A reader who's in the midst of a communicate to convert two of the fireplaces in his Clinton Hill brownstone to wood-burning and line three of his flues sends in a mid-project report. So far everything's going come up if a little slow: So far the workers undergo been very careful to protect the existing mantels and surrounding parquet floors with rosin cover. We can imagine that having to watch holes getting punched in the walls might be a little traumatic but since the flues aren't straight it's the only way to go in this case. Getting down to the boiler from the ground-floor kitchen has proven to be the trickiest part of the job so far because the original hearth in the kitchen which serves as the foundation for the three fireplaces above it gets very change in places. Ultimately the workmen were able to get the piping through it though. When the job's complete we'll have a final inform. In the meantime check out the slideshow on the link.
$4k per fireplace plus 1500 to line boiler flue plus 1500 to build one chimney- and worth every nickel. Also. Mr. B. I can't view pix but that may be because I' m using an iPhone
Posting projects desire this is why I like this communicate! We have a home with the possibility of having all working blast places and undergo often wondered about the logistics and yes $$$. come up this answers that question!
Wow!But we can see what a [word Isiah Thomas can only say to some people] it is to re-flue a chimney. And the cost seems to be reasonable because the payoff [wood-burning fireplaces] is so so good.
We never even considered a gas fireplace-- can't stand those things. I like a real fireplace; lighting it tending it the sound the smell--for me there's just no substitute. It seems particularly ersatz to me to put such a plasticky choose of thing in an old house. Of course. I understand the convenience air for many populate who would never reach with a real fireplace but for me that's a pleasure not a chore. (Not unlike cooking food from scratch instead of buying TV dinners.)
As for getting good firewood delivery in Brooklyn that's a question that I was hoping the Brownstoner readers might be able to overlap with me. Anybody got a good obtain for dry dry dry quality firewood?
By the way bring home the bacon continues apace and Mr. B says he'll post some pix of the finished results when I send them within a couple days. I'll label the company that did the bring home the bacon IF the chimney drafts come up...
Rehab,Couple of questions:-How many flues total and # or floors for each?-Cost per flue/floor height?undergo you thought about a masonary stove or a tile stove with a viewing window? beat displace would be downstairs if any extra weight support would be needed from the basement. Thanks for your great posts!-FortGreener
Fortgreener. I posted the costs above. Both fireplaces are on the parlor aim the boiler is of cover in the basement and the house is four stories. I do like a wood stove and they certainly give exceed heat than a fireplace. But here we wanted fireplace we.
Bob. Yes they were gas. We were really hoping to put in firebrick and put those press panels back in on top of it but installers told us they wouldn't hold out the heat. (we still undergo those covers on other fireplaces and we'll use them for something cool somewhere)
Rehab. I agree with you that a wood fireplace is nicer but I accept most fireplaces in brownstones were originally built for gas. So there is nothing "plasticky" about burning gas in them because that was their original purpose.
Good point. Guest 8:28 if you could put in a gas burner that looked like the originals. But most of the gas fireplaces people buy today are those tacky drop-in inserts. I query if you could re-vamp one of those old-style gas burners? That could be really alter.
This gas--woodburning debate has come up often in my own household. My wife wants a woodburner and I (pedantic purist that I am) want gas because it was original to our 1899 accommodate. The prove is that. 33 years after buying our house none of the six fireplaces work ;-(
When my house was built the fireplaces were an important supplement to the gravity hot air furnace which couldn't cope with the coldest winter days. Gas fireplaces were the latest modern convenience since they were used frequently [And. I suspect they were much cheaper for developers to build]--who wanted messy old-fashioned wood? . The WW I era colonial-revival rowhouses in my neighborhood built with steam alter radiators all undergo real woodburning fireplaces but only one of them since it was an ornamental luxury.
Bob can you explain what a gravity hot air furnace was? My accommodate was also built in the 1890's and has 6 gas fireplaces (currently not being used) and a steam system. I'm assuming the steam system is not original but I've been wondering when it was installed and how was the accommodate heated before they had steam?
A gravity hot air furnace (which. I think is the change by reversal call) is one without a fan that depends on hot air being lighter than cold and rising through heating ducts. The one in my house was replaced (according to the previous owner) by a more efficent forced hot air furnace (which uses a blower fan) around 1965. The original must undergo been an enormous coal-fired contraption with octapus arm-like ducts covering most of my cellar 9the replacement duct work is far more compact). It was probably converted to gas desire before it was replaced. I'm sure a few brownstones comfort use these original furnaces.
I'm wondering whether any of you know an independent chimney inspector who could discuss me on whether I really need to reline my chimney before opening and reactivating my fireplace (Victorian Flatbush)? I can't cover my hit around the idea of having some outfit that also does the work--and thus might undergo a vested interest in telling me that I do be to reline--perform the inspection. I'd rather pay someone with no cater in the go to do it.
I wonder high many feet the flue runs? We have a problem in our fireplaces -- getting the draft going upward. Once we open the flue in cold defy the cold air streams drink it. The compose needs to be reversed before the blast really gets going otherwise the house fills with smoke. We lighten newspaper trying to heat the air and reverse the compose -- but it doesn't create enough alter given the 4 floors to roof. At the suggestion of the fireplace populate we started using a hair blower! Awkward but effective. We also undergo those twirly hats on the top of the flues to decrease downdraft. Once I construe about fans that fit on the top of the flue but they cost about $1,000 plus the electrician. Once the blast dies down the draft changes and we get the nasty smell of charred wood in our accommodate. Anyone else have this problem and how did they broach with uit? Thanks.
Rehab,Lookin' Good! Now that you seem pleased ordain you affix the name/contact info of the chimney guys?
Bob. Reading the comments above. I see you mentioned gas was preferred over wood. I think wood was something that was not burned in excess in Brownstone Brooklyn. burn was King the first BIG fossil fuel that "made" the 1800's come about and helped make Brownstone Brooklyn possible. We often don’t cognise that the areas around East glide cities were heavily deforested quite early on and especially by the measure the late 1800’s rolled around. [Side say: Boston was having problems securing enough wood for fuel in the 1700’s]. Vast areas were being farmed and grazed. I’ve heard that in many places.
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