HOME INSPECTOR DANBURY CT - HOME INSPECTIONS YOU CAN COUNT ON - SERVICING RIDGEFIELD, NEWTOWN, BROOKFIELD, NEW MILFORD, REDDING, WILTON, WESTON, NEW FAIRFIELD, BETHEL, EASTON, SOUTHBURY - BEST HOME INSPECTORS NEAR ME
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FACTORY-BUILT FIREPLACES

There’s nothing like coming home and warming up next to a roaring fire during the long, cold months of winter, or even chilly evenings in any season.  Long commutes to work in the cold and the increasingly short hours of daylight in the fall and winter are made more bearable by the comfort and familiarity of family gatherings by the fire.  It may be for this reason that some type of wood-burning enclosure has remained a staple of many households, even though open fire is no longer a necessity for cooking and heating.  With this in mind, let's take a look at one of the more modern options available, the factory-built fireplace.

What is a factory-built fireplace and how does it differ from a masonry fireplace?

The traditional masonry fireplace is based largely on the innovations of Count Rumford, an18th-century inventor.  His applied theories on thermodynamics led to the design of a restricted chimney opening to increase updraft, which allowed fire to burn in an enclosure without smoke filling the room.  Rumford’s design quickly achieved wide popularity in London households, and he became something of a celebrity as news of his innovation spread. 

Factory-built fireplaces now make up approximately 75% of all types of fireplaces. Unlike traditional masonry fireplaces, which are built on site, factory-built fireplaces are designed to allow for installation at a later date, although they are just as often used for new construction. 
 
A factory-built fireplace is made up of a firebox enclosed within a steel cabinet, and a steel chimney or flue.  It is lightweight, inexpensive, safe and efficient, and can be installed fairly easily on any floor of a home.  Pre-manufactured masonry fireplaces are also available, and they incorporate engineering techniques not often used in field-constructed fireplaces, such as a listed venting system.
 
Zero Clearance

Factory-built fireplaces are also often called “zero-clearance” fireplaces because of their minuscule safe-clearance requirements.  An insulating air blanket is incorporated in the design to keep the outer wall of the fireplace cool, which allows safe installation in very close proximity to wood framing.  In general, ½-inch of clearance to combustibles is required around the outside of the firebox enclosure, and 2 inches of clearance are required around the chimney, except where the firestop is installed if a chimney passes through two levels of a house.  Different manufacturers may have different suggested clearances, and it is important for installers to note this for proper and safe installation. 

Safety and Maintenance

Factory-built fireplaces pass rigorous testing standards established by the  Underwriters Laboratories and the American Gas Association.  Properly installed, factory-built fireplaces have an excellent safety record.  However, as in any situation where an open flame is involved, there are some things to keep in mind in order to avoid any risk of fire hazard. 

If the fireplace is installed on top of any combustible material, such as carpet or wood, it must rest on a metal or tile panel that extends the length and width of the appliance.

Any combustible flooring near the fuel opening must be insulated with non-combustible floor protection.

Room air-inlet and outlet grilles must be unobstructed.

The same fire-safety precautions that are used for a traditional fireplace should be observed when a factory-built fireplace is in use.

In order to ensure safe and optimal operation, normal maintenance and cleaning are required, similar to those used for a traditional fireplace.  The chimney should be inspected monthly during the heating season to determine if creosote (the black, oily accretion that builds up as a result of incomplete burning of wood) has accumulated.  A professional chimney sweep should be hired to clean out the unit at least once a year.  

Looking for an independent Connecticut Home Inspector? Contact Allied Home Inspections LLC - "Inspected Once, Inspected Right!"  ​
Allied Home Inspections LLC
Bethel CT. 06801
Mon - Sat 8AM to 9PM
(203) 515-6622​
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Servicing Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Easton, Fairfield, Hamden, Kent, Middlebury, Monroe, New Fairfield,  New Milford, Newtown, Norwalk, Oxford, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stratford, Trumbull, Warren, Weston, Westport, and Wilton Connecticut
  • Home
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Unbiased
  • References
  • Radon Testing
  • Water Testing
  • FAQ
  • Info and tips
    • Blog
    • 15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own
    • 10 Ways To Save Energy
    • Abrasive Blasting for Mold Remediation
    • Acid Rain
    • Adjustable Steel Columns
    • Advantages of Solar Energy
    • Aging in Place
    • Aluminum Siding
    • Aluminum Wiring
    • Ants
    • Anti-Scald Valves
    • Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
    • Asbestos
    • Asbestos in Vermiculite
    • Attic Pull-Down Ladders
    • Average Home Inspection Cost
    • Backdrafting
    • Backflow Prevention
    • Barbeque Safety
    • Basement Waterproofing
    • Bathroom Vents
    • Bats
    • Bed Bugs
    • Bethel Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Biological Pollutants
    • Brookfield Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Bug Zappers
    • Building a Home
    • Building Cavities Used as Supply or Return Ducts
    • Buying a Foreclosure
    • Carbon Monoxide
    • Carpeted Bathrooms
    • Central Humidifiers
    • Central Vacuum
    • Central Air-Conditioning Systems
    • Child-Proofing
    • Chinese Drywall
    • Clothing Moths
    • Collar Ties
    • Condensation in Double-Paned Windows
    • Crumbling Foundations in CT
    • Danbury Condo Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Danbury Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Electrical Conductor Types
    • Electric Heat and Condensation
    • Electrical Panels
    • EMFs in the Home
    • Energy Conservation
    • Energy-Efficient Houses
    • Engineered Wood Flooring
    • Exterior Design Features
    • Factory-Built Fireplaces
    • Fairfield Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • FHA Loan Basics
    • Fire Safety
    • Foreclosures
    • Foreclosure Inspections
    • Formaldehyde
    • Foundation Insulation
    • Galvanic Corrosion
    • Galvanized Pipe
    • Garages
    • Garage Doors and Openers
    • Garage Fire Containment
    • GFCI's
    • Gutters
    • Home Inspection: An Overview
    • How To Choose a Home Inspector
    • Ice Dams
    • Infrared Inspections
    • Insulation
    • Internships for Home Inspectors in Connecticut
    • Knob and Tube
    • Links and Resources
    • Manufactured Homes
    • Newtown Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • New Milford Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Oil Burners
    • Plumbing Terms
    • Ridgefield Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Roofing
    • Scope of a Home Inspection
    • Sealing / insulating
    • Septic
    • Siding and Insects
    • Stamford Water Contamination
    • Termites
    • Tips For Home Sellers
    • Tips On Finding A Home Inspector
    • Tips To Crush Your Home Inspection
    • Typical Inspection
    • Underground Oil Tanks
    • Vinyl Siding
    • Water Quality
    • Water Softeners
    • Water Softener Backwash
    • Water Wells