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Chimney & Fireplaces/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Double wall flue pipe condensation | 1/8/2012 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: We have a one year old fireplace, in a chase on an outside wall. Outside of chase is insulated with ... A: David, Honestly, I am not convinced that is the source of your problem. Have you done or had a ... | ||
| removing damper/restructuring chimney for a wood stove | 1/4/2012 | Randy Brooks |
| Q: I would like to install a wood stove in our chimney. I would like to set the stove somewhat into ... A: Joyce, Great question. Please use the links at the bottom of my home page at www.brooks-hearth.com. ... | ||
| what's up | 1/3/2012 | James Ball |
| Q: I got a problem with smoke coming back in,tha chimney is clean, but I think I have a issue with tha ... A: the cap height should be 8-12" depending on the size, also you can try opening a door or window and ... | ||
| refractor panel repair | 1/2/2012 | James Ball |
| Q: is there a product that you can use to repair the cracks in the refractory panels on a wood burning ... A: you should 1st try to find original replacement panels, if you can't then do a Google Search for ... | ||
| Wood-aire fireplace insert | 12/31/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: My husband and I are new to fireplaces, and we are wondering about a chute that runs out of the back ... A: with out seeing it I do not know what this set up is doing, and with out a model # I can't even look ... | ||
| Hunter Gas Fireplace | 12/30/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I have a Hunter HF132 gas fireplace. I understand that the company is now out of business. I have ... A: Tom, I honestly don't know. I do not do a lot of gas appliances so I am not the best person to ask. ... | ||
| Covering ash dump | 12/30/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I have a 1930s house with an ash dump. I no longer wish to use it, but there is a hole at the bottom ... A: David, No, for the interim until you purchase an ash dump door assembly that sounds fine. In fact, ... | ||
| back to back fireplaces/one fire | 12/29/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: I need to buy/install a fireplace in the middle of two rooms. The whole construct must be very thin ... A: Welcome back Karen, I am a chimney sweep and any thing with a chimney would have to be 4' + deep ... | ||
| back to back fireplaces/one fire | 12/29/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: I need to buy/install a fireplace in the middle of two rooms. The whole construct must be very thin ... A: not sure what you are trying to do, put a double sided fireplace between 2 rooms (2x4 stud wall is ... | ||
| Heatform/Superior Fireplace | 12/27/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: Is it ok to cover the air intake and hot air vents from a Heatform fireplace? Would the air trapped ... A: no I would not cover the vents, top or bottom with any thing but metal vents (the trapped air could ... | ||
| creosote where pipe meets wall | 12/25/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: I have a new constructed (5 years old) ranch house with basement, very well insulated and tight. We ... A: you can not "up size solid flue appliance" so you must maintain a 6" all the way to the top and that ... | ||
| chase insulation | 12/21/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: i have a fireplace with a pellet burning insernt . the chase iNSERT insulated.what type of ... A: A good building supply warehouse or contractor supply house should carry it or be able to obtain it ... | ||
| New Outdoor Fire Place Building Project | 12/21/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: I have a 4' tall by 8' wide by 4' deep firebox with an 18' dual flue chimney plan. However, the plan ... A: IHello George, there are different requirements in different areas of the country, your building ... | ||
| Smell when using Fireplace | 12/20/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I have a Temco unvented gas-fire heater that was installed new when I purchased my home in 2002. ... A: Cindy, I am really at a loss to tell you what it could be without really seeing the ... | ||
| Heatilator damper handle | 12/19/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I just had a wood burner removed from my fireplace and discovered I had a functioning heatilator ... A: Julia, I am assuming we are talking about a factory built fireplace? The name Heatilator gets ... | ||
| Fireplace | 12/18/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: You are my last hope. I cannot find a structural engineer or a fireplace expert of any kind to look ... A: Sandi, Insurance claims can be a bear! Sometimes I think the insurance companies FIRST priority is ... | ||
| chase insulation | 12/17/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: i have a fireplace with a pellet burning insernt . the chase iNSERT insulated.what type of ... A: Randy, I'm not sure I understand your question but any insulation used for a hearth appliance ... | ||
| smoke | 12/17/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: My neighbor has a wood burning fireplace. I noticed smoke smell building up in my bedroom this ... A: Welcome back Julie, ,I know this can be unpleasant, but some where your house is pulling in this ... | ||
| Creosote | 12/16/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: My husband just replaced the 8 inch pipe from our woodburner. He also installed a magic heat. He ... A: Heather, There is likely a good reason the pipes did not go together the first time and the leaking ... | ||
| smoke | 12/16/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: My neighbor has a wood burning fireplace. I noticed smoke smell building up in my bedroom this ... A: wow this is a good one, so let me see if I understand you correctly, your neighbor installed a wood ... | ||
| chimney triple wall | 12/15/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: i just installed a metal chimney and the other day the wind was blowing pretty good and the rag i ... A: you need to make sure the rag is out (use a mirror to look up) then the "blowing into my house" is ... | ||
| Convert fireplace to gas burning | 12/14/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I have a Majectic MRC42 (model MJ15) fireplace. For the past 20 years I been burning wood. It does ... A: The area underneath the hearth panel or bottom refractory panel which is typically made up of steel ... | ||
| double sided woodstove in the us | 12/7/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I am looking to install a double sided woodstove. I am told these types of stoves don't put out ... A: I am unaware of any such woodstove available in the U.S. I would suggest contacting the ... | ||
