I recently bought a house built in 1979. It has a wood burning fireplace with gas starter in place. The previous owner said he had the whole thing cleaned and inspected but can't remember who did it. It looks very clean but my question concerns cracks in the floor of it. It is a metal firebox with what I'm guessing is a refractory liner on the sides (made to look like brick). The floor/bottom of the box looks like mortar. Seems to me that it was maybe repaired at some point - mortar spread over what was existing. BUT it is cracked. On a side note they also clogged the end of the gas starter pipe with mortar! I don't know anything about fireplaces other than what I've learned researching this issue but guessing that is bad.
Is the cracked mortar in the bottom something we can repair with refractory mortar or something we have to have done by a professional?? Do the cracks make it dangerous to operate? Does the existing mortar need to be removed and redone? What is best long-term and most cost-efficient?
Our goal is to remove the gas starter and install gas logs rather than use it to burn wood. Any insight y'all can give would be helpful!! Thank you!
Is the cracked mortar in the bottom something we can repair with refractory mortar or something we have to have done by a professional?? Do the cracks make it dangerous to operate? Does the existing mortar need to be removed and redone? What is best long-term and most cost-efficient?
Our goal is to remove the gas starter and install gas logs rather than use it to burn wood. Any insight y'all can give would be helpful!! Thank you!