Chimney Fires & Homeowners Insurance

[saichele]

My understanding is that the pre-existing unpermitted work (prepermit) is usually grandfathered, except in specific municipalities. There are a few (very upscale) areas locally that make homeowners retrofit old unpermitted work prior to sale, but definitely not all.

Steve

This may be true, but good luck TELLING your (prospective) insurance carrier that they MUST 'grandfather' ANYTHING!! Afterall, insurance is a private enterprize 'product'.

True, I've been very lucky and very happy with my insurance company. Their only concerns regarding the woodstove were whether it was permitted and how much it was worth (for replacement).

Bought a 100yr old house (the vast majority of the work is unpermitted...) and their only issue was whether there was knob and tube wiring. The original was 2-strand BX, much of it upgraded since. They said no problem.

Steve

 

[RollinRidge]

Before I call the twp - will this open a can of worms if there wasn't a permit?

 

[saichele]

Before I call the twp - will this open a can of worms if there wasn't a permit?

If you've worked with your township before, you should have a decent sense of how difficult they might be inclined to be. As it stands now, you have a large, non-functioning sculpture int he shape of a fireplace. I would think the worst they'd make you do is plug it so they're sure the next owner won't try to use it.

That said, I'm not clear what the relevance of the prior permit is. You have what you have, and your case for having this covered on homeowners is tenuous. At this point you're into dealing with it. If the current flue is clean, I'd pull a permit and get a stove and liner you like, and put it behind you.

Steve

 

[elkimmeg]

Some states will not allow older non EPA stoves to transfere with the sale There is a paper work trail that these stoves get inspected prior to the sale and if found non compliant they are removed and destroyed. I know Ca does this. Rod fill us in on that code again please.

Unfortunately you inherited a bad situation and you are right no home inspector is going to pull that stove out for inspections.
It was installations like yours that created the need for governing codes.. inserts just pushed into the openings. I have had to comdem every such installation I run into in my town. The chances of flue gasses excaping into the living space is too great to allow continued use

 

[RollinRidge]

Actually - the flue isn't clean. The sweep wouldn't clean it because then he said we "might" use it and he'd be liable since he's reported it. He said- find a stove and he would install it and sweep then.
I was actually thinking of calling another sweep just to get it cleaned so then we can get on with it. We feel fortunate we didn't have a house fire if this was an issue so I'm certainly not going to use it as is. (But at least I know it's not so yucky)
RA