chimney brick collapse

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/4e6ffab218a19-.jpg

We live in a brownstone and use a gas fireplace in our kitchen. last Spring we heard bricks collapsing inside our wall and it created a few explosions in our fireplace (flames got bigger and dust was expelled throug the air ventilation).  I have had the fireplace company come and serviced it and said they did not know how to solve the problem as they never deal with old chimneys in brownstones. So we disconnected it. Then I saw a few chimey specialists who told me that they did not know about gas fireplaces like the one I have. What should I do? a) reline all the bricks in the various dividers that have already collapsed and will proabably continue to collapse. That would mean opening a few walls on each floor and probably 10’000 k at least and much dust and havoc for weeks. b) bother only with the divider that contains my liner which is connected the the fireplace we use? Maybe out a stronger liner that would not be broken by the falling bricks. Anybody knows any good company that can give us an overall professional picture of the situation. All the companies I have worked with seem to be very specialized but not comfortable about giving any recommendation for our situation. We are concerned about safety first. Thanks!!!

hillel

in Chimney and Fireplace 13 years and 8 months ago

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brucef | 13 years and 7 months ago

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No web site, just email me at bruce at jerseydata.net. (Substitute @ for at)

hillel | 13 years and 7 months ago

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i tried but website won’t load..can’t finf your number.

brucef | 13 years and 7 months ago

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Hillel, contact me off-line bruce at jerseydata.net

hillel | 13 years and 7 months ago

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Thanks for the input. These are bricks from the adjacent divider I think. Botom line our problem is that mot fireplace specialists do not want to hook up any new liner to a gas insert they don’t know and the company that sells these fireplaces does not find records for our insert and can’t help us. The company which serviced the fireplace tells us they can’t help us because they were not the installers and the installer went bankrupt years ago. Can I call you to discuss?

brucef | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Is that a metal flexible tube in the picture? And a brick that fell down below, or an intentional brace? Is your installation a double concentric tube that brings in fresh air down the double pipe we see? You are asking a question that falls right through the crack between two trades, masonry and fireplace appliance install. We do no work in NYC (we are licensed NJ). But I will try to steer you correctly. Bricks falling from old, unlined flues is not unusual. The physical impact of a falling brick hitting your gas appliance isn’t great for your unit, but did not cause any explosions, any more so than striking it with a hammer would. There certainly would have been a loud noise and a bunch of dust. Dropping a stainless liner down around the existing small pipe would protect from further falling, especially to the degree that there would be little room for bricks to dislodge. Ultimately the usual cause of collapsing bricks is water leaking down your, or an adjacent, possibly unused flue. You have to seal the top and flashing around the roof. Good Luck