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O.K. so all of the armchair electricians have been a big help starting or stopping fires, depending on your point if view.
Well I’ve got some more fuel for the safety experts here.
Here is my dilemma.
After five years of renovating the ‘fixer upper’, the living room is finally being used for it’s designated purpose. This fall I decided the fireplace would finally come into action over the winter.
I hired a professional (I know, it turns stomachs on this forum) to inspect the chimney, clean it, vacate the racoons and build a nice basket on top. Having failed as a mason’s apprentice a long time ago, I was satisfied with the job upon my inspection and the chimney company stated that the fireplace would be safe.
For the last several weeks, the Christmas spirit has had us burning all of the trees we cut down a few years ago in the yard as well as tons of reno scraps (clean wood of course). Out of curiosity, I have been checking the masonry mass of the fireplace to see how warm it has been getting. Since the fires have been nightly rather than burning for hours or days on end, the chimney has not got too warm. This is with the exception of one spot. On the second floor, the chimney has a spot that got quite warm to the touch the other night (on the inside of the house, of course). The hot spot is about 1-1 1/2 feet in diameter.
The chimney, originally was covered in plaster over the brick, as per the practice in the 1920s. I don’t think there is lathe in contact with the brick. I have since, also put a layer of drywall over the plaster. This wall was in bad repair, as were many in the house, so this was the most practical way to bring it back to life.
My question(s):
Do I worry about this hot spot? It seems to have happened only one night.
Would a chimney fire explain it?
Why would I have a chimney fire so soon after a cleaning?
Any thoughts?
Replies
*
O.K. so all of the armchair electricians have been a big help starting or stopping fires, depending on your point if view.
Well I've got some more fuel for the safety experts here.
Here is my dilemma.
After five years of renovating the 'fixer upper', the living room is finally being used for it's designated purpose. This fall I decided the fireplace would finally come into action over the winter.
I hired a professional (I know, it turns stomachs on this forum) to inspect the chimney, clean it, vacate the racoons and build a nice basket on top. Having failed as a mason's apprentice a long time ago, I was satisfied with the job upon my inspection and the chimney company stated that the fireplace would be safe.
For the last several weeks, the Christmas spirit has had us burning all of the trees we cut down a few years ago in the yard as well as tons of reno scraps (clean wood of course). Out of curiosity, I have been checking the masonry mass of the fireplace to see how warm it has been getting. Since the fires have been nightly rather than burning for hours or days on end, the chimney has not got too warm. This is with the exception of one spot. On the second floor, the chimney has a spot that got quite warm to the touch the other night (on the inside of the house, of course). The hot spot is about 1-1 1/2 feet in diameter.
The chimney, originally was covered in plaster over the brick, as per the practice in the 1920s. I don't think there is lathe in contact with the brick. I have since, also put a layer of drywall over the plaster. This wall was in bad repair, as were many in the house, so this was the most practical way to bring it back to life.
My question(s):
Do I worry about this hot spot? It seems to have happened only one night.
Would a chimney fire explain it?
Why would I have a chimney fire so soon after a cleaning?
Any thoughts?