Found sealed flue by water heater

[emt1581]

We haven't had a sweep come out yet to determine if our assumptions about having two flues is correct or not. However, we were looking down the basement (where there is already a fireplace) and in the room next to the fireplace there is a clay pipe opening built into the wall that is about 6" in diameter about 5 feet from the ground. I was told this was done a long time ago and we could "break through it" if we wanted to put in a furnace. Does that pretty much answer our question of whether we have two separate flues or not?

Thanks!

-Emt1581

 

[fossil]

Your question will be answered definitively when you (or someone) goes up on the roof and looks at the top of the chimney structure. Rick

 

[emt1581]

Your question will be answered definitively when you (or someone) goes up on the roof and looks at the top of the chimney structure. Rick

Right, but I'm wondering how this hole in the wall plays into the equation?

-Emt1581

 

[fossil]

Your question will be answered definitively when you (or someone) goes up on the roof and looks at the top of the chimney structure. Rick

Right, but I'm wondering how this hole in the wall plays into the equation?

-Emt1581

Yeah, I am too.

 

[emt1581]

Your question will be answered definitively when you (or someone) goes up on the roof and looks at the top of the chimney structure. Rick

Right, but I'm wondering how this hole in the wall plays into the equation?

-Emt1581

Yeah, I am too.

Oh ok. I didn't know if a flue near a water heater AND a fireplace would be a dead giveaway that there's two flues or something else about the structure.

I'll keep ya posted!

Thanks!

-Emt1581

 

[mikefrommaine]

In older houses it is common to find an old flue in the basement that combines into the fireplace flue above the fireplace. Won't know until someone looks.

 

[emt1581]

In older houses it is common to find an old flue in the basement that combines into the fireplace flue above the fireplace. Won't know until someone looks.

Gotcha, so it's quite possible that the fireplace shares the same flue as this clay pipe? That's just how I took the word "combines".

But again, I definitely agree someone needs to hop on a ladder and take a peek.

Thanks!

-Emt1581

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I've seen chimneys (often for old cook stoves) removed after the first floor also.

Matt

 

[rdust]

Any pictures of the chimney from ground?

Can I ask why this is still a topic of conversation? Do you not own a ladder or are you afraid of heights? Has to be one or the other.

 

[emt1581]

Any pictures of the chimney from ground?

Can I ask why this is still a topic of conversation? Do you not own a ladder or are you afraid of heights? Has to be one or the other.

I'm not thrilled about going 3 stories up on a ladder but in any case I don't have a ladder that tall.

I actually tried to get an aerial photo of the top of the chimney tonight but mapquest couldn't zoom in that far.

Plus we can't just go poking around on the property until Thursday...when we get the keys.

-Emt1581

 

[madrone]

I've seen chimneys (often for old cook stoves) removed after the first floor also.

Matt

I'm about to do that, and it now occurs to me that I should put a nice sign on it in the basement to point out that it no longer exits the roof, just in case I don't get it removed entirely before I sell the house or expire.

 

[emt1581]

I've seen chimneys (often for old cook stoves) removed after the first floor also.

Matt

I'm about to do that, and it now occurs to me that I should put a nice sign on it in the basement to point out that it no longer exits the roof, just in case I don't get it removed entirely before I sell the house or expire.

That would have been nice!

As far as chimney removal...I don't understand how that relates to this flue issue...?

Thanks!

-Emt1581

 

[madrone]

As far as chimney removal...I don't understand how that relates to this flue issue...?

Thanks!

-Emt1581

Sounds like it probably doesn't in this case, if it's all one chimney with multiple flues. Some old places had multiple chimneys for fireplace in one area and cook stove in another. When the cook stove was replaced by gas or electric, sometimes the chimney was partially removed. In my house, the single flue was shared by a cook stove and a franklin stove for a long time. Then it was used by the oil furnace. Now it's unused. It probably shouldn't have been used for a few decades, so I'm pulling it down.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I've seen chimneys (often for old cook stoves) removed after the first floor also.

Matt

I'm about to do that, and it now occurs to me that I should put a nice sign on it in the basement to point out that it no longer exits the roof, just in case I don't get it removed entirely before I sell the house or expire.

That would have been nice!

As far as chimney removal...I don't understand how that relates to this flue issue...?

Thanks!

-Emt1581

I'm just relating something I've seen first hand on more than a few old houses. Somebody reading this thread in a few years might find the info useful.

It would really suck to hook a stove up to the flue and fire it only to find the smoke would only go as high as the top of the first floor on a multi story house....


Matt

 

[benjamin]

I've seen chimneys (often for old cook stoves) removed after the first floor also.

Matt

(face turning red) Uh, I do that all the time. Usually I take it down to the attic floor level and seal it with drywall, expanding foam, EPS and more expanding foam. If anybody decides to use it again it won't draft very well, and hopefully they'll figure it out before they poison somebody.

Chimneys are generally obsolete these days, so anybody hooking up a new appliance is entirely responsible for determining the existence and safety of the flue. At least that's what I tell myself when I'm lopping one off.

