Expert: Bart Ogden - 11/10/2005

Question
I live in a 40+ year old home.  I bought it a year and a half ago.  I have not used the fireplace to date because the inspector had recommended getting it cleaned first.  

I had a chimney sweep/inspection company come out this morning to do the cleaning and inspect the chimney.  They sent a camera up the chimney and pointed out a few issues:

1.  There appeared to be a few areas between the sidings were the mortar was missing that would have sealed the two pieces of siding together.  These areas appeared to be less than an inch wide.

2.  There was an area half way up the chimney, about 9 to 12 inches in height, where there was not any siding, rather there was exposed brick and mortar.  

3.  The gentleman then went up into my attic to see if there was any wood structure touching the outside of the brick chimney, which he determined there was.  

His recommendation was for me to buy a new fireplace unit with a stainless steel chimney chute that would go up through my current chimney.  The cost of this, including labor, is $2,900.  

I asked him if the issues he had identified were just issues based on today's building code vs. the code that would have been in place 40 years ago and he said that it was the same code.  I asked then how could they have gotten away with building something like this if it wasn't up to code and he said that "chimneys are still built in violation of the code in houses today."  

My thoughts are that it is apparent that the fireplace has been used over the past 40 years.  The issues identified by the inspector do not appear to be things that happened recently or quickly.   

Do you think the issues I've described require me to buy an complete new unit, or is this just a case of the inspector using his camera as a marketing tool to try to make me see issues that really are not that big of a deal.  

When I mentioned to him that it was apparent that the people before me had used the fireplace, he responded "I cannot tell you not to use the fireplace, but I have to recommend that you don't.  It's not uncommon that people use a fireplace that has issues for 20 years without any problem, but you never know if/when something may spark and cause a fire that destroys the house."  

I am curious about your thoughts.  I'd say I'd probably only make between 3 and 5 fires a year given that I live in Atlanta, GA, so the idea of spending close to $3,000 to have that opportunity isn't very appealing to me.  

What should I do?

Thanks for your time.  

Answer
Patrick,

First, I would verify that the inspector was a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep (you can verify this by going to www.csia.org).

Second, all the items you have mentioned would deem fireplace system unsuitable for further use.  

It is very important that the venting system be completely intact to enable it to properly conduct all the byproducts of combustion completely out of the system.

If you are having a fireplace insert installed, make certain that the lining system installed with it goes clear to to the top of the chimney and that it is insulated.

Whether it's one fire or 100, a big fire or a little fire, it's still fire and it should be treated with respect.

Thanks for using AllExperts.Com!



Sincerely,
A. Bart Ogden, President
Home Safe Hearth & Chimney
Wichita, KS
Voice: 316-265-9828
Fax: 316-265-9890
www.homesafeks.com