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Fireplace and hearth installation contractors work with strict clearance requirements, code-mandated inspections, and significant liability if documentation is inadequate. A combustion appliance installed without a documented clearance record is a liability that doesn't expire. Documentation of rough-in, clearances, flue work, and final inspection protects the installer for the life of the appliance.
Clearances to combustibles are non-negotiable in fireplace and hearth installation. If a fire occurs years after installation, the question will be whether clearances were correct. Photos taken during rough-in — before finishing materials cover the structure — showing measured clearances to combustibles are the permanent record that the installation was done to spec.
These photos can't be taken after the drywall goes on. They have to be captured at the time of installation. Manifold timestamps every photo automatically, creating a permanent, undisputable record of when each stage was completed.
Before any finishing materials are applied, photograph: framing opening with dimensions visible, clearances to all combustibles (with tape measure or reference in frame), chase framing or enclosure structure, and any non-standard conditions that differ from the original plan. Every photo GPS-tagged and timestamped automatically in Manifold.
Photograph every section of flue or vent pipe as it's installed — pipe joints, support brackets, clearances at each penetration, termination cap at the exterior. For direct vent appliances, photograph the co-axial vent connections and seals. These photos are the installation record for the venting system.
Use a photo-required checklist for the pre-finishing inspection: framing clearances confirmed and photographed, hearth extension dimensions confirmed and photographed, flue properly supported and photographed, air supply (if applicable) confirmed. Each item locked until a photo is attached. This is the record that would be reviewed if a clearance dispute arose years later.
Photograph the completed installation from multiple angles — overall, hearth extension, surround, mantel, exterior termination. Run a completion punch list: all trim fitted, glass door installed and operational, controls accessible, instructions provided to client. One tap generates a branded PDF with the full installation record from rough-in through final inspection. The client gets a copy. You keep one permanently.
Photo plan — $16/user/month: GPS photo timelines, photo-required checklists, punch lists, PDF reports, client sharing. No seat minimums.
Photo+Scan plan — $24/user/month: Everything in Photo plus Orbit Measure 3D scanning — useful for documenting the existing hearth area before installation and measuring chimney heights or flue lengths.
No seat minimums, free trial, no credit card required.
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Clearances to combustibles are code-mandated and non-negotiable. If a fire occurs years after installation, photos of measured clearances taken at rough-in stage — before finishing materials covered the structure — are the permanent record that the installation was done to spec. These photos can only be taken at the time of installation.
Framing opening with dimensions, clearances to all combustibles with measurement reference in frame, all flue or vent pipe sections as installed, pipe joints and support brackets, clearances at each penetration, termination cap at exterior, and the completed installation from multiple angles. Use a photo-required checklist so each stage is locked until documented.
All trim fitted and aligned, glass door installed and operational, controls accessible and functioning, hearth extension clean and undamaged, surround and mantel fitted securely, exterior termination cap installed, instructions provided to client. Each item requires a completion photo before it can be marked done.
Every photo in Manifold is GPS-tagged and timestamped automatically. The complete installation record — rough-in clearances, flue documentation, pre-finishing inspection checklist, and final completion photos — is stored permanently and exportable as a PDF. If a warranty claim or liability question arises years later, the complete documented record is immediately available.
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