 

[madrone]

My plan is to remove mine entirely at some point, mostly so I can expand the kitchen when I win the lottery. Until then, I think I will mark the chimney in some way, just in case. Given the other stuff I've found while fixing up this place, I don't have much faith in the common sense of the average homeowner.

 

[KB007]

We sealed up one side of one of the 2 flues in our house. It was originally used by an oil fired water heater that had the chimney going thru the wall into the same flue that was used for the basement woodstove. (This is now against code, but was legal at some point years ago I am told). Once we ripped out the oil water heater we sealed the hole and the woodstove flue became legal again. Could be someone had something similar going on at some point. Once you get in the house, check to see if you have 1 or 2 clean outs at the bottom of the chimney structure.

What kind of furnace are you thinking of? Wood or Oil/Gas?? If it's Gas, you don't need a chimney, just get a direct vent type (even for Oil they have direct vents now).

 

[emt1581]

Well we got the keys!

Found out at the closing table that the sealed flue is in fact a 2nd line. Furthermore we found out that the vents/grates on the top of either side of the basement fireplace are called "heatilators"... I'm sure some here know what they are, but I didn't. Supposidely they are similar to having an insert because instead of the heat going up the chimney from the fireplace, it gets blown out of the vents by the internal fans.

I'd love to know more about those but I'll do some homework (so long as my spelling is correct) and see what I can find.

Just figured I'd update yall. We're clear for an install as soon as we get the funds to do so.

-Emt1581

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Congratulations! Now the real work begins. :lol:


Matt

 

[rdust]

Furthermore we found out that the vents/grates on the top of either side of the basement fireplace are called "heatilators"..
-Emt1581

Congrats on the closing!

My parents fireplace has the vents that you describe. It's still nothing like an insert, an insert is an air tight efficient heater, the fireplace is still just a fireplace. In my parents case they have 4 vents, 2 on the bottom with fans that push air that's heated by the fire out the top vents. It's far better then just a fireplace for moving heat around the room but still doesn't make the wood burning process efficient.

 

[emt1581]

Congratulations! Now the real work begins. :lol:


Matt

Yeah, the hour after we had the keys, all the upstairs wallpaper was down and tomorrow we get crackin on painting. By the end of the weekend the upstairs should be done...moving right along...

But as I said, the stove doesn't go in until we have the money for it.

-Emt1581

 

[emt1581]

Furthermore we found out that the vents/grates on the top of either side of the basement fireplace are called "heatilators"..
-Emt1581

Congrats on the closing!

My parents fireplace has the vents that you describe. It's still nothing like an insert, an insert is an air tight efficient heater, the fireplace is still just a fireplace. In my parents case they have 4 vents, 2 on the bottom with fans that push air that's heated by the fire out the top vents. It's far better then just a fireplace for moving heat around the room but still doesn't make the wood burning process efficient.

Thank you thank you!

Now do I have that right... Heatilator??

It sounds like it'll heat the basement just find but not much else. That's fine. The stove will heat the rest...hopefully.

Thanks!

-Emt1581

 

[Todd]

I had a 1975 Superior Heatform fireplace which is similar to what your describing. The heatilator/heatform fireplaces are a double walled heat circulating fireplace with vents at the bottom that draw in cool room air that gets heated and returned out the upper vents. They can really throw some heat once warmed up but can also eat mass quantities of firewood. I ended up ripping mine out and am currently installing a new hearth and stove. If you plan on burning yours get it checked out prior from a good certified sweep. Mine was all rusted out since it was 35 years old and the previous home owner didn't have a chimney cap which allowed water to seep down and contact the metal.

Here's my thread that shows my heatform and install in progress.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/56601/

 

[VTHC]

They can really throw some heat once warmed up but can also eat mass quantities of firewood. I ended up ripping mine out and am currently installing a new hearth and stove. If you plan on burning yours get it checked out prior from a good certified sweep. Mine was all rusted out since it was 35 years old and the previous home owner didn't have a chimney cap which allowed water to seep down and contact the metal.

+1 in our house.
Only thing was i never got ours to throw much heat. The damper assembly, and top of the fireplace was all rusted out due to no rain cap from previous owners. Regardless of the vents, the fireplace was not efficient for heating the house (probably more so than a straight fireplace). We found that rooms away from the fireplace room would actually get colder when we did fire it up. Also, when the fire is out and the damper is open - that equates to a huge gaping hole in your roof where heat can easily escape.
We ended up demolishing the raised hearth in front of it, and tiling over the firebox opening for our wood stove. Just closing off the "hole" created by the fireplace opening/chimney made a HUGE difference in heating efficiency with our furnace...
And now, with the Shelburne - fuggetaboutit! Our heating NG bill was down 75% over the previous year's bill (still use NG for our hot water). Our furnace only comes on during REALLY cold nights in the middle of winter (-10*F) when the stove needs a refill.

If you're going to keep the fireplace i highly recommend you get, and use, one of those flue stoppers above the damper when the fireplace is not in use (something like this: http://www.chimneyballoon.us/chimneyballoon.html). Installing fireplace doors will also reduce the amount of heat loss up the chimney when it is not in use.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Make sure to have Geraldo Rivera handy when you crack that puppy open.