Manufactured Fireplace Panel Repair & Replacement
If you have a manufactured fireplace, it has been fitted with refractory panels that cover the sides and bottom of the firebox. Over time, the panels can develop cracks and breaks, which can lead to very dangerous operating conditions.
Oliver Twist Chimney & Fireplace of Huntington Beach, CA, specializes in the replacement of damaged fireplace panels as well as fireplace installations. Here’s what you need to know.
The Job of Fireplace Panels
Fireplace panels, also referred to as “thermal fireplace panels,” are in place to protect the metal firebox of a manufactured fireplace and adjacent materials of the home. Panels are an effective heat shield when they’re in good shape.
Normally a half inch to three-quarters of an inch thick, the panels are quite durable. But as years pass and the fireplace receives regular use, the panels can warp, crack, pit and abrade and need to be repaired or replaced.
Fireplace panels also serve to reflect heat into your room when the fireplace is in use.
Addressing Damaged Fireplace Panels
Fireplace refractory panels are considered damaged when they contain gaps or cracks that are approximately the size of a nickel’s thickness. In some cases, minor cracking can be repaired with a specialized compound. Most of the time, it’s best to replace the damaged panels.
Typically, there will be separate panels for each section of the firebox (i.e., not a single panel covering the entire area). This makes it easier to replace only the panel or panels in which damage is present.
Firebox Inspections
Inspections of the firebox as well as the chimney are important and should be scheduled once a year. The Oliver Twist crew provides thorough inspections for every area and component of your fireplace and chimney system.
As experienced as our team is, we would not trust our first impression. Rather, we would want to look more closely at a problem to understand exactly where the damage is located.
At Oliver Twist, we take great pride in our 30-plus years’ experience in the cleaning, inspection and repair of chimneys and fireplaces. While the work can be dirty and at times complex, we know that, at the end of the day, our only job is to provide safety to our customers.
We’re fully licensed and insured for your protection. All our repair and rebuilding work is done in compliance with the numerous California state fire safety and building codes.
Annual Chimney Inspections
Annual inspections will alert you to issues with your fireplace panels or other parts of the system and allow you to have repairs made before problems get out of hand.
Note that you should never let a chimney company get to work on your fireplace or chimney without first performing a proper fireplace inspection.
Fireplace and Chimney Safety Is Our Only Job
You may see our crews traveling along the SoCal coast from Marina Del Rey south to San Clemente and inland from Irvine to Downey, CA. If so, it means we’re on our way to another home to bring safety and efficiency to our customers’ chimneys and fireplaces. We can do the same for you.
Speak with a fireplace panel expert today by calling (714) 843-9944. You can also reach out with our handy contact form.
Oliver Twist serves Huntington Beach CA, Long Beach CA, Torrance CA, Anaheim CA, Santa Ana CA, Fullerton CA, Buena Park CA, Laguna Beach CA, Dana Point CA, and many more SoCal communities.