My 95 year old house is in need of all manner of major renovations. If I
really go for it and have the foundation replaced the first thing
they'll do is remove the brick siding and stone at the front. This is
necessary if for no other reason than to protect the workers who are
doing the foundation work. Besides, the mortar between the bricks is
turning to sand - a bunch of bricks have actually fallen off the
building!

There's a fair sized fireplace and a red brick chimney on my two story
house. From the outside, the chimney looks OK except maybe the top few
brick layers. I guess the whole chimney will have to come down too. It
doesn't freeze around here, really, but I don't have a heater (just
space heaters I use occasionally). I use the fireplace sometimes in the
winter to make brief little fires - I wouldn't trust it with a raging
biglog fire. If I did that, smoke would come in through the mantel (I
sealed that with duct tape years ago).

Contractor's seem to want to discourage me from repairing or replacing
the fireplace but they don't tell me it isn't doable. The cheapest
thing would seem to be to remove it entirely if and when I have the
foundation rebuilt and the siding replaced.

I have a lot of wood from trimming my plum trees. I figure I'll cut
those trees down, so I'll have a lot of wood to burn (or give away).

Yes, I could buy a wood burning stove, but aren't they sort of
depressing? I mean, you don't get to watch the fire, right? I know
there's a pollution downside to burning wood, but I'm not going to be a
big wood burner, just an occasional small, short fire for the hell in it
and a quick warm up.

Is it just too damned expensive to replace/repair my fireplace/chimney?
Thanks for any information.

Please do not take offense - It really sounds like you need to get your
priorities straight.
First it sounds like you need to make sure your house doesn't fall down
You probably have a leaky roof if I were to guess
You probably have a lot of exterior maintenance like rotted window
frames, etc. Tell me I'm wrong.

So - First make your house structurally sound. Then weather tight, then
fix the aesthetics. Remove the fireplace if its a safety thing. Do not
use it unless its been fixed properly.

What I would recommend for you. Please take my advice, it will be well
worth it.

Hire a good home inspector or a good general contractor. Pay them to do
a top to bottom inspection of the house. Ask them to note all the
problems, and potential hidden problems. Then ask them to prioritize
them for you, most critical first, on down. Pay well for this. Use this
as a road map for your renovations as you are able to do them. Do not
waste yours or anyone else's time buy getting free estimates on fixing
a chimney when there are likely other priorities. I have paid to have
this done for a family I was helping. They had asked for some help with
a new tub (Aesthetic repair). When they also had roof leaks, water in
the basement, crumbling front steps, rotted windows, etc. I helped them
get their priorities straight and they are doing what they can, as they
can.

What's the expression? Its like arranging deck chairs on the titanic.
Or, Its like fixing a fireplace on the titanic!

Good luck

About the fireplace/chimney, I'd:
1) Consult with the one local professional you trust most about maybe
doing:
2) Removing chimney, etc. down to hearth,
3) Replacing chimney with metal chimney of size suitable for
4) Woodstove sitting on hearth.

Woodstoves for some years have had to have EPA approval for emissions,
are notably more efficient than in years past, and many/most have doors
with _large_ glass viewing area. Fireplaces are _not_ for heating, but
for ventilating, anyhow.

HTH,
J

In alt.energy.homepower Dan_Musicant wrote:
Yes, I could buy a wood burning stove, but aren't they sort of
depressing? I mean, you don't get to watch the fire, right?


First of all, it sounds like you have a lot of more important work to worry
about before the fireplace.

Second, most modern wood burning stoves and pre-fab fireplaces have "glass"
doors so you can watch the flames. Several allow you to remove the doors
and fit a spark screen instead. All are far more efficient for heating than
an open fireplace.

Yes, I could buy a wood burning stove, but aren't they sort of
depressing? I mean, you don't get to watch the fire, right? I know
there's a pollution downside to burning wood, but I'm not going to be a
big wood burner, just an occasional small, short fire for the hell in it
and a quick warm up.

Depends on the stove. You can get wood-burners with glass doors.
And you can "repair" the chimney by running zero-clearance stovepipe
up it, in which case, the brickwork is purely decorative.

