Fireplace insert may not be installed properly
Q. Two years ago, we installed a wood-burning insert in our brick fireplace. It has been an excellent heat source and was not a problem until we decided to sell our house. The buyers hired a home inspector, and he says the insert is a fire hazard because it has no chimney liner. The cost of installing a liner is nearly $1,600. Is this repair really necessary, or are other solutions available?
A. The main problem with most fireplace inserts is they are installed by homeowners or handymen, rather than qualified fireplace experts. When people perform their own installations, they often take the word "insert" too literally and merely inject the fixture into the firebox, as if it were a DVD, not realizing that the lack of a chimney liner can pose a major fire hazard.
Without a liner, functional problems are rarely apparent, giving the false impression that all is well. However, with each repeated use, dangerous conditions can gradually take shape behind the scenes.
When no liner is installed, smoke fills the space between the insert and the old masonry firebox, rather than rising directly up the chimney. As these vapors pervade the cavity behind the insert, they cool down, allowing a combustible residue knows as creosote to coat the brick and metal surfaces. If the creosote becomes hot enough to ignite, the force of expanding combustion gases can literally catapult your fireplace insert across the living room.
The best way to prevent a frightful episode of this kind is to install an approved metal liner from the top of the insert to the top of the masonry chimney. This will channel the smoke directly to the exterior. Although the cost to install the liner may seem high, the expense is more than justified, given the potential consequences of a chimney fire.
To avoid all types of hazards pertaining to fireplaces, wood stoves, inserts, or wood-burning fixtures of any kind, the best advice is to delegate installations, maintenance and repairs to a certified chimney sweep. The do-it-yourself approach is a good way to get burned.
Q. The canister lights in our kitchen ceiling have been flickering for several weeks. I changed the bulbs, but the flickering continues. So I went into the attic and found the fixtures were covered with insulation and were very hot. After removing the insulation, the lights continued to flicker. How can I fix this?
A. You were wise to suspect attic insulation as the cause of your problem. Many older model canister lights need full air exposure to allow for cooling. Covering them with insulation causes overheating, and this can be a fire hazard. Fortunately, the flickering lights alerted you to the danger. Continued flickering after removing the insulation indicates that the fixtures have been damaged by excessive heat. These canister lights probably need to be replaced with newer ones. Further evaluation by a licensed electrician is advised to ensure your kitchen lighting is fully operative and safe.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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