hearth & Patio will work closely with your contractor so that the installation process is safe and seamless, and the finished product is to your satisfaction.
