Uncovered fireplace with homemade chimney
Here’s a fun one: we opened up a wall in the kitchen to reveal the old fireplace, only to find that a previous owner had built an unstable-looking chimney in the middle of it. i am hoping that we can have this thing replaced with something less egregious (and potentially dangerous) and still do something…
Here’s a fun one: we opened up a wall in the kitchen to reveal the old fireplace, only to find that a previous owner had built an unstable-looking chimney in the middle of it. i am hoping that we can have this thing replaced with something less egregious (and potentially dangerous) and still do something aesthetically pleasing with the fireplace (not for usin’, just for lookin’ at). who do i call for this? a chimney company? our plumber previously did some work on the chimney in the cellar when they were working on the boiler, but this is probably beyond their reach, right? who’s good for creative chimney solutions?
Cover it up. Say nothing. Sell the house. Buy something more to your liking.
but i love venting spleen! that’s what the internet is for isn’t it? the top of the connector is a clay tube, and it’s already cracked quite a bit; collapsing into the boiler sounds like what’s next on its schedule. but i’m glad to hear this isn’t that uncommon, i’m hoping the chimney folks can clean this up adequately. thanks for everybody’s advice!
Before you vent your virtual speen at whoever built this chimney liner, you should understand that this is a standard solution for work done 30+ years ago and prior. What you have is actually slightly better than some I’ve seen that omit the stability of brick, using only clay tubes to re-line the chimney. Eventually, the clay shifts, breaks and ultimately collapses into the boiler. Very messy.
Depending on what floor this fireplace is on, there may be channels to the left and right for fireplaces below it, as that is how they are vented when stacked above one another floor-to-floor.
Talk to Jason Dorn at Big Apple Chimney. He did our chimneys and I am very happy with the job. His prices are competitive.
Manny Lasalle just did this for me and he did an incredible job. He rehab’d two fireplaces and completely rebuilt the weird do it yourself flue that the boiler and heater were venting through. Manny rocks. 917 292 1825.
You really should look for a specialist- there’s lots of issues with chimneys and I’m not sure a plumber would have that kind of specialized expertise.
yeah it looks like the flue comes up in the center of the floor, but continues back and to the right (i’m guessing there used to be an old stove attached here).
what you describe is what i have in mind, but the genius who built this leaning tower of chimney built it wayyy out so it is impossible to cover it flush. you shoulda seen the lame cover-up job that was there before!
so i guess it’s a chimney specialist that i need?
SO, what happpens, your flue goes up in the stubby, wobbly chimney and then takes a turn into the wall? Or is that orangish thing at the top of the chimney stub actually your flue? I’d just be inclined to put a slate covered wall up in front of the chimney, as close as possible, to leave you a little fireplace depth and then patch the hearth and work on the surrounds and mantlepiece. That way you’d aintain the feel of a fireplace and hide the offensive fluelet.
oh yes, it’s in use all right. i’m just trying to find out if i can replace it with something less, how you say, ‘fugly’?