Help - Dangerous Setup

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Hi Everyone,

I recently had a chance to visit some distant cousins who had just built a new house - typical colonial style. They heat exclusively with wood but they don’t have a stove. What they have could most generously be called a fireplace but it’s basically just an open area to the chimney. There’s no lintel or smoke shelf. They are happy with what they have, last year was particularly hard with them before they had even this setup. The draft is terrible. The whole house smells smokey, in fact a few times they got a down draft and literally the entire house filled with smoke. They had to open the door to air it out. The smoke detectors would have been going off - if they had any. Oh and their roof is made of a combustible material. It’s truly scary.

Their neighbors have a similar set up in a way, but that could best be considered an indoor fire pit with a hole in the roof to let the smoke escape. I’ve never seen anything quite like this before.

I tried explaining the benefits of a modern epa certified stove with a stainless steel liner. They humored me but didn’t really seem interested. They were content and thankful for what they have now.

I don’t know what to do to get them into a better situation. Any advice?

I’ll try to upload some pics later.


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[begreen]

I expect lots of folks visiting relatives are going to see some odd setups over the holidays. Hope it's safe. Pics will help, I'm having a hard time visualizing this.

 

[Rob711]

A new colonial with just open fireplace for heat? Do they have running water? Homeowners insurance? Pics please. What new roofing material is it? Is this a backwoods shack, don’t mean to be offensive. If I hear new colonial I’m thinking new home built to code.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Here’s a pic looking up into the chimney. Not sure if the scale will come though on this, but it’s a large, Santa friendly size. No cap. I’ll get some other pics from the inside up tomorrow.

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[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

A new colonial with just open fireplace for heat? Do they have running water? Homeowners insurance? Pics please. What new roofing material is it? Is this a backwoods shack, don’t mean to be offensive. If I hear new colonial I’m thinking new home built to code.

Ha! No offense. It’s not my house. Yeah it certainly sounds a little backwoods...


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[Sodbuster]

Holy Crap shows you the quality of inspectors these days.

 

[Sodbuster]

Here’s a pic looking up into the chimney. Not sure if the scale will come though on this, but it’s a large, Santa friendly size. No cap. I’ll get some other pics from the inside up tomorrow.

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HaHaHa, if they even dream that their heating their house with this they are delusional. Does give a nice opening for a wood stove and block off plate. Some people just won't list so unless it's a severe/dangerous concern let them go along their happy way. Where's the chimney crown?

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

HaHaHa, if they even dream that their heating their house with this they are delusional. Does give a nice opening for a wood stove and block off plate. Some people just won't list so unless it's a severe/dangerous concern let them go along their happy way. Where's the chimney crown?

I don’t think they will listen even if I tell them it’s dangerous. Every time I told them about something to fix they just said they were perfectly happy with what they had. They are nice people but they’ve been through a lot. Last year they were basically homeless and living on a house boat their church rented for them. So I guess in some ways this is a step up from where they were. But I can’t give up because of the safety concerns.


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[peakbagger]

WIth that setup, they must be burning incredible amounts of wood, most likely green. One approach is go for the economic approach, they will burn a lot less wood if they go with a conventional stove.

Ultimately it comes down to you can lead a horse to water but you cant make them drink.

 

[Bad LP]

What keeps the wildlife out? No tile liner?

I wouldn’t sleep there on a bet and my seat would be near a door.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

WIth that setup, they must be burning incredible amounts of wood, most likely green. One approach is go for the economic approach, they will burn a lot less wood if they go with a conventional stove.

Ultimately it comes down to you can lead a horse to water but you cant make them drink.

They do spend a lot of time processing firewood. Most of what they have is stuff collected from the woods and cut / split by hand and some scrap pieces from the mill in town. No chainsaw or splitter so it’s a lot of work.


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[peakbagger]

My guess would be a safe but ugly craigslist smoke dragon $200 to $300, a top plate on top of the chimney with hole cut in it $200 and the ability to get at the top of the chimney to secure it and sections of single wall stovepipe from the hardware store $150 up the chimney with a block off plate down below would be a major improvement. May not be up to code but better than what they have.

I don't think an EPA stove would work as they are most likely cutting it and burning it with no seasoning.

I know folks who have been through tough times and digging their way out, they don't have a choice but it sounds like since they spent the money to build a place that whomever was in charge was clueless. Hopefully there are no kids in the house as they are the ones that usually have the health issues from a bad installation and frequently the one who gets killed in house fire.

 

[moresnow]

They heat exclusively with wood

The modern teepee! Oh my. Imagine if they had a LP or natty gas sys. May as well stick the supply line up the chute and touch it off! Sad, wasteful and unsafe. Wish them luck.

Kudos for the attempted intervention

 

[EbS-P]

Situations like these are tough. I can imagine a situation Where even if a new epa stove and liner were installed for them they wouldn’t have dry enough wood to burn in it and next time you visited you could see it out on the front lawn. They need a fire and have a way that meets those needs. Would a smoke dragon and a blockoff plate be safer? Chimney looked pretty clean.

I would get them carbon monoxide detector (I would have it shipped to them just to avoid another visit that just makes me worried all over again) and if I was feeling generous extend a standing offer to help install a stove if/when they get to that point.
Just my thoughts.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

So I have some pics.

Here’s the base of the “fireplace”

All of the houses in the new development are similar to this one. Here’s a view of their street.

This is the neighbors chimney. They live in a different development.

And the neighbors house:

Here’s the boat that they were forced to spend last winter in.

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[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now, but my distant cousins live in Plimouth Plantation. https://www.plimoth.org/

If you have a chance to visit, I’d recommend it especially if you have kids. The pilgrims stay in character for all the visitors, even the ones who tell them to get an insulated liner with a block off plate.

Happy Thanksgiving.


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[Rob711]

I feel baited.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Me too. I feel cheap and dirty. Ive been had.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I did warn you in the title this was a dangerous setup...




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[Rob711]

I’ll be curled up in the shower. Soon the prince of Arabia will send me the 1.3 million dollars he promised. My check for 2500 has been cashed, for processing fees and all. I’ll be the one laughing then....I’m so dirty....

 

[Mike.O]

Someone has too much free time

 

[moresnow]

Sweet! Haaaaaaaa.

 

[EbS-P]

Ha. That was good!

 

[ispinwool]

Bahahaha As soon as I saw the dear lady in costume, I started laughing!
Well done!
A very Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!

 

[firefighterjake]

Best.
Thread.
Of.
The.
Day.