A 1970s city in miniature
Edgewood covers about 1.5 square miles, a fifth of it water (Wikipedia). Census estimates show 57.0% of its homes were built before 1980 but only 12.1% before 1970, which means close to half the housing stock went up during the 1970s alone. About 23% was built in 2000 or later (Census Reporter).
That matters because the 1970s were a transition decade for fireplaces. Some homes of that era have site-built masonry fireplaces and brick chimneys; others have early factory-built units with metal flues in framed chases. The two are repaired in completely different ways, and parts for older factory-built models can be hard to find.
| Feature | Masonry fireplace | 1970s factory-built fireplace |
|---|---|---|
| How to spot it | Firebrick in mortar, brick or block chimney outside | Metal firebox with panels, louvers, a rating plate, and a framed chase outside |
| Typical wear at this age | Cracked crown, eroded joints, a rusted damper | Rusted chase cover, cracked panels, a worn termination cap |
| Repair rule | Masonry materials to code | Only parts listed for that model |
| Where to read more | Chimney repair in Edgewood | Prefab chimney and chase repair |
How to spot it
- Masonry fireplace
- Firebrick in mortar, brick or block chimney outside
- 1970s factory-built fireplace
- Metal firebox with panels, louvers, a rating plate, and a framed chase outside
Typical wear at this age
- Masonry fireplace
- Cracked crown, eroded joints, a rusted damper
- 1970s factory-built fireplace
- Rusted chase cover, cracked panels, a worn termination cap
Repair rule
- Masonry fireplace
- Masonry materials to code
- 1970s factory-built fireplace
- Only parts listed for that model
Where to read more
- Masonry fireplace
- Chimney repair in Edgewood
- 1970s factory-built fireplace
- Prefab chimney and chase repair
If you can’t tell which one you have, how to tell a masonry fireplace from a factory-built one walks through the signs. On a factory-built chimney that has been in place for 40-plus years, rust streaks on the chase are often the first warning; rust on a chimney chase explains what it means.
Dryer vents
The newer homes in Edgewood are more likely to have longer or two-story duct runs, while the 1970s homes often have original ducting. In both, restricted airflow shows up as long drying times; a full vent cleaning for Edgewood homes measures airflow before and after, and duct faults are handled under dryer vent repair.
Edgewood services, starting with a first look
Edgewood is mostly lakefront subdivisions around Lake Jessamine and Lake Mary Jess, such as Lake Jessamine Estates and Granada Woods, and all of it is inside the service area. Because the fireplace type decides everything else, most homes start with an Edgewood chimney inspection. From there, the usual next steps are sweeping the chimney or a deeper chimney cleaning, leak tracing after storms, and fireplace repair for cracked panels, fireboxes and dampers. Neighboring Belle Isle has a similar 1970s housing mix.
References (2)
Facts and figures on this page come from these references.
