Fireplace Servicing & Repairs

To maintain the life of your fireplace, we recommend you get your unit serviced and repaired annually. Everything needs to be working properly to get the best out of your fire.

How to spot if your fireplace needs to be cleaned and serviced:

It can depend on what kind of fireplace you have, whether it’s a pellet fire or wood fire. There are a few tell-tale signs that your fireplace needs serviced. A big indicator is that you might notice that it’s not heating as efficiently as it once was or smelling smoke when you enter the room is another clear indicator.

Blowback out your dampeners – if smoke is flowing out the front of your fireplace often, it’s a sign your fireplace needs to be serviced.

Check your firebox – if there’s a glossy sheen inside of your firebox (on the walls or on the glass door) it’s a sign you’ve probably been using wet wood and you’ve got a build-up of creosote – in your firebox and probably up your flue. Creosote can form in just six days of burning, especially if you burn wet wood, or you have your fire set on too slow for long periods of time; as if you regularly leave it running on low overnight. Another thing to check in your firebox is the air tubes and bricks. If the air tubes are warped and the bricks are cracked, then it’s probably time to consider replacing them.

As a good rule of thumb, we recommend you get your firebox cleaned, checked and flue swept at the end of winter.

What’s involved in servicing your fireplace and chimney?

With pellet fires, we check auger motors and give them a re-oiling along with a solid clean.

With wood fires, we check that the bricks, door seals, air tubes and baffles are in good order – as they tend to be the first things to go. We will recommend if these need replacing or ensure everything is working properly. We also check the flue and clean it removing all the creosote and any plant matter from birds etc. Other considerations might be changing the top of your flue or putting in better bird protection to prevent this from happening.

Why Getting a Flue Clean is Important

Annual flue cleaning is required to prevent creosote build-up and a potential fire risk. You’ll notice you have creosote build-up if starting your fire is becoming more difficult, your fireplace is smoking back into the house, or the performance of your fire is hindered or has deteriorated. Getting your flue cleaned regularly can make a huge difference to the output of your fireplace and safety in your home.

Hotspot Installations travel throughout Southland, cleaning, repairing and servicing fireplaces. Call us today on 03 218 8802 Southland to book in a visit.