Trying to figure out fireplace/flue, old house, no draft up flue

[FlyFish'n]

Hi All,

We recently moved to an old house in the country. The original part of the house is late 1800's, but it has been added on, even relocated at one point in its history. We're not sure of the dates of any of the additions/renovations. That said - the chimney/fireplace are not "original", but aren't "new", either.

The fireplace is some form of metal "insert" inside a masonry hearth/fireplace..

I think that is a lot of our question. It appears there is a "shelf" in the back of the top of the fireplace.

However, when I dropped a weight on a rope down the flue from the top I was not able to find the rope/weight from inside the fireplace. So that leads me to believe there is another "shelf" in the flue pipe or some other block.

We have no draw up the flue pipe - a test fire put all the smoke in the room.

Can anyone assist in helping us get this figured out?

Another mystery is the square vs rectangular flues. The rectangular flue appears to be the only one connected to the fireplace. But there again - if there is a 2nd "shelf" in here that we aren't seeing above the rectangular flue opening in the top of the fireplace then that may connect to the square flue?

We do know at one point there was a coal furnace in this house. Whether or not that was prior to it's relocation, or after, or both - we have no idea. I can't imagine the chimney/fireplace being prior to it being relocated, I assume that was built after the relocation.







Here are a couple different angles of what appears to be the flue pipe opening in the fireplace. These were taken while I was laying on my back. So the bottom of the picture is the front of the fireplace and the top is the back. At the back of the fireplace is an angled portion of the ceiling of the fireplace "box", which the top of is the 1st "shelf" - the flue pipe is not directly over top of the fire box, it is over top the top of the "shelf". Unfortunately, with my drop test the weight on the rope did not make it through this flue opening - it stopped above it to where I could not see it at all.

 

[DAKSY]

Have it inspected by a certified chimney contractor. Make sure it’s safe to use. Your life & your home will depend upon it.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Have it inspected by a certified chimney contractor. Make sure it’s safe to use. Your life & your home will depend upon it.

I will second this. If it was a simpler install that you had a better view of we could probably offer some more guidance but the fact that you are going and blind here and a number of variables decreases your ability to get solid and safe information from strangers on the internet.

 

[begreen]

Just hazarding a guess from what has been posted and shown. This may be a heatform (heatilator) style fireplace if it is all metal. We need to see the whole fireplace.

Are there vents down low and another pair higher on the front of sides of the fireplace? The smoke backup can be because the damper is closed or it may be a more serious issue. Is there a working knob or lever on the upper front part of the fireplace opening? Try pulling that to see if it moves a damper up above the fireplace.

It's logical to guess that the larger rectangular flue serves the fireplace and the square one goes to a basement flue outlet.

I definitely concur that a professional should inspect the chimney and the fireplace to verify it is safe to burn in,

 

[bigealta]

send a camera down, maybe your phone. Loos like maybe somebody stuffed some insulation up there, the sorty of whiteish fuzzy stuff in the flue pic? could just be blurry though?

 

[begreen]

send a camera down, maybe your phone. Loos like maybe somebody stuffed some insulation up there, the sorty of whiteish fuzzy stuff in the flue pic? could just be blurry though?

Just a guess, but if the damper is closed, that may be the blockage, but from the pictures it looks like the flue may be cemented closed. Hard to tell from the pictures. If so, why? It needs pro eyes to determine this. It could just be we are seeing an offset.