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Chimney & Fireplaces/Older "handmade" fireplace

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Expert: - 6/20/2009


Question
I have a 1960's added on room in a 1940's house in the High Desert area of California with a handmade stone fireplace.  When I bought the property, the inspection company I hired said that the fireplace hearth was not deep enough. I have not used it but I am going to sell this house and would like to make the fireplace useable.  How do you lengthen a hearth and what codes do I have to follow?

Answer
Martha,

Good question. Speaking only of the hearth depth, you cant make a hearth deeper. You can make a hearth extension longer and wider, by using like, non combustible material of the required thickness, but the inner hearth is the firebox floor itself and that cannot be added to.

When you say "handmade stone fireplace" this congers up images of simply rock and stone and mortar being used to build this fireplace and chimney. I would hire a chimney inspector that performs NFPA-211 Level II inspection and get the whole story concerning the overall safety of this appliance. Please use the links at the bottom of my home page at www.brooks-hearth.com and find such a person serving your area. Best of luck to you.

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Randy Brooks

Expertise

Inspection of Masonry, Pre-cast Tilt-up, and Factory Built Fireplaces as well as Free Standing & Insert, Gas, and Wood Appliances. We also provide Hearth Fire Loss Investigations, Litigation Support, Consulting Services, Flue Sweeping, Installation and Repair. Additionally, I’ve been a chimney sweep for 23 years, service and install hearth appliances as well as being recognized by the Superior Court of California as an expert witness.

Experience

Brooks Chimney Sweeping Since 1989 Ojai, CA Owner / President www.brooks-hearth.com

Organizations
NCSG, MEMBER,(National Chimney Sweep Guild), Member since 1990, Board of Directors representing Region 6, (CA, NV, AZ, UT, OR, WA, ID, WY, MT, AK and HI,) 2004-2011, ethics committee chair, 2004-2005, executive committee member, Vice President, 2006-2008, President, 2008-2011. CSIA, BOD (Chimney Safety Institute of America,) Board of Directors, ethics committee chair, 2004-2005, executive committee member, Secretary, 2005-2006, Vice President, 2006-2008, President, 2008-2011. HPBA, MEMBER, (Hearth, Patio, & BBQ Association,) since 2002. NFPA Member, (National Fire Protection Association) Since 2009. Technical Committee member for the 211 Standard.

Education/Credentials
California State Licensed Contractor, C61-D34, #750710. http://www2.cslb.ca.gov C.S.I.A., (Chimney Safety Institute of America,) Certified Chimney Sweep, #2580. Held since 1990 re-certified in ‘93, ‘96, ‘99, ‘02, ‘05, '08,'11. http://www.csia.org F.I.R.E. (Fireplace Investigation, Research & Education Service,) Certified Inspector, #FP-006. Held since 2000, re-certified in ’03, ‘06. http://www.f-i-r-e-service.com Fireplace Investigation, Research & Education Service,) Advance Expert Consulting & Witness, certificate, ’05 N.F.I. (National Fireplace Institute,) Certified Gas & Wood-Burning Specialist, #133851. Held since 2002, re-certified in '05,‘08. http://nficertified.org

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