Any idea what this could be?

[ThorD]

I moved into this house, built in the 70's and I have never seen anything like this. I am hoping to actually use this fireplace, but am nervous to because of this strange tube...can anyone provide some insight into what this could be? Thank you!

 

[begreen]

Does the tube go to an outdoor intake? If so I would guess it's a homemade outside air supply.

 

[webby3650]

I’ve never seen anything like that either. Weird to say the least. I’d also suspect it’s an outside air supply.

 

[Ludlow]

Gas fired log lighter. Look for a valve in the floor or wall.

 

[bholler]

I moved into this house, built in the 70's and I have never seen anything like this. I am hoping to actually use this fireplace, but am nervous to because of this strange tube...can anyone provide some insight into what this could be? Thank you!

I would say either a log lighter or fresh air intake. You need to have the whole system inspected by a pro.

 

[ThorD]

I think having it inspected is probably going to be necessary. It is capped at the end and there is a hole about the size of a pencil eraser on the inside of the tube which makes me think it isn't for gas, which I originally felt it might be. Thank you for the input, greatly appreciated. If I go the inspection route, I will report back as to what the heck this thing is.

 

[Ludlow]

Awful small holes in it for an intake.

 

[webby3650]

Awful small holes in it for an intake.

Awful HUGE pipe way too far forward for a loglighter! If it is, it shouldn’t be used.

 

[Ludlow]

Its in the front because it is an early crude version of gas logs. Pipe diameter is bigger in the firebox area to slow down the flow rate. If it is an intake it wouldnt work for squat with the tiny holes that would rust shut in no time.

 

[bholler]

Its in the front because it is an early crude version of gas logs. Pipe diameter is bigger in the firebox area to slow down the flow rate. If it is an intake it wouldnt work for squat with the tiny holes that would rust shut in no time.

How do you know there are no larger holes in the back to be an air supply? We simply dont have enough info to know anything for sure.

 

[Ludlow]

I have x-ray vision.

I really dont know what it is but it is some shoemaker attempt to make a masonry fireplace miraculously work better.

Im betting it didnt help in any noticeable amount whatever it is.

 

[bholler]

I have x-ray vision.

I really dont know what it is but it is some shoemaker attempt to make a masonry fireplace miraculously work better.

Im betting it didnt help in any noticeable amount whatever it is.

I just read the post i missed by the op saying there are no large holes in the back. So no xray vision needed. We still dont know what it is but what ever it is it looks poorly designed and probably didnt work.

 

[bholler]

I think having it inspected is probably going to be necessary. It is capped at the end and there is a hole about the size of a pencil eraser on the inside of the tube which makes me think it isn't for gas, which I originally felt it might be. Thank you for the input, greatly appreciated. If I go the inspection route, I will report back as to what the heck this thing is.

Honestly that pipe would be the least of my worries it would be easily removed. There are potentially many other much more serious things that could be an issue.

 

[jetsam]

Honestly that pipe would be the least of my worries it would be easily removed. There are potentially many other much more serious things that could be an issue.

The wood fire melts the plastic in the gas line's ball valve, and all those pinholes cause the cast pipe to fail.... that's not even an unlikely outcome.

 

[webby3650]

The wood fire melts the plastic in the gas line's ball valve, and all those pinholes cause the cast pipe to fail.... that's not even an unlikely outcome.

I don’t see a ball valve.
A cast iron or steel log lighter would be perfectly acceptable, this however isn’t a log lighter. If that was their intent it would have been under the grate. This I think is their idea of a gas burner. What bholler is saying is that the rest of the system needs inspected. Who knows what other “fixes” they may have done... Its always a good idea to have a professional look it over before burning something new to you.

 

[bholler]

The wood fire melts the plastic in the gas line's ball valve, and all those pinholes cause the cast pipe to fail.... that's not even an unlikely outcome.

I am not following your train of though. There is no valve visible and regardless it should all be removed.

 

[jetsam]

I don’t see a ball valve.
A cast iron or steel log lighter would be perfectly acceptable, this however isn’t a log lighter. If that was their intent it would have been under the grate. This I think is their idea of a gas burner. What bholler is saying is that the rest of the system needs inspected. Who knows what other “fixes” they may have done... Its always a good idea to have a professional look it over before burning something new to you.

If it's a log lighter or a gas log, it has a shutoff nearby, probably within reach. A hot wood fire is going to heat up that gas pipe to the point that I'd worry about both the valve and the structural integrity of the pipe itself since it appears to have lots of holes poked in it.

Those brass ball gas valves are designed to withstand momentary heat from sweating, but look inside- the ball's socket is plastic. Melt that out with hours of wood fire and the failure mode is "always-on log lighter", until the pinholed pipe fails, and then the failure mode is "mini flamethrower" (which is at least in the fireplace).

I don't know what kind of flow rate you'd see through a melted out ball valve, probably not too high, but I've never seen it happen either.

 

[bholler]

If it's a log lighter or a gas log, it has a shutoff nearby, probably within reach. A hot wood fire is going to heat up that gas pipe to the point that I'd worry about both the valve and the structural integrity of the pipe itself since it appears to have lots of holes poked in it.

Those brass ball gas valves are designed to withstand momentary heat from sweating, but look inside- the ball's socket is plastic. Melt that out with hours of wood fire and the failure mode is "always-on log lighter", until the pinholed pipe fails, and then the failure mode is "mini flamethrower" (which is at least in the fireplace).

I don't know what kind of flow rate you'd see through a melted out ball valve, probably not too high, but I've never seen it happen either.

In order to melt the plastic out of the ball valve it would pretty much have to be in the box. And there would be reason the pipe would fail. Even if it did there should be no danger the gas would be shut off outside of the box.

 

[webby3650]

If it's a log lighter or a gas log, it has a shutoff nearby, probably within reach. A hot wood fire is going to heat up that gas pipe to the point that I'd worry about both the valve and the structural integrity of the pipe itself since it appears to have lots of holes poked in it.

Those brass ball gas valves are designed to withstand momentary heat from sweating, but look inside- the ball's socket is plastic. Melt that out with hours of wood fire and the failure mode is "always-on log lighter", until the pinholed pipe fails, and then the failure mode is "mini flamethrower" (which is at least in the fireplace).

I don't know what kind of flow rate you'd see through a melted out ball valve, probably not too high, but I've never seen it happen either.

A log lighter and typically gas logs use a wall or floor valve that are remotely located. I’m aware of how a ball valve would fail if it were in the firebox. Pin holes in a pipe is how a log lighter works, that’s normal and they do fail over time.