I noticed a bump in the wall above the fireplace, i cut it open and noticed a cap was used off an old can plugging a clay hole. What is supposed to be here, house was built in 1914.
Why is there a hole above my fileplace? Picture Included
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Todd
Minister of Fire
Could of been an old hole for a wood stove and someone sealed it up and built a fireplace instead?
There might have been a hearth stove installed at one time. It's unlikely that it was located in the area to the left. Too close to combustibles. That area might have been for wood storage or a cushion was there for a warm bench next to the fireplace.
It would be good to have this chimney examined by a professional sweep for other takeoffs. Our chimney had 3 of them and they were not safely isolated from nearby wood.
It would be good to have this chimney examined by a professional sweep for other takeoffs. Our chimney had 3 of them and they were not safely isolated from nearby wood.
Probably vented the still into that hole and had the catch jar in the corner. When Prohibition came around in 1920. :coolsmirk:
BrotherBart said:
lol, that would be cool. Looks like ill have it removed and rebricked in that area.
spot
Member
- Jun 27, 2006
- 82
The bench is just that, a bench, not a platform for anything. (except your butt)
Many older homes with fireplaces had benches or cabinets on either side of the fireplace.
All part of the design choices in Sears catalog homes.
The fireplace was always there but heated poorly. (as a fireplace owner - I know)
So at some point a wood stove or gas heater was placed on the hearth and was vented directly into the chimney using single-wall black pipe.
When that stove wasn't desireable anymore, the "thimble-hole" was simply plugged.
Sometimes using a paint-can lid or even a pie pan back in the day.
This worked well enough at the time, but is definetly no longer "code".
As BeGreen stated: if you plan to use the fireplace, have the hole plugged properly and the chimney and fireplace inspected.
Ah the joys of old-home-ownership! The treasures and puzzles you find along the way to making it your own!
...tell guests the "still" story though.
Many older homes with fireplaces had benches or cabinets on either side of the fireplace.
All part of the design choices in Sears catalog homes.
The fireplace was always there but heated poorly. (as a fireplace owner - I know)
So at some point a wood stove or gas heater was placed on the hearth and was vented directly into the chimney using single-wall black pipe.
When that stove wasn't desireable anymore, the "thimble-hole" was simply plugged.
Sometimes using a paint-can lid or even a pie pan back in the day.
This worked well enough at the time, but is definetly no longer "code".
As BeGreen stated: if you plan to use the fireplace, have the hole plugged properly and the chimney and fireplace inspected.
Ah the joys of old-home-ownership! The treasures and puzzles you find along the way to making it your own!
...tell guests the "still" story though.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Nope. That hole no doubt was for allowing the bats a place to enter/exit.
No doubt they had a free standing stove in there at one time and just tried to seal it off but did a poor job of it.
No doubt they had a free standing stove in there at one time and just tried to seal it off but did a poor job of it.
We have something similar in the kitchen of our 1920-built house in Massachusetts. I found it when we were doing a kitchen renovation, and removed the plaster. It was likely a place to vent the kitchen's coal cooking stove, but the house was piped for gas when it was built... so that hole in the chimney was probably never used for a vent pipe.
According to a building-inspector I know, during the 1910-1920 timeframe it wasn't clear whether houses would use electricity or gas for lights, and so many houses were piped for gas when they were built, but the gas pipes were never used. In other cases like ours, the mason planned for a traditional kitchen stove, only to find out later that the homeowner decided to try one of those newfangled gas stoves.
According to a building-inspector I know, during the 1910-1920 timeframe it wasn't clear whether houses would use electricity or gas for lights, and so many houses were piped for gas when they were built, but the gas pipes were never used. In other cases like ours, the mason planned for a traditional kitchen stove, only to find out later that the homeowner decided to try one of those newfangled gas stoves.
The house I'm living in now has a thimble like that in the chimney.
I can remember when it had a big old propane stove right in the middle of the kitchen feeding into it.
In the living room (or smoking room)
Could have been a wood stove, or could have been a Humphrey (gas) heater.
I can remember when it had a big old propane stove right in the middle of the kitchen feeding into it.
In the living room (or smoking room)
Could have been a wood stove, or could have been a Humphrey (gas) heater.
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