Dan_Musicant wrote:
My 95 year old house is in need of all manner of major renovations. If I
really go for it and have the foundation replaced the first thing
they'll do is remove the brick siding and stone at the front. This is
necessary if for no other reason than to protect the workers who are
doing the foundation work. Besides, the mortar between the bricks is
turning to sand - a bunch of bricks have actually fallen off the
building!

There's a fair sized fireplace and a red brick chimney on my two story
house. From the outside, the chimney looks OK except maybe the top few
brick layers. I guess the whole chimney will have to come down too. It
doesn't freeze around here, really, but I don't have a heater (just
space heaters I use occasionally). I use the fireplace sometimes in the
winter to make brief little fires - I wouldn't trust it with a raging
biglog fire. If I did that, smoke would come in through the mantel (I
sealed that with duct tape years ago).

Contractor's seem to want to discourage me from repairing or replacing
the fireplace but they don't tell me it isn't doable. The cheapest
thing would seem to be to remove it entirely if and when I have the
foundation rebuilt and the siding replaced.

I have a lot of wood from trimming my plum trees. I figure I'll cut
those trees down, so I'll have a lot of wood to burn (or give away).

Yes, I could buy a wood burning stove, but aren't they sort of
depressing? I mean, you don't get to watch the fire, right? I know
there's a pollution downside to burning wood, but I'm not going to be a
big wood burner, just an occasional small, short fire for the hell in it
and a quick warm up.

Is it just too damned expensive to replace/repair my fireplace/chimney?
Thanks for any information.

Talk to "The Maine Wood Heat Co"

Dan_Musicant wrote:



Contractor's seem to want to discourage me from repairing or replacing
the fireplace but they don't tell me it isn't doable. The cheapest
thing would seem to be to remove it entirely if and when I have the
foundation rebuilt and the siding replaced.

Time and money can fix most anything. Any historical value? Your money so
your call.


Yes, I could buy a wood burning stove, but aren't they sort of
depressing? I mean, you don't get to watch the fire, right?

I have a Vermont Castings. While more efficient closed, I can burn it witht
he doors open for nice atmosphere. I can also burn the logs down to nice
hot coals and grill steaks on it.



Is it just too damned expensive to replace/repair my fireplace/chimney?

At that age it may need work, but it is also possible to put a liner inside.

Ed - I agree those VC stoves are nice. I have stayed at a cabin, dead
of winter, -35deg PLUS 40mph wind, on top of a mountain. The cabin only
had one Vermont Castings wood stove for heat. We needed to crack a
window because it was too hot. (Only cracked it about 1/4" due to snow
blowing in). I cant imagine grilling a steak on the thing though. Heat
some water for tea or perculate a put of coffee, yes, but a steak?
Seems too nice of a stove for that. We were in northern Vermont, Mt.
washington visible in the distance on a clear day. Had to snow shoe in
to cabin. Only had an out house. Your pee just about froze before it
hit the mark!

The one we had in the cabin was like this...
http://www.vermontcastings.com/conte...ils.cfm?id=137

No wrote:
Ed - I agree those VC stoves are nice. I have stayed at a cabin, dead
of winter, -35deg PLUS 40mph wind, on top of a mountain. The cabin only
had one Vermont Castings wood stove for heat. We needed to crack a
window because it was too hot. (Only cracked it about 1/4" due to snow
blowing in). I cant imagine grilling a steak on the thing though. Heat
some water for tea or perculate a put of coffee, yes, but a steak?
Seems too nice of a stove for that. We were in northern Vermont, Mt.
washington visible in the distance on a clear day. Had to snow shoe in
to cabin. Only had an out house. Your pee just about froze before it
hit the mark!

The one we had in the cabin was like this...
http://www.vermontcastings.com/conte...ils.cfm?id=137

I've done chili, soup, and coffee, on our Vestal. Got a griddle and did
pancakes on many mornings.

http://www.green-trust.org/wiki/inde...itle=Wood_Heat




--
Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org
Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net
http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html