Gallery of Good and Bad Ideas

Good Ideas

The following are pictures of installations to inspire you. Click the pictures for more details.

No need to hire separate contractors for each phase: we can handle the entire installation for you from design to finish, including providing the unit, all the materials, the construction, the facing, the hearth, etc. We do all the work, you enjoy your home's fresh new look!

If none of these pictures capture what you want, no worries, we can do almost anything!

Before...

Inefficient fireplace
And After!

Fireplace with insert, freshened up!
Gas Fireplace

This was an empty living room corner. We built in a gas fireplace.
Manufactured stone

Stonework adds a rustic feel!
Before...

Outdated fireplace
And After!

We converted this to gas and replaced the heavy brick work with tiles.
Before...

Wall with windows, and a view of the road
During...

We removed the windows and built in a pellet insert
And After!

Pellet insert with hearth, stonework and bookcases

Bad Ideas

Below are some photos that we have taken over the years at various customer's homes. Click the pictures for more details.

They detail problems that we have seen.

Properly installed chimneys, liners and appliances don't fail, don't catch on fire, don't leak carbon monoxide into your home, don't harm your family or burn your house down. Doing something properly may cost more initially,

but is well worth it in the long run.

(No information is available on this page that can identify any particular customer. The intent of this page is only to give examples of what can go wrong, and what we can fix.)

Umbrella as a rain cap

An emergency measure during a storm, however this would not flue gases to escape, and is keeping the carbon monoxide in the house. Very dangerous.
"Jenga" chimney

All the mortar has worn away from this brick chimney, it is literally held in place by gravity.
Hidden Combustibles

There are often wooden structural pieces built into or directly contacting the masonry chimney. These can catch on fire after a period of time.