The fireplace installation was another job that Mark and I probably could have done but the learning curve and tools needed were more than we wanted to take on. It was well worth the money we paid to have Fireplace Hearth and Home install them. Two installers (sorry I don't remember their names) showed up to install the two fireplaces - one in the living room and the other in the basement. We were really looking forward to being able to sit by a nice warm fire after they were done.
One installer worked on the living room fireplace while the other worked in the basement. They both had to cut through the exterior wall to install and connect the vent piping. I was chatting with the guy in the living room and he told me that they had 12 - TWELVE - fireplaces to install that day and ours was the only house with 2! I couldn't imagine how they could do that many in one day (I soon found out how!!!)
 |
| Living room fireplace put into position |
 |
| Hole cut and vent installed for the living room fireplace |
 |
| Fireplace "Installed" |
After the installer connected the vent pipe, he pushed the fireplace back into the wall and then started cleaning up his tools. He then put the screen (still in the box) on the front of the fireplace, lined up the 2 boxes that had the wall switches in them and said he was all done. I was confused. It didn't look done to me. Then he explained that all they do for installation was place the "boxes" into the openings, connect the venting and then they are done because the inspector has to come for the "rough in" inspection. After the inspection, the "start up guys" come to actually start up the fireplaces.
Meanwhile, in the basement.... The basement fireplace was a bit more involved because the installer had to saw though the cinder block wall to vent the fireplace.
 |
| Sawing a hole in the cinder block wall for the fireplace vent |
 |
| Outside view while he was cutting the hole |
 |
| Another view - this would not have been fun for Mark and I |
 |
| Vent hole from the inside of the fireplace |
It was amazing to watch as the installer cut the hole and put in all the venting in about 15 minutes or so. He certainly knew what he was doing.
 |
| Big hole in the wall and the parts ready to be installed |
 |
| All done |
 |
| Basement fireplace "installed" |
The installer was helpful in that he called the city and scheduled our "rough in" inspection for 2 days later (Sept 24th). I, then, had to call the sales rep and schedule the "start up" which we got scheduled for Sept 30th. We had to wait for the refractory (fake brick insert) that would be installed in the living room fireplace to arrive before the start up could be completed.
Again we had 2 people arrive to work on the fireplaces. This time one of the guys was a new employee who was observing the other guy. They walked over to the living room fireplace and one guy said to me "When are you going to have the gas and electric connected?" And I said "Isn't that what you are going to do?" He explained to me how the fireplace guys are not allowed to ever connect the electric and they only connect the gas line if they are the ones who ran the line (which was not the case at our house). Normally, Mark is home when people are working on the house but this time he was out to lunch with his buddy, Art. I called Mark who then had a quick conversation with the fireplace guy. He told us that he could put it together and do everything except two steps: 1) testing that the gas line didn't have a leak and 2) turning it on. Then we would have to get our HVAC guy who installed the gas lines to come connect them and get an electrician to come and conned the switch. :-( We had no idea that getting a fireplace installed would take so many steps and so many people.
Luckily Mark came home from his lunch date while the guys were still here working. They chatted and Mark soon figured out that if the gas lines got connected and the electricity got connected while they were still working, they could finish the job. That didn't seem like a big deal. Mark and I quickly connected the living room gas line which entailed taking a cap off and screwing the connector from the fireplace onto the gas line. Connecting the electricity was almost as complicated. Connect the white wire from the box to the white wire on the fireplace and connect the black wire from the box to the black wire from the fireplace. I could have done that one myself. Of course, we had to add a little excitement to the job by forgetting to turn off the power to the circuit before shortening the wire with a linesman's pliers. It quickly "turned off". One down, one to go. We went downstairs and repeated the process. Then the start up guy checked both gas lines, turned the fireplaces on and voila..... working fireplaces.
 |
| First fire in the living room fireplace |
The last step was to have the inspector back for a final inspection. We passed with flying colors! At least that's what I will call it since he was here for all of 5 minutes and said all was good. It was very helpful that Mark could make the connections we needed or it would have been additional weeks of time trying to coordinate the extra people to get the job done.
The next step was to build the hearth framing and install the television in the living room.
 |
| Hearth framed |
After Mark put Hardy cement board on the fireplace surround and hearth, we spent an afternoon connecting the cable box located in the basement near where the cable comes into the house, the BluRay player located in the front hall closet and the remote transmitter with parts in multiple places. The remote transmitter allows the cable and BluRay remotes to work without the boxes sitting right under the TV. There is a little receiver sitting by the bottom of the TV. It's the black thing hanging from the bottom of the TV in the picture below. Eventually we will hide the cord and attach the little receiver to the bottom of the TV and it won't even be noticeable. We also need to get a shorter cord for the TV so we can get rid of the giant white cord hanging down on the right side in the picture below. Mark even put up a temporary mantel so I could put out some Halloween decorations. OK maybe he didn't put it up for my decorations. Its really there so we can use the fireplace without cooking the TV. Now I just have to work on him to get rid of the antennae propped in the window. We have cable we don't need no stinkin' antennae!
 |
| TV is no longer sitting on plastic milk crates! |
 |
| Real mantle, stone surround and hearth stone will be next |
We have also been spending an inordinate amount of time on all things KITCHEN - cabinets, counters, cabinet hardware, sink, appliances, faucet, and lights. It really can be overwhelming at times. I have to remind myself that it will all be worth it in the end. Next up is the cabinet install that will begin on Wednesday or Thursday this week. Then the counter people will come to measure, the floor guys will come back to stain and poly the floor, the appliances will start to be installed. All signs are that I WILL have a working kitchen before thanksgiving.
Check back late next week. I fully intend to write about the cabinet install as it happens. Thanks for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment