What I mean by that is to put more lumber in place to help carry the load in the basement, and 100% agree, find out if there is a larger problem before doing anything. I do have pics of my alcove, I'll try to find them.
fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?
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What I mean by that is to put more lumber in place to help carry the load in the basement, and 100% agree, find out if there is a larger problem before doing anything. I do have pics of my alcove, I'll try to find them.
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](/talk/data/attachments/230/230523-bcf005fc174f0035b30665bce6b1362f.jpg?hash=AcysWG0Gp3)
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](/talk/data/attachments/230/230524-51e45a00461d4bd5f63f03d1c93f0e28.jpg?hash=gXc0JMh6DL)
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](/talk/data/attachments/230/230525-5e99d3c620d501ad22be9d941bd50f58.jpg?hash=mR5tLtwN5q)
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](/talk/data/attachments/230/230526-936e6c974a3d8331d7123f19cda30eec.jpg?hash=a0a_3TpBm-)
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](/talk/data/attachments/230/230527-09f0deebef285fa68e536bd2a0aee09d.jpg?hash=XqiwVtU79b)
Very nice! I love the way that came out. I see you already had a bump out for the fireplace. Mine is flat against the exterior wall so be a lot of extra work for me. Your pics really make me want a stove. I am starting to love the look of them. Some of them are really eye catchers. So far the bay window on the Osburn 2200 has really peaked my interest.
Here is a quick video of inside the ashpit. The chimney sweep guy said that is plywood up there. I took several videos and pics and I'm not so sure it is plywood but it is way up there and my camera is having a hard time getting a good picture. According to all I have read there shouldn't be any wood up there. Again I don't know much and I am trying to learn as I go here. Sorry for the vertical shooting. With me twisting all around it was hard to figure out how it was going to come out.
I am not a structural engineer by any means but there is no way that one piece of plywood is holding everything up. Unless there are 2x8 or something on top of it. hard for me to tell. I assume that hole is where the ash comes in? Doesn't look like anyone ever dropped ashes in there though.
So you think that is plywood? I really couldn't tell. When I first looked at it I said it was but after I kept taking videos and pics I wasn't so sure. I do know there is doubled up 2x6's (going by eye) on either side of that ash pit. I wonder if those some how are supposed to support the concrete and hearth. These are attached by a hanger to the floor joist. You can see this in the underneath pic I posted earlier.
The ash pit has a little pile in it. I been in the house two years and mostly scooped my ashes out instead of using the pit. I am not sure previous owners used the fireplace a lot. Maybe they knew it was unfit to burn and didn't use it. Would make sense because it seems there are a few things wrong in the house that they had to have known about but didn't disclose.
If anyone can post an underneath pic of how things are supposed to be down there I'd love to compare.
After looking at photos of the 2x6 and my fireplace and measuring the 2x6 seems to be the sides for the poured in concrete. It does not run under the hearth extension. From what I read this is how it is supposed to be. I have to say I am enjoying trying to learn how a fireplace is constructed.
maple1
Minister of Fire
Would the plywood not just be a concrete form that didn't get removed (but was supposed to be by code) after the pour? I.e. serving no structural purpose now - but might pose a clearance to combustibles issue.
If that is plywood (jury still out) it would be from the form. There is concrete poured above it. That much I could see from looking up in my basement. Even in the pic I posted where the other form wasn't removed you can see all the concrete drips from when it was drying.
The plywood was just the form for the hearth slab it is holding nothing now but it can be a firehazard especially if it sits completly ontop of the block meaning it comes in contact with framing. Here is one i cut out today that could have turned into a problem.
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/230/230552-beedaa59049ab309f1f304b65ec8f3ab.jpg?hash=V30OpzsdYt "[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?")
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how would you even get into mine to cut it out? Guess it doesn't really matter since it seems everything needs to be ripped out anyway.
Here is another video of the ash pit. This one you can see my ashes at the end and quick shot of me. "Hello"
Here is another video of the ash pit. This one you can see my ashes at the end and quick shot of me. "Hello"
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It looks like plywood to me. And that part may not need to change other than cutting out the wood
Any other images or videos I could take to assist in figuring out my original problem of the face pulling away from the wall while I try and get someone over to look at it? How is the face supposed to be anchored to the chimney or is it?
I just want to say thank you for the hand holding while I try and understand how this all works. I know some of you are at a level of knowledge on this I will never achieve but I appreciate you sharing. This way I know what to look for when this actually gets repaired or my next house if I get sick of this one.
I just want to say thank you for the hand holding while I try and understand how this all works. I know some of you are at a level of knowledge on this I will never achieve but I appreciate you sharing. This way I know what to look for when this actually gets repaired or my next house if I get sick of this one.