| Fire brick configuraton in Schrader Stove | 12/5/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: I have the 2 door Schrader with Pine tree on each door. The firebrick was removed when I got it. I ... A: with out the owners manual there really is no way of telling how they go back, as t here are ... | ||
| putting new brick in back wall | 12/3/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: How do you do the brick and morter laying in back wall of fireplace? Sides are okay. Thank you A: I am not sure I understand your question. Do you mean how do you actually, physically lay the brick ... | ||
| 3 sided fire place | 12/1/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: i have a 3 sided masonry fireplace with metal chain around it. I cant use it. when the fire is high ... A: Please forgive the delayed response as I was away this past week and did not change my setting to ... | ||
| Draft problems | 11/27/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: I have recently installed a gas heater into an existing chimney that has a gas heater hot water tank ... A: some thing is very strange about this set up from what you explain, you say "gas heater" is this ... | ||
| metal firebox repair/replace | 11/27/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: We have a masonry fireplace (1955) in good working order (just replaced) that has a metal firebox ... A: You said the masonry fireplace was just replaced? How rusted is rusted? Are areas perforated ... | ||
| required chimney | 11/23/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: Our home has a Tempco fireplace (possibly an insert) that has a metal chimney running inside a wood ... A: I think it's a very bad idea. That fireplace system was not tested and listed for such an ... | ||
| Fireplace Screen or Glass Front | 11/23/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: We just purchased a home that has a masonry fireplace. Home was built in the 30s. Chimney sweep has ... A: Forgive the delayed response as I forgot to change my settings before the holiday and we were away ... | ||
| OLD TERRACOTA CHIMNEY REPLACING TO B-VENT | 11/23/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: MY HOT WATER HEATER AND HOUSE HEATER ARE LEAKING CARBON MONOXIDE. SO PGW STOPPED GAS FLOW TO THESE ... A: Forgive my delayed response to you as I was away traveling for the holiday and forgot to change my ... | ||
| chimney | 11/22/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: We installed a new buck wood stove with a 6 inch pipe comming out of the top for about 18 inches ... A: Please forgive my delayed response as I was away traveling for the holiday and forgot to change my ... | ||
| is it possible? | 11/21/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: we live in a home where previous owners added on a family room to the opposite side of a chimney. We ... A: I apologize for the delayed response as I was traveling for the holiday and forgot to change the ... | ||
| Pipe leaking AND backdraft into house...PLEAE HELP!! | 11/20/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: This question is the result of shear frustration. I live in government housing and our maintenance ... A: There are just too many variables to pinpoint the source of the problem for sure from my location ... | ||
| Poor Draft | 11/19/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: two years ago I had a 'chimney sweep' relign the flu of my Rumsford fireplace with a stainless steel ... A: Damian, The fireplace requires anywhere from 148 square inches of cross sectional area at 1/12th or ... | ||
| wood to propane fireplace | 11/19/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I want to install a propane log fireplace into an existing never used wood fireplace. It is an ... A: If you are describing a factory built wood burning fireplace then you must first determine that the ... | ||
| fireplace conversion kit from wood to propane | 11/19/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I am very interested in hiring a contractor to convert a Never used fireplace into a propane ... A: Are you talking about converting a masonry fireplace or a factory built fireplace from wood to gas? ... | ||
| flame sensor | 11/18/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: my majco fireplace has a hsi cover that req a good ground but there are no wires and no visible ... A: what does the owners manual say?as Majco fireplaces I have never heard of is it MAjestic? even so I ... | ||
| Heater Flu | 11/17/2011 | James Ball |
| Q: just bought a house in may, it was an estate sale. The sellers claimed on the disclosure that the ... A: I have seen this where they just "tap into" another flue and use it, it is not safe, I would have a ... | ||
| fire going out all of the time | 11/17/2011 | Paul Karthaeuser |
| Q: I have a large two door schrader fireplace and I can not keep a fire going in it. I also don't seem ... A: I am concerned about the venting to this fireplace. What is the chimney configuration like? Is it ... | ||
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Chimney & Fireplaces
Answers by Expert:
Paul Karthaeuser
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am a Chimney/State Licensed Building Inspector and New Jersey State Superior Court Recognized Expert Witness in the chimney, hearth and venting categories. I hold certifications in sweeping chimneys, installing wood and pellet stoves, chimney inspections and have performed countless repairs and rebuilds of chimneys. I perform many inspections for real estate transactions, school systems and churches as well as residential chimney inspections and repairs. Experience is good, education with experience is better. Ask me anything fireplace, woodstove, chimney, pellet stove or venting related. Any questions related to a chimney, hearth appliance or venting system for residential use.
Experience
I have six years experience in the field with inspections, repairs and installations of all types of hearth appliances fired by wood, wood pellets, coal, oil and gas. Fireplaces, pellet stoves, woodstoves, inserts and factory built systems.
Organizations
International Association of Fireplace and Chimney Inspectors-Charter Member
New Jersey Chimney Sweep Guild-President (current)
New Jersey Chimney Sweep Guild Board of Directors- present and past
National Fire Protection Assc.
Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Assc.
Education/Credentials
State Licensed Building Inspector- NJ License #010429
I.A.F.C.I. Certified Professional Inspector CPI-#009
F.I.R.E. Certified Fireplace and Chimney Inspector #FP-168
National Fireplace Institute-Certified Woodburning Specialist #157063
-Certified Pellet-burning Specialist #157063
C.S.I.A. Certified Chimney Sweep #6587
NJ Superior Court Recognized Expert Witness- Chimney, Venting and Hearth Appliances
Past/Present Clients
Various churches, school systems and private clients represented in court matters.
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