Double fireplace??

[Greg Ray]

Looking at a lake home that was built in 1985 with double fireplace's. The home has 3 levels, the first fireplace is in the basement and the other is in the den above the basement vented to the same chimney which is brick. The owner said the basement fireplace did not draft very well. Has anyone seen a set up like that?? I thought I would put in a insert or wood stove in the den and run a liner and just block off the basement fireplace. The chimney is large enough for 2 liner's, I guess I could have 2 stoves running 2 liner's if I wanted. Overall length of chimney is about 35'.. Im sure you could not use both fireplaces at the same time without a draft problem. Was it common in the 80's to build a double fireplace's like that?? Thanks

 

[DAKSY]

The problem with your set-up is that when you burn one unit, the make up air for your home
is gonna wanna come in the other flue...this can lead to smells & even smoke from the burning one.
If you install a more efficient wood burner in both, you can eliminate the intake problems,
because you'll have sealed systems...
BUT, if you have a draft problem ALREADY with the one in the basement,
it probably doesn't matter what you put in there...
It'll STILL have drafting problems...
It's the nature of natural draft appliances...

 

[Greg Ray]

The problem with your set-up is that when you burn one unit, the make up air for your home
is gonna wanna come in the other flue...this can lead to smells & even smoke from the burning one.
If you install a more efficient wood burner in both, you can eliminate the intake problems,
because you'll have sealed systems...
BUT, if you have a draft problem ALREADY with the one in the basement,
it probably doesn't matter what you put in there...
It'll STILL have drafting problems...
It's the nature of natural draft appliances...

Thanks Daksy! Have you seen many double fireplaces? This is the first time I have seen a set up like that. Not sure what the builder was thinking back then.

 

[DAKSY]

Hey, Greg,
Have you seen many double fireplaces? This is the first time I have seen a set up like that. Not sure what the builder was thinking back then.

I've been in many Historic homes in Albany, NY that have multiple flues within the same chimney.
Some of them are 3 & 4-story buildings...
Homeowners have always hired architects to design new homes &
while these folks are well educated in the physics of structure,
most of em seem to know very little about natural draft fireplaces & stoves...
I've seen lots of houses where one or more beautiful masonry fireplaces are installed..
Many of them are in basements & most basement fireplaces just DO NOT draft well...
The pressure differences from outside to inside & from one level to the next are just not equal
& changes in these pressures lead to drafting difficulties...

 

[johnn]

I have a double fireplace such as yours, except that my chimney has two seperate tile flues serving the fireplaces. Each fireplace has older model "inserts", neither of which has block-off plates or flex-liners and both vent into their own original flue of the original construction. (Needless to say I have my projects for the up-coming spring) The basement inserts drafts strongly, possibly due to its own flue, and since you seem to have the room,,,you might install seperate liners,,this however starts to add up in costs. You didnt mention whether thr basement is finished space and used and if not perhaps a block off plate would be in order, and alternative heat source utilized. I have used the basement insert and realized how much less heat I seem to get,,,then after finding this forum and reading , I realized without proper basement insulation and sealing MUCH of your heat is absorbed by the masonry and concrete.

I have been entertaining the idea of a add on wood burner tied into the gas furnace located in the basement with a domestic coil to supply a couple baseboard heaters, realizing without proper insulation the effects will be minimal, but we do not use the space for living and do not heat at all currently. Cant see the harm of utilizing the optional domestic water coil. Dont know if any of this is of any use to your situation,,,i just dont have anyone to talk to right now. Good luck

 

[jdurando]

I lived in a house built In the 80 it had a fireplace in the family room on the main lever and an ash clean out in the basement. Maybe someone tried to convert the clean out in to another fireplace. I think the code back then even called for separate flue for each solid fuel appliance.