We had our chimney cleaned and the guy told us that there is a fist-sized hole in the smoke shelf. He said we needed to fill it with mortar, but it would be very difficult to do. Any suggestions on how to do it?
Hole in smoke shelf
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If this is a metal box fireplace like a heatform I suspect it shouldn't be used as a fireplace anymore. There are bound to be other thin areas. A temp repair could be possible, but I would only do that to put an insert in the fireplace.
I'm sorry, but I don't know what an open fireplace is. It's a brick fireplace, only open on one side, in our living room. Does that answer your question? Pardon my ignorance! Here is a picture...
![[Hearth.com] Hole in smoke shelf](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/117/117088-475bda1943ebc745390134e284b1437b.jpg?hash=fGnVz77OXF "[Hearth.com] Hole in smoke shelf")
I am guessing it is due to water coming in and resting on top of the smoke shelf and rusting out the smoke shelf. If the rest of the smoke shelf is not rusted I would weld a piece of plate steel over top of the hole if you are going to continue using this as a fireplace. Now getting in there to do this job is going to be tricky, you could cut out the bricks to get access to the smoke shelf from the back side then do the repair and then put the bricks back.
Or you could see this as a sign to install an Insert or Free Standing rear vented woodstove in front of the fireplace with a stainless steel liner going to the top.
Or you could see this as a sign to install an Insert or Free Standing rear vented woodstove in front of the fireplace with a stainless steel liner going to the top.
KaptJaq
Minister of Fire
OK, that is better news. I agree with mellow. Weld a good patch over the area or install an insert or freestanding stove in it.
He told us we could try to crook our arm through the damper and dump mortar in that way or run a PVC pipe from the top and funnel it in. I'm not sure how I could get a picture of the hole...
Kudos to the sweep for doing a thorough inspection, that seems to be a rare thing these days. Did he give you a quote on fixing it?
KaptJaq
Minister of Fire
If he "saw" it you should be able to also. Did he drop a camera down the flue for a full inspection?
Can your damper be easily removed & do you have a wireless camera for your PC or a small digital camera? Hold any small digital camera above the damper frame, set it on "macro" (close) focus and slowly rotate it taking blind pictures of all the surfaces.
If you can't see the hole how are you going to know where it is to fix it?
KaptJaq
No, no quote. Our camera is broken, so I only have my ipad and phone currently. The phone doesn't have a flash, so I can't get a picture, thanks for the suggestion though. He just told us it was fist sized and on the left side, so I assumed we could find it by feeling it, then we could dump the mortar in. But I was hoping to find an easier way...
Well, if you are going to keep it as a fireplace I would get it done right.
See if any of the sweeps in your area does smoktite: (broken link removed to http://www.smoktite.com/chamber-restoration.cfm)
They would still need to patch the hole, but that would give you piece of mind.
Ohh yea, put a chimney cap on.
See if any of the sweeps in your area does smoktite: (broken link removed to http://www.smoktite.com/chamber-restoration.cfm)
They would still need to patch the hole, but that would give you piece of mind.
Ohh yea, put a chimney cap on.
Thanks for all the help. We do have a cap, but have only lived here 1 1/2 years, so I don't know if its always been there. Again, thanks!
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