Mr. Herald Install UPDATE!!! Am I Forgetting Any Thing?

UncleDoDat wrote:

scalabro wrote:Is that a fireplace?

The fire box has regular bricks. I wonder if that damper is a openable clean out for a chimney that originally used a thimble hook up for a stove?

Maybe there are the remnants of a thimble behind the wood trim below the mantle or plaster/sheetrock above the mantle?

Unc,

Can you post a pic just to the right hand side of the screw?

IMG_20140622_164840.jpg

is that good or are you talk about the wall to the right of the screw?
That is the same thing that I was thinking. The hearth is so small

20140722_015126.jpg

and that is not fire brick. So I too envisioned some type of stove siting there also. Probably not quite as big as Mr. Herald. But I just can't imagine what the use of the fireplace would have been without a stove.

Could chimney fire even happen in one of these BB type stoves burning wood?

Sorry Unc...I meant a view of the right side of the "screw" part, of the metal damper from below.

Agree that it looks newer style brick then the house age would imply. And the fact that it doesn't show use and the poor fit of the damper handle with the mantel makes me think it may have been a homeowner project. Possibly just for "the look".

My grandmother's house in Brooklyn has two fireplaces, back to back, with no flues or chimney. The house was built in the early 1900's when coal heat was king. Both fireplaces are very traditional looking, with herringbone fire brick and decorative wood mantels. They were just meant for looks. Really bummed me out as a kid at Christmas time !

If it were mine,........
I'd try wiggling the damper plate up and down to get a feel for how much weight of stuff is on top of it. If you can wiggle it there won't be an avalanche when the plate is moved out of the way.

If I can wiggle the damper, I'd disconnect that damper screw thread linkage and work the damper plate up to clear it and see what's going on in there. As was suggested, pulling that cotter pin will likely allow the screw thread linkage to be disconnected.

If I couldn't wiggle the plate, leave it.

Have you tried contacting a local mason to see if he'll put a thimble in above the mantel ? Then, all you'll need is a drill and some sheet metal screws and you can just install the pipes yourself.

Paul

The more I think about it, the more I wonder why would someone build that only to install the wood trim in such a was as to prevent the T handle from rotating.

I think the wood trim/mantle is not original to the house.

Uncle,
I'm in agreement with Paul & others about the fireplace. I think it was an added project to support a 'gas log' type imitation fireplace. I would "almost" bet my last cup of coffee that a fire has never been lit there.
Is there a cleanout in the basement that you can insert a mirror to inspect the innerds of the chimney?
Also, what is on the other side of the fireplace?
Sorry if these are repeat questions. I'm late to the party.(Day late & dollar short)
Cheers

P.S.-Beautiful stove!!!

Paul, I agree with you. That damper plate can easily be removed; just take out the cotter key. Now Windyhill also has a good point: Looking at the damper you can see what appears to be ash behind it. Now think about this IF that is in fact ash how did it get there with the damper intact??? Wouldn't surprise me at all if Windy is correct and there is a thimble plugged behind the surround. As far as a cleanout goes there is none. If there was there would be a square butterfly plate in center of firebox where you would sweep down the ashes. An easy way to confirm that the fireplace is not original is compare the fireplace base to original foundation. Betcha there not the same.
Jim

A lot of good C.S.I. (construction scene investigation), so I'll add to it, as the bricks on the hearth are running perpendicular to the face of the fireplace, could this be the "end" flue of a much wider fireplace buried behind the walls...must look in basement!
Personally I think who ever the carpenter was that built the mantel did it in the warm weather with the damper closed, and handle off to paint and then....oooops! Too late now

Many chimney sweeps (with the help of the evening mainstream news) have successfully frightened the masses into believing that burning anything in a unlined chimney inthe 21st century will result in certain DEATH of anyone within 100' of your home .......... even though our grandparents & great-grandparents had rip-snorting wood fires for GENERATIONS in chimneys that would scare an inspector right out of town.

If you can't see into your chimney through the side of it, I'll venture a guess to say your gonna be fine.

I can scoop mortar out of mine with my fingernail .... yet, it still stands. I've thrown plastic in the fire to check for leaks - not a hint of smoke anywhere along the chimney. As mentioned .... there should be NEGATIVE pressure in the chimney (draft), so even if there were a gap, air would flow IN, not out.

I've burned wood in this chimney - this is the SECOND jog like this in the run - if any house was going to burn, it would be this one. This design is the most dangerous for possible escaping sparks - chances are much greater with a jog there. The draft can force it right through.

I've seen many an old house around here with charred beams ... and yet the home still stands. The house I grew up in is one of them, and my neighbor's house (built in 1750) too.

I'm not trying to downplay safety .... but if your chimney doesn't look like THIS, then your probably going to be just fine .... and there's a coal fire burning in this one as we speak.

Well they are here right now. I told them that I could show them a visual reference of an install. Being as though they need a visual of an install. I have been on this site for months and now I can't seem to recall a picture to show them. Some thing with a thimble through the wall of the fireplace.

Is this what you're looking for?
Finally! Got my Glenwood Base Heater installed!

.

northernmainecoal wrote:Is this what you're looking for?
Finally! Got my Glenwood Base Heater installed!

That would be nice to show these guys, but my fireplace opening is much much smaller and they need to see a thimble install above the fireplace.

Two pics...

BTW...what size is the exhaust collar on the outlet of the stove, ER, Mr. Herald?

Frantically searching for a picture to show these guys. I'm just about ready to sit them down in front of the TV and play Williams videos. Right now they are dealing with getting the Damper open while I'm searching for a good picture to show them.

Looks about 6 inches

Uncle,
Top right, SEARCH box. Type" thimble". 1st thread, scroll down-Voila!!!
Hope it helps.

When they get the damper out, look up chimney with a mirror. Just might be one behind the surround.

Are you saying the installers need a picture of what a thimble install looks like ?

If so, William's You Tube vid is a through the wall hook up. Look at 6 minutes into his #2 vid and you'll see the round cover plate for the through-wall thimble.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JMLbZAryooPaul

There are other pictures of it in the later vid in that series.

Here's a pic of the original 6 inch through-wall fitting that was in my kitchen from the old coal ranges. I just took off the plaster covering, knocked out the broken bricks used to fill in the hole and it was good to go with a new 6 inch pipe inserted into the thimble. I never bothered to install it with the decorative trim ring that you can buy in Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Some of the newer through-wall thimbles provide even more air gap around the 6 inch pipe and use a larger diameter trim ring.

See what your codes call for.

Paul