Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Fireplace removal
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lahubert
02-27-07, 01:10 PM
We are wanting to remove our fireplace. It's coming away from the wall. Can we just close up the ceiling where the fireplace goes up? The base of the fireplace is sitting on the old carpet that was in our house before we moved in. So our wood floors won't be ruined. Any advice would be appreciated.
aq_guy
02-28-07, 10:12 AM
We are wanting to remove our fireplace. It's coming away from the wall. Can we just close up the ceiling where the fireplace goes up? The base of the fireplace is sitting on the old carpet that was in our house before we moved in. So our wood floors won't be ruined. Any advice would be appreciated.
Someone built a fireplace (or perhaps, only the hearth?) right on top of the floor, including the carpet?? That's really scary. What kind of fireplace? A real full masonary one? Or a metal firebox and flue installed in framing with just a decorative brick surround? Is your home on a slab?
I recently demolished the chimney and fireplace in my old house. If yours is brick:
Issues:
1) You need to look in the attic and see how the ceiling framing was altered to accomodate the chimney. It is conceivable whoever installed the chimney cut ceiling joists and reframed the ceiling so that the chimney itself is now supporting part of the ceiling. If so you will need to decide in advance how you intend to deal with this, and whether part of the ceiling will need temporary support while the work is done.
2) You will need to install a patch in the roof sheathing where you remove the chimney, and then reshingle that area. Matching your present shingles may be difficult, leaving an obvious patched area visible.
3) The mortar in my old chimney was in terrible shape, little more than crusty sand. [Of course, that was OK in one sense, in that it made the actual deconstruction relatively easy; half the bricks could be pulled loose by hand.] Demolition generated an incredible amount of fine dust, that I was unable to fully contain. Give considerable thought of how to isolate the work area from the rest of the house when you start.
4) Hauling the bricks out was messy as well.
Tell us a little more and perhaps we can give some more specific advice.
Someone built a fireplace (or perhaps, only the hearth?) right on top of the floor, including the carpet?? That's really scary. What kind of fireplace? A real full masonary one? Or a metal firebox and flue installed in framing with just a decorative brick surround? Is your home on a slab?
I recently demolished the chimney and fireplace in my old house. If yours is brick:
Issues:
1) You need to look in the attic and see how the ceiling framing was altered to accomodate the chimney. It is conceivable whoever installed the chimney cut ceiling joists and reframed the ceiling so that the chimney itself is now supporting part of the ceiling. If so you will need to decide in advance how you intend to deal with this, and whether part of the ceiling will need temporary support while the work is done.
2) You will need to install a patch in the roof sheathing where you remove the chimney, and then reshingle that area. Matching your present shingles may be difficult, leaving an obvious patched area visible.
3) The mortar in my old chimney was in terrible shape, little more than crusty sand. [Of course, that was OK in one sense, in that it made the actual deconstruction relatively easy; half the bricks could be pulled loose by hand.] Demolition generated an incredible amount of fine dust, that I was unable to fully contain. Give considerable thought of how to isolate the work area from the rest of the house when you start.
4) Hauling the bricks out was messy as well.
Tell us a little more and perhaps we can give some more specific advice.