Two-story house built in '47. Ground floor concrete, upper floor wooden frame. Brick chimney in the middle of the house.
We are renovating the ground floor and want to place a stove next to the existing chimney. The problem is that 4 out of 6 flues end at the floor level of the second floor. The two flues that go to the ground floor where the stove will be placed are located on the "wrong" side of the chimney, see sketch1.
How should I/someone proceed without the house collapsing, and so that the flue is best suited for a wood stove? I am likely thinking of having the flue renovated in conjunction with this.
Is it possible to create a new channel straight/slightly through the chimney without compromising the structural integrity too much, according to the sketch? It will become very large, but that can be fixed.
An alternative would be to open up the chimney on the side where the stove is to be placed, and make a channel straight up to an available flue that exists just above the ceiling/floor between the floors. Then seal the chimney and have a channel inside. But this would involve more work.
Sketch1 from the left: Doorway, chimney with white flues, proposed new flue (pink), stove placed by the chimney, and finally a gray concrete wall behind.
Sketch2 was placed unfortunately close to sketch1, so they merge. But sketch2 is seen from the front and starts with the doorway with a wall piece above.
We are renovating the ground floor and want to place a stove next to the existing chimney. The problem is that 4 out of 6 flues end at the floor level of the second floor. The two flues that go to the ground floor where the stove will be placed are located on the "wrong" side of the chimney, see sketch1.
How should I/someone proceed without the house collapsing, and so that the flue is best suited for a wood stove? I am likely thinking of having the flue renovated in conjunction with this.
Is it possible to create a new channel straight/slightly through the chimney without compromising the structural integrity too much, according to the sketch? It will become very large, but that can be fixed.
An alternative would be to open up the chimney on the side where the stove is to be placed, and make a channel straight up to an available flue that exists just above the ceiling/floor between the floors. Then seal the chimney and have a channel inside. But this would involve more work.
Sketch1 from the left: Doorway, chimney with white flues, proposed new flue (pink), stove placed by the chimney, and finally a gray concrete wall behind.
Sketch2 was placed unfortunately close to sketch1, so they merge. But sketch2 is seen from the front and starts with the doorway with a wall piece above.
If the channels that are there which you need to go through aren't needed, then it should be feasible I think. Isn't it possible to place an external channel that goes below (in the left image)?
I'm not a bricklayer or anything like that, but I have something similar in my chimney where the flue channels lie deep inside the chimney.
However, it's something I wouldn't tackle myself without liability insurance.
I'm not a bricklayer or anything like that, but I have something similar in my chimney where the flue channels lie deep inside the chimney.
However, it's something I wouldn't tackle myself without liability insurance.
None of these channels are used today. One was previously used for a wood boiler. The other was used by an oil boiler before we installed geothermal heating.
Today, neither is used for anything else, but the plan is to use one for the stove if possible, and the other will be for ventilation.
And no, I don't want to install anything external on the chimney.
Today, neither is used for anything else, but the plan is to use one for the stove if possible, and the other will be for ventilation.
And no, I don't want to install anything external on the chimney.
I would have opened from the side, inserted a hose/pipe and then bricked up the slot again.
You might want to consider a slightly "softer" routing - remember that it should be possible to clean later.
Maybe add a cleaning hatch where the vertical part ends?
You might want to consider a slightly "softer" routing - remember that it should be possible to clean later.
Maybe add a cleaning hatch where the vertical part ends?
Anaitis, that was smart thinking, thanks for the tip!
It's definitely easier to access the channel from the side. And you're absolutely right that you should make it possible to clean the bends. The idea of a cleaning hatch was also smart, no moremerjonn when you're at it anyway.
Is it okay to do this without risking anything with the house? Half of the chimney, at the cut, will be gone during the job. Maybe it needs some support. I wouldn't have been worried if there were full walls on both sides, but now there's a door opening directly to the left.
Once the flue is in place and you've bricked up the slot, it should be okay.
And this is what's known as the heart wall of the house.
It's definitely easier to access the channel from the side. And you're absolutely right that you should make it possible to clean the bends. The idea of a cleaning hatch was also smart, no moremerjonn when you're at it anyway.
Is it okay to do this without risking anything with the house? Half of the chimney, at the cut, will be gone during the job. Maybe it needs some support. I wouldn't have been worried if there were full walls on both sides, but now there's a door opening directly to the left.
Once the flue is in place and you've bricked up the slot, it should be okay.
And this is what's known as the heart wall of the house.