Masonry Magazine November 2008 Page. 36
FIREPLACES & CHIMNEYS
Building fireplaces is becoming an art form," Jure says. "There are fewer and fewer masons who know how to build a good fireplace. Experienced fireplace masons have jobs booked months and years in advance. This is a good opportunity for new guys who are looking to expand their business."
Jure says throat dampers make chimney building easier. Masonry contractors build the firebox up to a certain point, place the throat damper on top of the masonry, then lay the remaining brick or stone around the damper.
"The throat dampers provide a form to help the mason shape the throat," she says. "Our dampers are designed and sized to provide the proper draft and air flow from the firebox into the smoke chamber. It saves the mason a lot of time, because he doesn't have to figure out his own throat dimensions, and he doesn't have to hand lay the masonry to form the throat."
Masonry contractors also can make money installing chimney caps, Chambers says. When building a chimney, the contractors should discuss the caps with the client.
"With something like a hip and ridge cap, it's really a disservice not to at least show it to someone living in a $1 million home," he says, adding that masonry contractors can make a few hundred bucks installing the caps.
Outdoor fireplaces
FIREPLACES SERVE as a gathering spot in outdoor spaces, offering light and warmth. HPBA's Stroud says the popularity of outdoor fireplaces in luxury home backyards has a trickle-down effect, prompting homeowners with less-expensive homes to add fireplaces to their outdoor rooms, too.
"People want to emulate something they see on tv or in other people's homes," Stroud says. "They want to create their own backyards."
Mark Orme, manager of Southland Brick and Block in Nashville, Tenn., agrees, "Outdoor living spaces are become more popular with outdoor kitchens and fireplaces," he says.
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