Fireplace Service & Repair
Stuck dampers, crumbling firebox mortar, gas logs that won't light.
Everything above the damper is the chimney. Everything below it is the fireplace, and it's the part you look at every day. Dampers seize, firebox mortar joints break down under heat, gas assemblies stop lighting, and some fireplaces have simply never drafted properly since the day they were built.
Signs you'd actually notice
- A damper that sticks, won't seal, or won't open
- Cracked or missing mortar joints inside the firebox
- A gas fireplace that won't light, or that smells of gas
- A room that fills with smoke no matter what you do
- Cold air pouring in through the fireplace all winter
What happens on the visit
Diagnose the draft, not just the symptom
Smoke in the room has four or five possible causes and only one of them is a dirty flue. Often it's negative pressure — the stack effect in a tightly sealed house, or a range hood and bath fans winning against your chimney. We work out which one you have before selling you a fix.
Repair or replace the damper
Free up and reseat what can be saved. Where the throat damper is beyond help, a top-sealing damper both seals better and stops the winter draft.
Rebuild firebox joints
Failed firebox mortar gets cut out and repointed with refractory mortar rated for direct flame. Regular mortar in a firebox doesn't last a season.
Service gas appliances
Clean and test the burner, pilot, thermocouple, and logs, and confirm the flue is clear. If we find something outside our scope, we say so instead of improvising.
Why it matters
A fireplace that doesn't draft is a fireplace that puts combustion products into your living room. A damper that won't seal is money going up the flue all winter. And firebox mortar exists to keep flame off the surrounding structure — when those joints open up, that protection is gone.
Recent work
What the work looks like
Our own photographs, from real jobs. Before and after where we have both ends of it.
Firebox stripped back, and the same opening after
The same opening finished, with a stove set in it and the hearth tile clear.
Smoke chamber parged smooth
The sloping face parged flat and smooth, with the floor sheeted over while the work was done.
Top-sealing damper control fitted
The bracket bolted into the firebrick at the side wall, with the chain and tension spring hanging clear of the opening.
Book a sweep, an inspection, or a look at whatever's worrying you
Tell us what's going on and we'll call you back to agree a time. If you'd rather sort it now, the phone is faster.