In New York, fireplace installation is an easy sell to most. The warmth of a fire, the romantic light of the flame, and the ambiance of crackling wood is something few people can’t get behind (especially during the chill of a typical NY winter). Plus, fireplaces can do wonders for your home’s interior design. Of course, the idea of a fireplace and making it happen are two different things. Here are some of the basic obstacles and some possible remedies that face homeowners who are considering a fireplace for their home.
New York Stone Fireplace Installation and Design
Fireplaces can be pre-fabricated units or customized hearths. Although pre-fabricated fireplaces can be easily slid into place in a few hours, they won’t look nearly as good. New York masonry contractors, on the other hand, will take a week or two building your fireplace brick-by-brick, stone-by-stone, and the cost will reflect this decision. For many, the decision is not an easy one. We hear quite a few homeowners voice their frustration over having an entire area of their home off-limits for an extended period of time. At the same time, many homeowners express their regret that they didn’t take more time and spend more money on their fireplace surrounds. They like their new fireplace, but also recognize how much better it could have been. Whichever route you take, just keep realistic expectations and clearly communicate to your contractor what you expect from the project both in terms of the installation process and the end result.
Stone and Brick New York Fireplace Installation Costs
Our data shows the average cost of installing a stone or brick fireplace in New York is about $3,000, although this number can be misleading and may not reflect your project at all. For an authentic stone fireplace that requires the unique talent set of a masonry contractor, your fireplace can trend upward toward the $10,000 mark. If your home’s design isn’t set up to accommodate a fireplace installation, you may need to abandon the project or essentially write a contractor a blank check. Despite the obvious cost of a significant alteration to your home, there is really no way to account for all the obstacles that may present themselves during the construction. On other hand, we’ve also seen projects that have barely eclipsed $1,000 in cost. Small or simple plans and a little luck can make your new fireplace an extremely affordable undertaking.
Placement of Stone Fireplaces in New York
Bedroom Fireplace: If your home has only one fireplace, the living or family room is the most likely place to find one. This doesn’t make it the only place for a warm, cozy fire. Master bedroom fireplaces are as romantic as they are luxurious. If you do already have a fireplace, you may be able to link the two fireplaces to the same chimney, depending on the design, size, and placement of the original.
Outdoor Fireplace: If you’ve got the space in your yard, these can be a great addition to your landscaping. A well-designed outdoor fireplace can simultaneously replace your patio heaters and your grill and look luxurious doing it. Obviously, there’s also no problem retrofitting an outdoor fireplace to a pre-existing home.
Vent-Free Fireplace: Vent-free fireplaces have been banned in New York City since the late 1980s. And for good reason. Attempting to guess how much combustible fossil fuels you can safely vent into your home is like trying to guess how many cigarettes you can smoke before you’ll develop lung cancer.
New York Fire Department and Fireplaces
The New York Fire Department offers these safety tips in operating a fireplace in your home:
- Before using the fireplace for the first time in a season, make sure the flue is open.
- Artificial logs made from wax and sawdust should be used one at a time.
- Pressure-treated wood should not be burned in stoves or fireplaces because it contains toxic chemicals that can make you sick.
- Don’t burn newspapers or other trash in a fireplace because they burn too hot and can ignite a chimney fire.
- Chimneys and vents should be inspected and cleaned annually. Have chimneys inspected and cleaned when necessary by a professional chimney sweep.
New York Fireplace Cleaning
How frequently you have your chimney swept depends heavily on how often you use your fireplace, and what kind of fuel you use. Burning hardwood once or twice a week for a month during the winter probably won’t require anything more frequent than a single, annual chimney cleaning. New York is a cold place, however, and those who have a fireplace will probably want to get the most out of it; those who use their fireplaces for months at a time and/or more than twice a week might consider multiple cleanings or having an annual cleaning and a separate inspection to check the stability and function of the chimney and identify if another cleaning is necessary. As a rule, burning pine and other softwoods increases the need for chimney cleaning. New Yorkers on a budget might be temped by the lower cost of split softwood, but the smoke it creates produces more noxious fumes and leaves significantly more deposits on the lining of the chimney, increasing the chances of chimney fires. This is why burning softwood for indoor use is never recommended.
Hiring Trustworthy New York Chimney Sweeping Services
Since there have been several reported instances of New York chimney sweeping scams, you should be particularly careful who you hire. Most New York chimney sweeps are honest, very hardworking contractors, but the few bad apples out there can really ruin your day. By state law, New York chimney sweeps are supposed to be certified, but this doesn’t mean that everyone who advertises service sticks to the rules.
Like other roofing related projects, the out-of-the-way location of chimneys tends to breed a few less-than-reputable chimney sweeps. New York is not known for its naivety, but even the most savvy homeowner will probably resist the urge to climb out on the roof and thoroughly inspect a chimney once it has been serviced. For this reason, it is best to hire a company you know you can trust from the start. Here’s where ServiceMagic can help. Each New York chimney sweeping service we’ll match you with must pass through our ten-step screening process to ensure that their company is a reputable one. Additionally, homeowners who have used our services in the past have the option to rate and leave feedback about the company they hired; by skimming through this feedback, you’ll see how these companies have performed for other, giving you a very good indicator of how they are likely to perform for you!
