Wood-Burning Fireplace Repair in Central Florida

Get your wood-burning fireplace safe, drawing properly, and ready for the few cool nights Florida gives you.

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(813) 797-5797

Masonry and Prefab Fireboxes

Firebrick and mortar in a masonry fireplace, refractory panels in a factory-built one. Each gets the right materials.

Smoke Problems Diagnosed

Smoke in the room has a cause. We look at the damper, the flue, the chimney top and the house before suggesting a fix.

Safe to Use, or Not

After the inspection we tell you plainly whether the fireplace is safe to burn in now, and what needs to happen first if it is not.

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Wood-Burning Fireplaces in Florida Homes

Most wood-burning fireplaces in Florida are used a handful of times a year, usually during a cold snap or around the holidays. That light use is good news for creosote buildup, but it creates its own problems. A fireplace that sits unused for ten months can collect bird and animal nests, wasp nests and leaves in the flue. Humid air rusts the damper and metal parts. And many homeowners only discover a cracked firebox or a stuck damper on the first cool evening of the year, when they want a fire that night.

Florida homes have two kinds of wood-burning fireplaces. A masonry fireplace has a firebox built of firebrick set in heat-resistant mortar, with a brick or block chimney above it. A factory-built fireplace is a metal box lined with refractory panels, connected to a metal chimney pipe. The repairs are different, and a factory-built unit should only be repaired with parts its manufacturer approves.

Common Wood Fireplace Problems

• Cracked, loose or missing firebrick

• Mortar joints in the firebox that are open or crumbling

• Cracked or crumbling refractory panels in a prefab firebox

• Warped metal or rust-through in a prefab fireplace

• A cracked hearth or hearth extension in front of the opening

• A rough, gapped smoke chamber above the damper

• Glass doors that no longer close, or broken screens

• Smoke spilling into the room

Firebox Repair

The firebox takes the most direct heat of any part of the system. In a masonry fireplace, fine surface cracks in firebrick are common and often are not a concern by themselves. Open or eroded mortar joints, loose or missing bricks, and cracks that go all the way through are different: they let heat reach the materials behind the firebox. We repair joints with refractory mortar made for firebox temperatures and replace damaged firebrick. Ordinary mortar and cement are not rated for that heat.

In a factory-built fireplace, the refractory panels protect the metal box. Many manufacturers state in the owner’s manual how much cracking is acceptable before panels have to be replaced. We check against your model’s requirements and replace panels with matching parts. See our refractory panel page for more.

When the Fireplace Smokes

Smoke in the room usually comes down to a few causes: a damper that is not fully open or is warped, a flue blocked by a nest or debris, a flue that is too small for the fireplace opening, a chimney that is too short, or a house that is pulling air in through the fireplace because exhaust fans or a tight building are creating negative pressure. Wet firewood makes all of these worse. We check each cause in turn rather than guessing, because the fixes range from a simple chimney sweep to changes in the chimney itself.

The Smoke Chamber and Damper

Above the firebox, the smoke chamber funnels smoke into the flue. In many older masonry fireplaces it was built with stepped, rough brick that catches creosote and slows the draft. Smoke chamber parging smooths those walls with a heat-resistant coating. The damper sits at the bottom of the smoke chamber in most masonry fireplaces, and in Florida humidity it is often the first metal part to rust.

What Affects the Cost of Fireplace Repair

• Which parts are damaged, and how much. Replacing a few firebricks is a smaller job than rebuilding a firebox.

• Masonry or factory-built, and whether the manufacturer still makes parts for your model.

• Whether the problem is only in the fireplace, or also in the chimney above it.

• Finish work around the opening, such as hearth tile or stone.

• Cure time. Some refractory repairs need a set drying and curing period before use.

When Repair Is Not Worth It

If a factory-built fireplace has rusted through, warped, or reached the point where its parts are no longer made, repeated repairs can cost more than replacing the unit. If you like the look of a fire but do not want to haul wood, a wood-to-gas conversion may suit you better. And if you never use the fireplace at all, decommissioning it stops the upkeep entirely.

Burning Wood Well in a Humid Climate

Firewood burns best at a moisture content under 20 percent, and the EPA recommends seasoning wood for at least six months. Wood left uncovered in Florida’s humidity may stay too wet to burn cleanly, which means more smoke and more creosote. Store it off the ground, covered on top and open on the sides, and check it with an inexpensive moisture meter. Never burn painted or treated lumber, pallets or trash in a fireplace.

Even a lightly used fireplace should be inspected once a year, and swept when buildup calls for it. Call (813) 797-5797 before your first fire of the season.

Areas we serve: our offices in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Riverview, Spring Hill, Lakeland and Orlando, plus the Tampa Bay area, greater Orlando, Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Naples.

★ FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Fine hairline surface cracks are common and are not always a problem. Cracks that go through the brick, loose bricks and open mortar joints should be repaired before you burn again, because they let heat reach the structure behind the firebox.

A cold flue has a weak draft until it warms up. Opening the damper fully, cracking a nearby window for a minute, and starting with small, dry kindling usually helps. If it smokes after the fire is going, have it checked.

No. Factory-built fireplaces are tested with specific panels. Patching them with the wrong material can create a fire hazard and can void the fireplace’s listing. Replacement panels should match the manufacturer’s specification.

At least once a year. A fireplace you rarely use is more likely to have nests, debris or rust than one used every week, even if it has very little creosote.

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Why Homeowners Call Us for Fireplace Repair

A fireplace you can trust on the nights you want it

You should not have to wonder whether your fireplace is safe. We give you a clear answer and a clear plan.

We diagnose smoking problems by checking each cause instead of guessing.

We use refractory materials rated for fireplace heat, and manufacturer parts for prefab units.

We tell you when replacing, converting or decommissioning makes more sense than another repair.

How We Repair a Wood-Burning Fireplace

From the hearth to the top of the flue

A fireplace problem that shows up in the room often starts somewhere you cannot see from the sofa.

Walk-Through: You tell us how the fireplace behaves: smoke, smells, noises, or damage you have noticed.

Firebox and Hearth Check: Firebrick, mortar joints, refractory panels, hearth and hearth extension.

Damper and Smoke Chamber: Operation, rust, warping and the condition of the smoke chamber walls.

Flue and Chimney Top: Blockages, creosote, liner condition, cap and crown.

Findings and Quote: Photos, a clear safe-to-use answer, and a written quote.

Repair: Using refractory materials rated for fireplace heat, or the manufacturer’s own parts for prefab units.

Cure and Check: Some repairs need time to cure before the first fire. We tell you when you can burn again.