fireplace making neighbors wall hot.

we have a newly lined chimney and flue. the firebox was lined with heat resistant bricks. the fireplace burns wood great with a good draw……..except.., when ever we burn it for morer then a few hours our neighbor complains tha there is a spot about 2 feet up from the floor that gets very hot… too hot too touch. they have asked us to stop burning fires. is there anything we can use to insulate the lower back wall of the fireplace? right behind where the wood goes. the fireplace is pretty shallow as it is, so i think another layer of brick may affect the draw…. any thoughts?

constantly looking

in Chimney and Fireplace 13 years and 5 months ago

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redlandsgirl | 11 years and 5 months ago

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Did you solve your problem? I had a lengthy conversation this afternoon with Mark Schaub of Chimney Savers based in PA. He has appeared many times on This Old House and writes for a couple of periodicals on the subject (I found him on Angie’s List). He’s very knowledgeable and asked us to send photos of our neighbors chimney from the roof, down the flue, from across the street, from inside all angles and up the flue! He explained that the age of the house has a lot to do with the original use of the fireplace. They were designed to burn wood or coal inside a smaller metal unit NOT as an open hearth the way we do now. It’s possible that you may not have enough brick as it wasn’t needed way back when. Maybe you’d like to be in touch with him so that he can look at your hearth when he makes a trip in to Bklyn to check out my neighbor’s! His email is: mschimneysavers@embarq.com and his office is: 908.359.7798 .

redlandsgirl | 11 years and 5 months ago

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Our neighbors fireplace (in a newly renovated house) is having that effect on a room in our house. The chimney company they hired recommended and installed some sort of metal plate and the situation is much worse and the area affected has expanded. Our plaster wall is cracking (currently held in place only by the wallpaper!). This is of concern to both of us. Would love to hear more!

joeo | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Should be a steel liner with insulation around it.  If the liner is properly insulated then there shouldn’t be any hot spots.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 5 months ago

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How about a fireback.  These are heavy cast iron pieces meant to radiate heat back into the room.  They work.  Google “fireback” and you’ll get multiple sources.  here’s one..   http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Fireplace-Accessories/Firebacks?gclid=CMrSppW5rK0CFcZM4AodzB1iQA

GreenThinker | 13 years and 5 months ago

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel

Don’t actually know how simple it would be to attain a sheet of that. But it’s the first thing that came to mind.