Home » Customer Service » Chimney Repairs & Installations » Masonry Chimney Repairs » Seal Decorative Facing to Firebox

Decorative Facing & Damper Frames

Did you know that the brickwork you often see surrounding your fireplace opening is just a façade of bricks that conceals a flammable 2×4 stud wall?! This Façade is called “Decorative Facing” and it’s not actually a part of the chimney or fireplace itself! The fireplace facing simply covers the wood studs that make up the wall.

Gaps between decorative facing and firebox.

Steel damper frame not sealed to decorative facing.

Decorative facing is now properly sealed.

If your Fireplace’s brickwork is not sealed properly to this brick façade (decorative facing) hot gases or open flame could migrate up into the wall stud cavity and start a fire!

If your decorative facing isn’t properly sealed to your firebox, DO NOT CONTINUE TO BURN FIRES UNTIL THESE GAPS ARE SEALED PROPERLY WITH HIGH-TEMPERATURE REFRACTORY CEMENT! A to Z’s certified chimney sweep technicians are experts at making sure your fire stays where it belongs: in your fireplace!

Firefighters trying to extinguish a fire inside the wall behind the decorative rock facing.

As seen here, a flammable 2x4 wood stud wall is sandwiched between your fireplace's decorative facing and the chimney outside.

As seen here, a flammable 2×4 wood stud wall is sandwiched between your fireplace’s decorative facing and the chimney outside.

Firefighters fighting a fire engulfing wall stud cavity.

Consider having A to Z install a heat reflector in your firebox to add to the life of the bricks and to get more heat out into your room. We’re happy to offer this option as part of our masonry chimney repair service.