Hello everyone!
I bought a 33-year-old house last January in northern Minnesota with a fireplace in both the living room and master bedroom. The living room FP is wood burning, and the bedroom FP was wood but converted to a gas log set. Neither flue had a rain cover (I know--WTF?!) so I had them installed.
During installation, the chimney guy came down and said the flue tile in the upstairs bedroom FP was broken at one of the mortar joints about three feet from the top, and the flue was resting against the chimney wall from that point down, creating an offset of about 3 inches (leaving a clear space to the outside of about 9" x 12"). It looks like the gap between the flue liner and chimney is filled in from the top until the point of this break where it allows the liner to lean over a bit. Needless to say, we are not using this FP until it is repaired.
He said he had never seen this issue before but would recommend a gas insert because it will be much more efficient and he could get the two 3" pipes through the offset space (they do not install gas inserts, so no motivation for sales pitch). He said there would be no need to remove the old flue--just leave it there as it is not hurting anything as long as the pipes can fit through. But is that true? Clay flue tiles are pretty heavy. will the leaning against the wall cause the chimney to eventually crack the brick/mortar of the chimney stack? Maybe I am over-thinking this but want to be sure before adding a gas insert and pipes that might eventually be damaged if the chimney weakens.
I greatly appreciate any thoughts!!
Jeff
I bought a 33-year-old house last January in northern Minnesota with a fireplace in both the living room and master bedroom. The living room FP is wood burning, and the bedroom FP was wood but converted to a gas log set. Neither flue had a rain cover (I know--WTF?!) so I had them installed.
During installation, the chimney guy came down and said the flue tile in the upstairs bedroom FP was broken at one of the mortar joints about three feet from the top, and the flue was resting against the chimney wall from that point down, creating an offset of about 3 inches (leaving a clear space to the outside of about 9" x 12"). It looks like the gap between the flue liner and chimney is filled in from the top until the point of this break where it allows the liner to lean over a bit. Needless to say, we are not using this FP until it is repaired.
He said he had never seen this issue before but would recommend a gas insert because it will be much more efficient and he could get the two 3" pipes through the offset space (they do not install gas inserts, so no motivation for sales pitch). He said there would be no need to remove the old flue--just leave it there as it is not hurting anything as long as the pipes can fit through. But is that true? Clay flue tiles are pretty heavy. will the leaning against the wall cause the chimney to eventually crack the brick/mortar of the chimney stack? Maybe I am over-thinking this but want to be sure before adding a gas insert and pipes that might eventually be damaged if the chimney weakens.
I greatly appreciate any thoughts!!
Jeff
