Is this Safe? Custom fireplace in basement that ties into forced gas furnance...

[Pertzbro]

This is my first post, as I just moved to a home that finally has fireplaces! One is on the main floor in the living room and the other is in the central part of the house in the basement, separate chimneys.

Currently both are open fireplaces, the upstairs one will be getting an insert and I dont plan on using the basement one very often - at least not until I can get my head around it. It is interesting and wanted some opinions on if it was safe, if you think it will work at all as intended.

Home was built in 1922 and added onto between 88' - 92'. I cant tell what era these modifications were done, but it was definitely after the 70's so I'm assuming around when it was added onto.

The fireplace in the basement seems to be a custom made one of some sort.

It has two open tubes in the back that look like the come into the back of the firebox and stop at the bottom of the fire box for fresh combustion air.

There are four more tubes that come in through the top, wrap around through the bottom of the firebox and come back around and out through the other side of the top of the firebox. They are then enclosed in modern duct work that goes into the air handler off my high efficient LP forced air furnace (also of the early 90's era). Also the top of the firebox seems to be open from the slits in horizontal bricks on the front. I'm assuming the open duct work pipe off the back provides the fresh air allowing air to move over the firebox, around the remaining flue and out the front of the fireplace.

Any ideas as to this design? Reminds me of an open fireplace with a mix of a masonry heater and a new modern wood furnance add on, however it's still basically an open in-efficient fireplace. It does seem to have some mass to it, but nothing like a masonry true masonry heater.

I do see tons of creosote and creosote coming down the front glass and onto the hearth.

Previous owner is still local and said they didnt use it much but the wife said it does heat the floor rather well. They are in their 60's and have been snow birds for some time so neither fireplace looks freshly used or serviced. I will inquire to previous owners more as to it's use, design, etc. But wanted to discuss here first, then to my chimney sweeper and then previous owner.

Thanks!

 

[Pertzbro]

Surprised I haven't gotten any responses. Chimney sweep comes on Thursday.

 

[webby3650]

It certainly looks like a manufactured system. Can you find any tags in or around the door frame? If you can find a manufacturer and/or a certification tag then you'd be on your way.

 

[mellow]

That looks scary to me, they are blowing air into the pipes that go into the firebox then to the air handler. If one of those pipes cracks in the firebox you could be piping CO to your air handler and then to the rest of the house. They really limited the amount of wood you can fit in that fireplace with the tubes.

 

[David.Ervin]

Was gonna say, the "slits" in the bricks above the mantle look like a pretty normal heat recovery or circulation set up, but after that it's sketchy as all get out. It's definitely a no-no to be piping hot air from around the firebox into the plenum of your forced-air heat, not the least reason of which is the possibility of sucking CO in there and spreading it around your house.

 

[webby3650]

It's definitely a no-no to be piping hot air from around the firebox into the plenum of your forced-air heat, not the least reason of which is the possibility of sucking CO in there and spreading it around your house.

You mean like a forced air wood furnace? That threat is always a concern when combustion is taking place.