No way to know without being on site really. The face should be sitting either on the slab which makes up the hearth and hearth extension it should have been poured as one slab with rebar. The face should then be tied to the structure with wall ties. But if the base is no good those wall ties wont do anything anyway.
KJamesJR
Feeling the Heat
So your hearth extension was poured over OSB and set on a single 2x6 floor joist? No wonder it’s sagging and pulling the veneer off the chimney.
I wouldn’t say that’s a $7.5k job. The most expensive part of the reconstruction should be new veneer, which you have no idea/weren’t quoted for.
I wouldn’t say that’s a $7.5k job. The most expensive part of the reconstruction should be new veneer, which you have no idea/weren’t quoted for.
No the most expensive part will be the labor. If you have ever done this in someones finished house you would know it takes allot of time. I would most likely have an entire day of setup just to protect the house from damage and dust. Then a half day of teardown and cleanup after.
The hearth extension seems to be supported by the cinder block in the front and not sure what in the back. I can't see. It is not by 2x6 that I thought. Those seem to just be the sides of the poured slab.. Item number 5 seems to be for the new veneer.
I found this image online. This seems to be exactly how mine is except I have no idea if rebar in there and mine appears to still have the plywood form underneath.
If using someone else's image is not allowed on this forum let me know and I will remove it.
Attachments
![[Hearth.com] fireplace deemed unsafe to use -options?](/talk/data/attachments/230/230558-1f723b9130a58b973a5a3a36d3aea1be.jpg?hash=KxLIDJ0_P0)
Yes that is how it should be done. But if yours is sagging as i suspect it is i would bet the hearth extension was formed and poured as a seperate slab without being tied back to the main hearth slab properly.
KJamesJR
Feeling the Heat
But $7.5k? That doesn’t seem a little excessive? I mean where I live... that’s a roofing job. Or a small driveway.
I would definitely get a second opinion or even a third. Or shop get some bids for the job.
As i have said several times before in this thread yes i think it is a little high. But not that high. But i really dont know what the labor rate for skilled masins is in Connecticut. I also recomend getting other opinions and quotes as well. I think the original assessment is correct but i cant be sure.
I agree that is about the price of an average roof or small driveway. And while this job will have much less in materials than either of them it will take many more man hours than either of them.
Confirmed that it is plywood. I stuck my hand down the ashpit hole and was able to grab and rip off a piece of wood.
I am going to ask the guys I get to come out to let me know what is involved in just getting rid of the fireplace I have and have a wood stove properly installed.
Thanks for all the help guys. I will update this as it moves forward (slowly) and use this thread as my progress thread.
I am going to ask the guys I get to come out to let me know what is involved in just getting rid of the fireplace I have and have a wood stove properly installed.
Thanks for all the help guys. I will update this as it moves forward (slowly) and use this thread as my progress thread.
Well looks like taking out the fireplace will be simple actually. The mortar is all crumbly. I was able to pull chunks out between the sheetrock and stone. Which is probably why I have the gap there. Whoever mixed that I don't think did it right. I inspected the outside yesterday. I am not a professional but there is zero signs of the bricks moving out there. It is tight to the house, no cracks anywhere. So I guess that is good news.
fireplace sales and service guy coming Friday night
mason coming saturday
So between these two and the first chimney sweep person inspection I should have an idea of exactly what is going on. I do want to add that right off the bat the mason felt he knew the issue and said 9/10 this is the installer not using anchors for the face of the fireplace.
fireplace sales and service guy coming Friday night
mason coming saturday
So between these two and the first chimney sweep person inspection I should have an idea of exactly what is going on. I do want to add that right off the bat the mason felt he knew the issue and said 9/10 this is the installer not using anchors for the face of the fireplace.
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So fireplace company came by. Said the chimney looks great but stone face is my issue. It is not anchored and was installed on drywall. He wants to remove the face, keep the hearth extension, rebuild the face right with existing stone, then do an insert.
He told me a couple things that got me worried. First said I can use the fireplace as is. His words were "I won't burn the house down." Second he said I shouldn't do a wood stove because it won't fit in front of fireplace on hearth extension. I told him I am considering closing the wall up and asked if we could tie into the chimney further up the wall. Some reason he said it wasn't a good idea and would be very difficult to do.
I will get the cost by Tuesday .tomorrow the mason comes.
He told me a couple things that got me worried. First said I can use the fireplace as is. His words were "I won't burn the house down." Second he said I shouldn't do a wood stove because it won't fit in front of fireplace on hearth extension. I told him I am considering closing the wall up and asked if we could tie into the chimney further up the wall. Some reason he said it wasn't a good idea and would be very difficult to do.
I will get the cost by Tuesday .tomorrow the mason comes.
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