Manhattan new-construction fireplace: three things the builder got wrong

By Jacob Dove, Friendship Chimney Sweep

Why inspect a new fireplace

The homeowner in one of Manhattan’s newer subdivisions called for a dryer vent cleaning and mentioned, almost as an aside, that the fireplace had never been checked because it was new. We offered to look while we were there. A new fireplace has no wear problems. It can have installation problems, and those are the ones that matter most because they are permanent until someone finds them.

The three findings

First, the wood-burning unit in the great room: one flue pipe joint above the firebox had not been twist-locked. It was seated but not locked, which means it can separate as the house settles and dump exhaust into the chase. It took thirty seconds to lock and the builder should have done it. Second, the direct-vent gas fireplace in the family room: its exterior termination cap was about eight inches below a window that opens. The manufacturer’s instructions require more clearance so exhaust cannot be drawn into the house. That one needed the termination moved. Third, the dryer vent: the laundry is on the second floor, and the vent duct ran up into the attic and stopped, dumping lint and moist air into the insulation. That is a fire and mold problem, and it was simply never finished.

What to do with a new house

All three were fixed under the builder warranty once the homeowner had our report with photos. The advice we give every Manhattan family in a house under a few years old is to have the fireplaces and dryer vent inspected once against the manufacturer’s instructions while the warranty is running. It is a small cost that turns a builder’s mistake into the builder’s problem instead of yours. After that, annual like any other fireplace.

If this sounds like your house: we handle fireplace and chimney inspections across Kankakee County, and our Manhattan page covers what we usually find there. Call (815) 449-4264, 7am to 9pm, any day.

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