I’ve got a project in the pipeline that will include the demo of a chimney that goes from the roof to the basement of an occupied house. I have recollections of hearing of a demo technique of somehow imploding the chimney from the top to the bottom and not having to bust open walls and it leaves just a heap of brick in the basement then all you have to do is haul out the brick. I’ve never done this before and was curious if anybody here can shed light on how it’s done and things to look out for.
BjR
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I've read about the methods of removing from the bottom, but never done it.
However, and I contribute this a merely a heads up; more than a few brick chimneys are layed up with lime mortar up to just below the roof and the fine dust from that stuff goes everywhere.
I've taken a couple of chimneys down from the top, and while the lime mortared bricks come out quite easily, the clean up is a real booger so be prepared. The dust will continually clog the filter on a shop vac.
The second chimney I took down, I hired a guy with a vacuum truck to clean up....cost about $180 IIRC and well worth it.
I may enen be wrong about starting at the top and go down. Do you recall how it works from the bottom up? What does "180.00 IIRC" mean?
How's the fishin down Bend way too?
BjR
IIRC = If I recall Correctly, a common acronym on the web forums
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Well, about fishing, I'm near North Bend (about 180 miles from Bend), on the coast where bottom fishing (just offshore) and crabbing is decent right now. Bass fishing is slow. Trout fishing on the lakes is doing pretty well.$180 if I recall it was about three years ago that I did the last one.I believe there have been some threads on this forum about removing a chimney from the bottom, but I've never done it.Hopefully, someone will chime in who has.
That is how I always do it.
The last one was on a 2-1/2 story building. The chimney was about 22" x 36" with two flues - no flue liner, brick only. I had the demo done in 5-6 hours alone and the two labourers had the debris cleaned up by end of the day.
Started on the roof with a 2# sledge, knocking one brick loose at a time and dropping it into the flue.
The attic space was wide open so I followed myself down into it.
Then I could reach in with a bar and continue folding bricks in as it passed down the second floor about 4' down.
Then in the first floor we were demo-ing all the walls open for a total kitchen rebuild, so I knocked a hole in them and started hauling bricks out and chucking thru a window into the trash trailer. Another hour later, all I had was a big heap of brick on the floor to leave for the guys to finish up while i washed the stoveblack off my self with a hose.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
That last one I did sounds about like yours: 2 1/2 stories with 2 flues.I remember it in part because, after just getting below the roof, I dropped my hammer down one of the flues; after spending about a half-hour trying to fish the hammer out with a magnet on a length of cord, the lightbulb went off; I went to the basement, knocked out a couple of bricks and had the hammer out in about a minute.Live and learn.
But then you had created an updraft to carry grit up into you face as you worked!;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Well, I looked like a coalminer at that point anyway. Eyeballs and teeth.
took one out, top down as Piffin described. didn't have to use the demolition hammer until I was about 2 feet into the attic. went quickly but it was messy. bottom first would be like an explosion i would think, dust would be everywhere.
A cheap air impact hammer works great doing this.
yeah, but how many chimmney demo's are in my future?
Hey for about $12 id have to say its been a widely useful tool in my arsenal.