Expert: James Ball - 1/25/2010

Question
Greetings.  I own a home built in 1936.  It has a beautiful brick fireplace with full mantel and side built-in bookshelves.  It was built, apparently, as a gas fireplace as it has a small pipe at the side of the fireplace.  

It also seems to have the chimney opening cemented or plastered closed.  Outside the chimney seems intact.

I would very much like to use this fireplace with a woodburning stove.  It would certainly help with my heating bills.  

How can I reopen the chimney and remove the gas pipe and make this safe for a woodburning stove.

Thank you so much for any information you can give, I greatly appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Mary

Answer
Hello Mary, it may be closed off for a reason, and houses built in 1938 where not for gas that must have been added latter.
I would have a local Certified Chimney Sweep www.csia.org, (there you can look up by zip code to find one near you) take a first hand look at what you have they should be able to help.
Hope this helps
James