Floating hearth?

[Matpwodolk]

I have a traditional foundation, and it appears from the crawlspace that the chimney is supported by two brick columns with wood seemingly directly underneath the firebox. A home inspector told us this was a floating hearth, but I cannot find this term on the Internet. The house was built in 1950. Any thoughts on safety or the history of this type of design, i.e. does the fireplace sound useable assuming everything is in good condition? Thanks!

 

[cmonSTART]

If there is wood beneath the firebox masonry of the fireplace it probably doesn't meet current code. I personally wouldn't use it as masonry can conduct a fair amount of heat and slow cook the wood.

I would get a good certified sweep to come in and take a look. Most home inspectors don't do more than take a very rough look at the system. (In NH they're not required to at all.)

 

[fishingpol]

I would take another look at it and post some pics. I would doubt that wood would be able to support a chimney structure. I have seen cinderblocks supporting the chimney from below and wood supporting the protruding hearth bricks. There is a huge difference in weight. These type of set-ups can experience settling and bricks can pop up. Try to look a little deeper. There is always a first time for anything though. Hope you find some decent base for the structure.

 

[Renovation]

Might this be a good situation for a free-standing stove?