Archaeology of a house - what are these?

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/513bcc165bcdd-.jpg

Hi, we’re at the stage in our reno where we’re removing the plaster and lathe – and hidden behind the plaster in between the two bedroom walls is this metal chute (it doesn’t go to our chimney) about 1′ wide, and then to the right of the chute, this opening in the wall, with a metal mesh surrounding the opening (it doesn’t connect to anything). Anyone know what they are? just curious! thanks!

honeycut

in Demolition 12 years and 1 month ago

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SewardWasRight | 12 years and 1 month ago

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Yes, those are heating ducts from your original central heating. Mine were uncovered during our renovation – each was labeled with the floor that they ran to. The heat would rise from the coal boiler and blow out through metal grates in your wall that can be opened or closed. My next door neighbor still has theirs operational. Of course, when steam heat arrived, central air sorta died because it is much less efficient (i.e., as soon as the heat stops blowing, the house begins to get cold, whereas with radiation, the radiators maintain the heat for a long period of time before cooling down).

Townie | 12 years and 1 month ago

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I’m going to agree with Rick.  We have old ducts that run through to our chimneys that terminate in the basement from what used to be our coal fed boiler.   The speaking tubes are much smaller… 2” in width maybe.  The wire mesh is a substitute for the wood lathe in order to hold the plaster.

Rick | 12 years and 1 month ago

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Often old heating ducts are disconnected and plastered over when a building is changing over to steam or hot water radiators. In the photo there’s a small window opening. That looks like a duct opening to heat that room.

Rick | 12 years and 1 month ago

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It looks like a duct that was used when the house was heated by coal.

argylerd | 12 years and 1 month ago

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I agree that the 1′ tube is from a speaking tube.  The opening in the wall looks like it could have been for a register for hot air heating, but if it doesn’t connect to anything I can’t guess.

Stonergut | 12 years and 1 month ago

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The chute is probably a speaking tube. My neighbor’s house had one intact (her family had been the second family in the house ever. She moved in before 1910 and her dad added bathrooms with running water and probably electricity). Anyhow, this had an old timey phone looking ear piece in the ground floor hallway, mounted on a wooden panel. There were stations on other floors where you could speak to other people, sort of like a can and a string. It’s possible there were bell pulls in there too.I think Old House Journal might have more information about them.

slopemope | 12 years and 1 month ago

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i have no idea, but i’ll guess an old cast iron stove exhaust.