Firebox need to be re-done?????????????

[jimdiane]

I just had a local chimmeny sweep come to my home to clean our fireplace. He noticed that a few of the bricks in the firebox have become loose. He inspected outside and said they were okay but he could not clean the fireplace with the loose firebricks, would be a safety hazard. Does he have to take the whole back wall of bricks off?Only the top 2 rows are loose. Can't he just use the special chalking to secure the bricks? He wants to charge $500 to rebuild the back wall with new fire bricks and clean the fireplace. Am I getting ripped off? or is this worth it?
I am kinda handy, could I handle this job, or leave it to the pro's.
thanx for any advice
jim from Canada

 

[elkimmeg]

Jim the fire box is suposed to be backed with solid masonry and this should not happen if built and supported correctly.
AS handy person should be able to replace a few bricks but to do it right I would have to come down and be rebuilt correctly.
$500 is not unreasonable foe what's involved. For peace of mind I would request that it be permited and inspected. I would examine the entire area and slove any other defeciencies like missing motar in the front that usually leaves a straight shot to your combustiable header also once removed it is real easy to repair or fix errors or aging in the throat area as well

Furthermore all fire brick should be laid in refactory cement not common motar

 

[jimdiane]

thanx

jim