by Billy Sweet | Mar 26, 2018 | Fireplace Insert
It’s time to think about your fireplace for next year. Whether it is cleaning your current fireplace, servicing your chimney, or upgrading to a new, more efficient model, spring is the best time to prepare!
Avoid the Fall Rush by Scheduling Now
The fall rush is the time between October and January when chimney professionals are busy with installations, repairs, and emergency calls. This is not the best time for service due to a high level of demand. If you’re looking to upgrade or convert to a new fuel for efficiency, do it soon so that you can rest assured that your fire will be ready to go in the fall.
Save Money This Summer with an Insert
Installing an insert this spring will save you money this summer. You’d be surprised how much money your traditional open fireplace costs you in lost conditioned air each year. An insert stops this completely because it has tight-sealing doors that prevent air from getting in or out.
Install an Insert for a More Efficient Fire
The savings you’ll see next winter will pay for your new insert. Installing one now will ensure you’re getting a product you like and will work for your needs in the best way. A fireplace expert at Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep can help you choose the best insert for your home regardless of size, design, and capacity.
Choose Your Dream Fireplace Today
A beautiful and efficient fireplace will not only save you money, but it will bring up the value of your home. When you choose an insert, you gain all the convenience of a gas log set with the intense heat of a wood fire. We offer sleek contemporary models, traditional cast iron looks, and any design in between. Our inserts use gas, wood, or pellets, and all have their own very unique benefits. You can revitalize a tired fireplace with a new insert that you’ll be happy to sit in front of for years to come.
Inserts are Easy to Install
It will not be a big job to install a new insert this spring. Call a professional at Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep to find out how quickly you can have yours completed. A fireplace expert will walk you through the process to ensure your investment is exactly what you imagined.
First, a technician will measure the existing fireplace to choose the best-sized insert for the firebox. Depending on the type of insert you choose and the safety of your chimney, you may be able to pipe the insert right into your chimney. If there is an issue with your chimney, which can be determined during an inspection, then repairs can be made, or the chimney can possibly be bypassed. Start the process now so that your new fireplace is ready for fall.
Contact Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep today to discuss your new insert with a professional!
by Billy Sweet | Oct 10, 2017 | Fireplace And Stove Installation
The Value In A Fireplace
Realtors, developers, and property managers can agree on one thing: homeowners like fireplaces. They add value to a home. Plus, when installed correctly, properly maintained, and inspected annually, can be a great asset to a home! They are not hard to install. In addition, they come in many styles, sizes, and fuel types that will compliment your space and fit your need. If you’re thinking about a fireplace, you are thinking about investing in your home. Consider all of your options, and talk with professionals about the best use of your money, time, and space.
Billy Sweet Has What You Need
Are you only considering adding a stove, fireplace, or insert to your home? No worries! call Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep and speak with an expert. An experienced expert makes recommendations based on how much heat you need, how much space you have, whether you have an existing fireplace, and more. We can even help you decide on a fuel type that is best for you and walk you through styles and options from start to finish.
We Install Stoves
Billy Sweet sells and installs freestanding stoves that come in a variety of styles. You can even choose a model with a window so that you can look at your fire while it burns, just like a fireplace. Stoves can burn wood, pellets, gas, coal, and oil. We can even install electric stoves. What fuel you choose may depend on availability. Do you have access to a wood supply? If so, you might opt for wood. However, if you’re looking for the highest efficiency, you might choose gas or pellets. For zone heating, gas or electric would work well. If you haven’t decided on a fuel type or style, talk to an expert at Billy Sweet today!
We Install Fireplaces
Choosing a factory-built, also called pre-fabricated (pre-fab), is also a good option. These appliances are built and tested for safety and efficiency, before they leave the factory. They can be installed in any room, and are available in a wide range of sizes. When you choose a pre-fab fireplace, you have the option to choose the material and style, so you may choose brick or stone depending on your tastes. You may choose a traditional fireplace with one opening, or multiple. There are many options with this fireplace.
We Install Inserts
Inserts are a popular option among homeowners who are upgrading old homes. The insert is placed directly into an existing fireplace and uses the existing chimney. It’s important to have an insert professionally installed because the space should be measured properly, and the chimney resized to fit the new appliance. This installation will include the insert itself and a flue liner. Like stoves and fireplaces, inserts also come in a variety of styles, and when installed correctly, it looks like it has always belonged!
Whether you’re leaning toward a stove, fireplace, or insert, keep in mind that you have options. A fireplace expert at Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep can walk you through the process so that you have the best option for your needs, and it’s installed safely and correctly.
by Billy Sweet | Apr 17, 2017 | Installation
When you invest in a fireplace to add value to your property, you want it to match your home and your tastes. The housing market is trending toward fireplaces now more than ever. Additionally, they aren’t just practical additions to any home, but beautiful as well. When you have a fireplace and hearth professionally installed you get the option to personalize it to fit your exact specifications.
Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep fireplace and chimney experts are not only certified chimney sweeps! We also specialize in masonry construction and repair. We can build a hearth and fireplace from scratch. In addition, remodel an existing one with bricks or stone in a variety of designs.
Installation and Repair
Only a certified chimney sweep can properly construct or repair a fireplace or chimney. Your family’s safety and comfort is too important to leave up to chance. Hire a professional to get the job done right the first time.
- A professional will choose correct materials.
Too often, we are called in to repair damage from an incorrect installation. Amateurs and cons often use regular bricks instead of fire bricks to construct the fireplace. They may do this to cut costs or because they simply don’t know any better. However, either way it leads to frequent damage, increased fire risk, and unsightly heat stains.
- A professional should be able to install any design.
Whether you want a square or arched fireplace opening, an experienced mason should be able to do it and do it well. Professionals who have the expertise required should be able to assist you in designing your dream fireplace and hearth.
- A professional should know safety codes and adhere to them.
Interior fireplaces should abide by safety codes. Firebricks are available and rated as low, medium, or high duty. Also, designs should be compliant for safe use in a fireplace.
Your Fireplace Design
The homeowner has more freedom to design the hearth and mantel than the firebox itself, but there are many patterns that comply with safety standards. Your chimney expert should not only be able to comply with safety standards, but should be experienced in the actual design and implementation of it. The firebox withstands the most abuse of any part of the chimney system, with the highest temperatures for the longest periods of time. If the fire box isn’t constructed properly, you may spend a small fortune in future repairs and damage.
Protecting Your Fireplace Design
Once you’ve settled on your dream fireplace and had it built, you want it to last. With adequate care and professional maintenance to your fireplace and chimney, your system should last the life of your home, but there are certain preventative measures to insure it does. At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep we offer waterproofing services that protects your masonry from water damage. It’s water that does the most damage to the chimney’s masonry, and when water gets into your fireplace, it can mingle with the soot and ash there to deteriorate your masonry from the inside out.
Call Billy Sweet to discuss your firebrick design with a masonry expert today or request an appointment online.
by Billy Sweet | Apr 12, 2015 | Installation
If you are installing a wood stove, fireplace or any type of insert you have already made an investment in beautifying your home as well as heating it in a way that uses less energy and saves you money. When you begin the planning phase of your installation process it is necessary to contact a professional fireplace company to make sure your appliance is installed and maintained correctly.
Professional Installation of Stoves, Fireplaces And Inserts
A fireplace installation is a major renovation project, and not one for the weekend do-it-yourself homeowner. Building code inspectors will determine if the size, height and construction of your heating appliance are in accordance with building regulations in your area in order to approve your renovation. Having a professional on your side will alleviate any costly modifications should your new stove or fireplace not have the right proportions.
Avoiding Modifications And Repairs
If you are planning on tackling your own fireplace or wood stove installation project consider this: you are already spending a sizeable investment on the installation of a beautiful heating appliance – don’t you want to avoid spending unnecessary money on modifications? Fireplace installations are big projects, and if not installed correctly could wind up costing a lot more in costly repairs and updates. A fireplace or wood stove is more than just a beautiful addition to your home, they are also functioning heating appliances that when not installed correctly can cause serious damage such as:
- Chimney damage
- Masonry damage
- Overheating inside your firebox
- Carbon monoxide exposure
Maintenance
An added benefit of having a professional install your fireplace or wood-burning stove is that you will have an experienced technician on-hand should you have any questions. After your heating appliance is installed, you will have a team of professionals available to help keep your fireplace clean and swept, as well as inspected for any damage. Having a professional chimney and fireplace company like Billy Sweet Chimney Sweeps in the Boston, North Shore and Portland areas will help you install your appliance to not only make sure it is operating correctly from the first fire, but also to make sure your appliance is swept and inspected regularly.
The bottom line is, fireplace and woodstove installation projects are expensive. Spend that money wisely by employing the help of qualified and licensed professionals. When homeowners attempt to complete these types of projects on their own, the results are unattractive at best, and unsafe at worst. Hiring a professional will give you the peace of mind that the project will be completed beautifully and safely.
We love to see beautiful fireplaces, woodstoves and fireplace inserts installed in homes because they provide a relaxing and comforting aesthetic while giving homeowners the power to heat their homes in alternative ways. We are passionate about helping you use wood-burning appliances to heat your home safely, and the first step is having professionals help you plan and install your heating appliance. Contact the Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep team for a consultation and installation recommendations today.
