In the house we bought, the house was once heated by burning oil and therefore there is a chimney on the roof (the house was built in 1974). The house is now heated with geothermal energy. The chimney on the roof is made of sheet metal, what is behind the metal I do not know.
I thought all old chimneys were masonry, but in this house it seems more like a shaft with several pipes/channels according to:
- 1 larger flue pipe in the middle that goes all the way down from the boiler room
- 4 vent pipes around the flue pipe according to drawings.
One of the rooms on the upper floor got water damage, and when the wall around the chimney was opened up, you can see the pipes directly, i.e., it is not a masonry chimney.
a) Is it common for a chimney not to be masonry? That is, for the pipes to be exposed?
b) If one wanted to connect a stove/wood stove, can the old pipe that was used when burning oil be used?
c) For example, the bathroom in the basement has a fan that blows out moisture into one of the pipes in the chimney. Could this pose any problem when the flue pipe is not warm?
I thought all old chimneys were masonry, but in this house it seems more like a shaft with several pipes/channels according to:
- 1 larger flue pipe in the middle that goes all the way down from the boiler room
- 4 vent pipes around the flue pipe according to drawings.
One of the rooms on the upper floor got water damage, and when the wall around the chimney was opened up, you can see the pipes directly, i.e., it is not a masonry chimney.
a) Is it common for a chimney not to be masonry? That is, for the pipes to be exposed?
b) If one wanted to connect a stove/wood stove, can the old pipe that was used when burning oil be used?
c) For example, the bathroom in the basement has a fan that blows out moisture into one of the pipes in the chimney. Could this pose any problem when the flue pipe is not warm?
Images?
Member
· västragötaland
· 1 558 posts
A) Is not so uncommon on houses that have an oil burner. It's often chipboard but metal directly on the chipboard (there should be paper in between) so condensation from the metal can cause the chipboard to swell and water damage to the board.
B) Don't know if it can be connected to them, but they are often very rusty due to many years without use.
C) Probably not, you surely haven't fired up an oil burner in many years?
B) Don't know if it can be connected to them, but they are often very rusty due to many years without use.
C) Probably not, you surely haven't fired up an oil burner in many years?
Workingclasshere: Unfortunately, no pictures. We simply haven't moved into the house yet, that will be in February. Then we'll be able to add pictures!
a) Johan: How do you mean the condensation would occur? By the pipes being cold and the wall warm, causing condensation to form? Shouldn't combustible materials like particle board be replaced?
b) Is it common to have to replace the pipes? You want to remove the moisture from the basement bathroom.
c) As mentioned, we haven't moved into the house yet, but nothing has been burned for surely 6-7 years.
a) Johan: How do you mean the condensation would occur? By the pipes being cold and the wall warm, causing condensation to form? Shouldn't combustible materials like particle board be replaced?
b) Is it common to have to replace the pipes? You want to remove the moisture from the basement bathroom.
c) As mentioned, we haven't moved into the house yet, but nothing has been burned for surely 6-7 years.
Member
· västragötaland
· 1 558 posts
A) There is always condensation on the sheet metal the chimney is clad in; I'm just guessing it's chipboard since a house manufacturer built them that way. Often the boxes are large, and the pipe is in the middle and insulated, so it usually isn't a problem.
B) Some I've seen are so rusty that you probably have to replace them, but I don't know about yours; as I said before, I don't know if it can be connected to them.
B) Some I've seen are so rusty that you probably have to replace them, but I don't know about yours; as I said before, I don't know if it can be connected to them.