Need some advice: Did I do this right? (Pre Fab 1970's)

Ukrainianoiler · Nov 3, 2013

Hi - New to this forum and glad for something of this type to be around.
I purchased a home built in 1978. It has a fireplace in it that was god awful looking so I took down the faux brick surround and tried to improve on it. I have not used it at all even before I took the brick down and put up the drywall but the inpector said it was in good repair when I bought the house.

My question is, now that I am thinking of selling my home, did we do it properly (so as not to have it flagged in the next inspection upon selling it).

The faux brick was adhered to drywall. I tried to contact the manufactuer but they have long been bought out and have no support for these fireplaces. City Hall was not much help either in telling me what was allowable.

We replaced the drywall around the fireplace and did not apply any stone to it.

Can anyone advise if it is safe given the pictures I've attached.
Thankyou in advance.

Sails · Nov 3, 2013

I can't answer your question but I do have to say wow!! You guys made that look SO much better!!

Nick Mystic · Nov 3, 2013

It looks like that faux brick facade was put onto drywall with some mastic. I did a similar brick facing on a wall back in 1978 when I installed a zero clearance fireplace in my home. That imitation brick facing does not provide any protection from heat or shielding for the wall. Zero clearance fireplaces don't require any clearance on the front wall as far as I know. I think you should be fine.

Dave A. · Nov 3, 2013

As far as safety, the only thing that sticks out is the lack of a hearth/ US req of min16" hearth protection from embers for safety

To be frank, I think it would have been better for selling the house with at least some of the brick (btw, you sure that wasn't real brick veneer, sure looks like it in 5465, though it is lacking mortar joints and good corners which betrays the look). Good that diagonal panelling is gone and the fireplace certainly looks better centered on the bumpout.

For resale, making it easy on you and desirable, you could just put up a mantle (at the right height for clearances) and tile below it. Or find a prefab mantelpiece and tile around the fireplace opening to the mantelpiece. It might look unsafe, unfinished, or just cheap to buyers without something like tile, stone, or brick around the opening, imo.

But get a real answer, bring in an experienced realtor for a market evaluation/listing price and see what she says.

Edit: On second thought, as well as the hearth req, the mantel height clearance issue (as well as side clearances) may require a fireproof material like tile applied to the drywall a certain distance around the opening. You might want to check on that (pretty sure exposed drywall is NOT considered a firesafe material).

Ukrainianoiler · Nov 6, 2013

Dave A. said:
As far as safety, the only thing that sticks out is the lack of a hearth/ US req of min16" hearth protection from embers for safety

To be frank, I think it would have been better for selling the house with at least some of the brick (btw, you sure that wasn't real brick veneer, sure looks like it in 5465, though it is lacking mortar joints and good corners which betrays the look). Good that diagonal panelling is gone and the fireplace certainly looks better centered on the bumpout.

For resale, making it easy on you and desirable, you could just put up a mantle (at the right height for clearances) and tile below it. Or find a prefab mantelpiece and tile around the fireplace opening to the mantelpiece. It might look unsafe, unfinished, or just cheap to buyers without something like tile, stone, or brick around the opening, imo.

But get a real answer, bring in an experienced realtor for a market evaluation/listing price and see what she says.

Edit: On second thought, as well as the hearth req, the mantel height clearance issue (as well as side clearances) may require a fireproof material like tile applied to the drywall a certain distance around the opening. You might want to check on that (pretty sure exposed drywall is NOT considered a firesafe material).

I think it might have been real brick...the only problem with if I'd left some on there was the ridiculous offset it had. I'd have to have matched up some other stuff just due to it being so much wider on the left side so I was limited in what we could do.

I wasn't sure how much heat the 'brick' would have been helping with anyways with it being just on the drywall as it was...I think I may just spend the cash and get the guy who did my home inspection when I bought it, to look at it.

The hearth definitely needs to be done...just haven't gotten to it yet. The marble pieces is the old one and its not center or attached so still room for improvement. I think it is 16" here in Canada too...

Thanks very much for the advice. And yes, that diagonal panelling is much better in the dump than it was on the wall. I'm quite glad I was very young in the 70's and don't remember much of the decorating style...though it was well represented in this place when I got it : )

Dave A. · Nov 7, 2013

I thought the hearth req in Canada is 18" (16" in the US), but I could be mistaken.

You might want to check out this info on Make a Prefab Fireplace Look Like it Belongs at:
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/des...-a-prefab-fireplace-look-like-it-belongs.aspx

The point that struck me in the article was:

"Read the installation manual for your particular model first to find out exactly what you can and can’t do. For factory-made units, manufacturers specify safe clearances to combustible finish materials in their product literature. These clearances are often less stringent than those listed in the building codes for masonry fireplaces."

So what you probably should do is get a hold of the manual for your FP and see exactly how it needs to be installed, clearances to combustibles, etc. That's really what any authority, building inspector, fire marshall, is going to want to turn to, because if it isn't available, standard code requirements are likely to be stricter.

However, worse comes to worst, if you don't want to make any required modifications, when you go to sell, the fireplace basically would be listed as something like "decorative only, not for burning" -- not a big deal, and as it is, iirc, you haven't even used it, so you don't really know how well it works in it's present condition.

tom dee · Nov 7, 2013

Thats A canada Approved Preway Fireplace Made in USA out west Ive one here removed for my Progress hybrib install that 14 in Galv. pipe should have 8 inch single wall stainless running thru it with wire standoffs keeping it centered company is loooong out of buis manual good luck it will burn wood give noooo heat mine is dbl sided view fire in two rooms the thing or mine was a sheet metal joke its out in yard ready to go to scrap metal yard happy to post pics mine also has a hilarious blower too PreWay industries in like Ohio A lotta Mobile Double wide Homes had these

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Need some advice: Did I do this right? (Pre Fab 1970's)

Ukrainianoiler

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Nick Mystic

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Dave A.

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Ukrainianoiler

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