Help a Floridian with no fireplace experience! With pics.. :)

[c8a]

39" x 29" opening.

We bought a fixer-upper and the metal insert was rusted out due to rain from an uncapped chimney. I like to do my own work but this doesn't seem like a DIY project. I haven't ever laid brick either, so i called a local company that quoted me 5k to build a brick firebox , rework chamber with foam, rework crown, rework some mortar joints and install a top mount cap damper. I don't' want to spend that much, are there any other solutions for us?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[bholler]

39" x 29" opening.

We bought a fixer-upper and the metal insert was rusted out due to rain from an uncapped chimney. I like to do my own work but this doesn't seem like a DIY project. I haven't ever laid brick either, so i called a local company that quoted me 5k to build a brick firebox , rework chamber with foam, rework crown, rework some mortar joints and install a top mount cap damper. I don't' want to spend that much, are there any other solutions for us?

Thanks for any suggestions!







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No other suggestions your structure is not sufficient to put any sort of insert in there. There just isn't enough masonry to protect the surrounding combustibles and there was a clear problem with the initial construction as indicated by the charred wood visible between and above the two lintles. Their price actually sounds pretty cheap for what is needed

 

[lml999]

Considering I'm spending almost half that to run 30 feet of liner down an existing, sound chimney, attaching it to a stove, and sweeping up some dust, I think $5K isn't a bad price...

 

[moresnow]

Lucky there is a structure left to fix up.

 

[c8a]

Thanks for the replies.

yikes lm999 thats expensive..

moresnow, that was added onto the original house by a prisoner back in the day, the guy who owned it was a prison guard, in Florida you could hire the prisoners.

Speaking of wood stoves, i wonder if its safe enough to go that route im my place. I see they have some that would slide in and have trim to finish them out too, attach a liner and cap the top?

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the replies.

yikes lm999 thats expensive..

moresnow, that was added onto the original house by a prisoner back in the day, the guy who owned it was a prison guard, in Florida you could hire the prisoners.

Speaking of wood stoves, i wonder if its safe enough to go that route im my place. I see they have some that would slide in and have trim to finish them out too, attach a liner and cap the top?

As I said earlier no your structure is not sufficient to install an insert in it. You need 8" of masonry if lined with firebrick and 10" if not. It looks like you have 4. Also the wood between the structure and face needs to be removed and that space filled with masonry. It was very unsafe as built originally.

 

[bholler]

And for the record what you described is an insert what you had was a metal heatform firebox

 

[c8a]

Got it. Thanks for clearing it up for me bholler! Happy holidays.