Old Victorian House - Fireplace retro-fit (Look at these photos!)

[DrewSpring]

Hi all.

Ok, I'm brand new to all of this so excuse my ignorance. I bought an 1840 Victorian Row house in Boston. It has one long chimney that goes from the bottom floor (basement) to the top of the home -- 4 full stories. The house has two 'fireplaces' -- they are actually marble mantles and the fireplace opening has been bricked over and plastered.

I decided to take a sledge hammer to the plaster and removed the bricks to see what I was working with.

I'd like to make the fireplace in the living room operable but have no clue what my options are. The chimney is in the way of putting an insert in there and having it sit flush. What would you do??

I'd prefer a wood stove, or perhaps gas insert BUT I'd like it to sit flush with the mantle. The living room width is only 10 feet across -- so a stove would look funny because it would be in the middle of the room.

Do I have any options?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kevin Weis]

Uh oh, They built a chimney inside of a chimney. For a coal stove probably in its day. That is a problem. If your looking to have it restored to original and functional to code I think your talking big$$$$. The inner chimney I'm sure is not lined, just two bricks thick. Either leave it closed or go for it whole hog I guess. Kevin

 

[bholler]

Hi all.

Ok, I'm brand new to all of this so excuse my ignorance. I bought an 1840 Victorian Row house in Boston. It has one long chimney that goes from the bottom floor (basement) to the top of the home -- 4 full stories. The house has two 'fireplaces' -- they are actually marble mantles and the fireplace opening has been bricked over and plastered.

I decided to take a sledge hammer to the plaster and removed the bricks to see what I was working with.

I'd like to make the fireplace in the living room operable but have no clue what my options are. The chimney is in the way of putting an insert in there and having it sit flush. What would you do??

I'd prefer a wood stove, or perhaps gas insert BUT I'd like it to sit flush with the mantle. The living room width is only 10 feet across -- so a stove would look funny because it would be in the middle of the room.

Do I have any options?

Thanks in advance!

Is the flue being used for a furnace in the basement?

 

[DrewSpring]

Is the flue being used for a furnace in the basement?

No - the furnace was replaced in 2010 and appears to be vented elsewhere. Thanks!

 

[DrewSpring]

Uh oh, They built a chimney inside of a chimney. For a coal stove probably in its day. That is a problem. If your looking to have it restored to original and functional to code I think your talking big$$$$. The inner chimney I'm sure is not lined, just two bricks thick. Either leave it closed or go for it whole hog I guess. Kevin

Yeah, I'm not sure. It appears to me that built a fake 'bump out' with mantle around the original brick chimney. The also ran electrical and cat5 from the basement up the 'fake chimney' to the top floors.

 

[begreen]

Yeah, I'm not sure. It appears to me that built a fake 'bump out' with mantle around the original brick chimney. The also ran electrical and cat5 from the basement up the 'fake chimney' to the top floors.

No hearth, wiring up the flue, that's not looking good. A freestanding stove will need a hearthpad and clearances honored. A gas stove 'might' be an easier install if that is an option.

 

[bholler]

It is even possible that it was never a fireplace as well.

 

[webby3650]

This there a pipe sticking out of the brick where something was hooked up in the past?

 

[Bad LP]

Good luck making that functional in Boston.

 

[bholler]

Good luck making that functional in Boston.

Why do you say that?

 

[DrewSpring]

This there a pipe sticking out of the brick where something was hooked up in the past?

Yes, there is a 6-8 inch pipe that is coming out of the brick chimney that at one point connected to something else.

 

[DrewSpring]

Good luck making that functional in Boston.

Yeah, not sure. I had a fireplace company come out and look at it -- they climbed on the roof, looked down the chimney, etc. They then said something about getting a structural engineer over to see if they could remove this section of the chimney and simply put a gas insert in. Seemed like a bad idea to me to remove a middle section of a chimney. There's probably a lot of weight resting on that. Reminds me of the game Jinga.

 

[DrewSpring]

No hearth, wiring up the flue, that's not looking good. A freestanding stove will need a hearthpad and clearances honored. A gas stove 'might' be an easier install if that is an option.

I've attached an exterior photo as well -- its the chimney in the front of the house (not sure what the chimney in the rear of the house was for).

 

[Bad LP]

Why do you say that?

Boston FD and the building inspection departments are pretty tough to deal with. You could end up spending a small fortune on what should be simple.

 

[bholler]

Boston FD and the building inspection departments are pretty tough to deal with. You could end up spending a small fortune on what should be simple.

Do they require above and beyond nfpa 211 and irc?

 

[Bad LP]

Do they require above and beyond nfpa 211 and irc?

I don't know but anything is possible. After the two ff were killed from a backdraft in the Back Bay a lot changed.

 

[webby3650]

Yes, there is a 6-8 inch pipe that is coming out of the brick chimney that at one point connected to something else.

I’d put a direct vent gas stove in front of the fireplace and have the front bricked back in after the liners are in. It can even sit on the wood floor.