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Antique coal burning fireplace Poughkeepsie (C) Daniel Friedman Fireplace Inspection Procedures & Checklist
Tips from a Chimney Sweep & from code experts

Fireplace safety & structural inspections - indoor procedures:

This article describes Fireplace Inspections performed from indoors, listing a professional chimney sweep's fireplace and chimney hazard checklist for problems that can be found by visual inspection at the fireplace or chimney cleanout.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Fireplace Inspection Checklist

Antique coal burning fireplace Poughkeepsie (C) Daniel FriedmanIn the 1980's Bill Murphy, Hudson Valley Chimney Sweeps, met with New York Metro ASHI home inspectors to list his biggest safety worries when inspecting a fireplace or fireplace chimney flue from indoors.

Here is the list of masonry fireplace safety concerns in alphabetic order, not in order of level of risk. I [DF] have added some items to Bill's original list. Gas fireplace and gas log heater inspection and construction articles are listed separately at the end of this page.

From a variety of fire safety inspection sources we have added a few items beyond what Murphy originally listed, and readers are welcome to us to add other inspection suggestions.

Rust and water stains at the fireplace damper tell us there are leaks above (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com

Pillow stuffed into a fireplace instead of a working fireplace damper (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com

Photograph of an abandoned chimney in an attic.

Fireplace hearth extension set as thin tile on existing wood floor - possible fire hazard (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com

Zero clearance metal fireplace (C) Daniel Friedman

Visible Inspetion of Fireplace Flue Condition

At FIREPLACE INSERTS INSTALL, INSPECT, REPAIR

we detail the exploration of the condition of a cast-iron "fireplace" or fireplace grate that was originally intended for burning large chunks of coal, probably soft coal. This installation was found in a home built in Poughkeepsie NY ca 1900 and restored by the author.

Antique coal burning fireplace Poughkeepsie (C) Daniel Friedman Antique coal burning fireplace Poughkeepsie (C) Daniel Friedman

Modern Fireplace Inserts for Burning Wood, Coal, Pellet Fuel

Fireplace insert (C) Daniel Friedman

A modern fireplace insert for burning wood is shown at left. You can see why inspecting the chimney from inside is impossible without removing the appliance.

This installation is particularly interesting. If you click to enlarge the photo you can see light colored bricks at the right of the fireplace insert: the installer appears to have bricked the original fireplace opening to better fit the new insert.

Watch out: adding a fireplace insert that moves the fire doors closer to the edge of the hearth reduces fire clearance (for heat or if the doors are open, sparks and coals) between the appliance opening and nearby combustibles or flooring.

The owners have placed a "fireproof rug" in front of this unit - that semi-circular carpet observed on the floor. Is this adequate? Be sure to consult your local fire inspector when installing or converting a fireplace or fuel burning appliance.

Woodstove inserted (C) Daniel Friedman

Unsafe Fireplace Inserts

By "fireplace insert" we refer to a wood or coal-burning stove designed to be inserted into an existing masonry fireplace opening.

The wood-stove installed in the fireplace at left may work in such a location, but it was not designed as an "insert" - and does not fit the opening of this odd fireplace. In fact not much would fit in this angled firebox.

Placing the feet of the woodstove past the hearth and onto a rug, as well as less than 3' from combustibles, are further fire hazards - this is an unsafe installation.

Details are at FIREPLACE DAMAGE & UNSAFE HEARTHS.

Fireplace Safety

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question: is removing wood around chimney cleanout door a big job?

Components of a masonry fireplace (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com2019/05/08 Mary said:

How do you remove wood framing or forms visible through the ash dump opening in the basement. Found by house inspector and buyers want it removed for safety purposes. A chimney person or a mason? Is this a costly procedure?

[Click to enlarge any image]

Reply: advice on repairing fireplace hazards in a home for sale

Mary

I'd need to at the very least, see photos and the home inspection report to understand what the hazard appears to be.

Is the wood around the ash dump opening in the floor of the fireplace (purple line in my drawing) or is the wood around a chimney ash-pit cleanout door (purple rectangle) that in my sketch above?

[Click to enlarge any opening]

The location of the wood and how it was affixed in place determine whether it's trivial to remove ($100. or less, 5 minutes by a handyman to pull out loose, tacked exposed furring strips) or instead will be a troublesome and more-costly job $un-determined work by a professional mason or chimney sweep).

Examples of chimney cleanouts and safety concerns with them are

at CHIMNEY CLEANOUT DOORS

Watch out: Also you'll want to have an expert review the whole fireplace installation to be sure that there is not other hard-to-spot wood exposed and forming a fire hazard in the chimney constructions.

On New Years' Eve 1969 in Poughkeepsie our house caught fire because of exposed wood that had been left in the construction of a masonry fireplace - a 2x4 left as a "temporary" support for the damper during construction.

Hansey left the wood in place - it was nearly impossible to remove without breaking masonry. And some of those fireplaces, after years of exposure to heat and sparks, ultimately set the house on fire.

Details of that event are at PYROLYSIS EXPLAINED

So KUDOS to your home buyer's inspector - pass along my compliments. The inspector might have saved trouble for both you (from liability) and the homeowners (a fire). The actual level of risk also varies from very low to quite significant. As you read in my anecdote exposed wood in a fireplace can linger for decades before finally starting on fire.

Now just how hard it is to remove the wood in question depends on exactly what's there and how it's secured. The job ranges from trivial - a handyman and 5 minutes of effort - to significant. I can't guess without knowing the details.

My OPINION is that it is usually better for a seller to give an allowance to buyers for repairs for which she, the seller, agrees to be responsible.

The benefits to the seller include avoided liability, and the avoidance of discovery of additional hidden damage that cause a job to mushroom.

The benefits to the buyer include the ability to be in control of the job, to avoid worrying that the seller took a shortcut, and often to economize by combining the required repair with other improvements or changes they want. The contractor who does the work is then responsible to the new owner. In contrast, if the seller hired the repair contractor the buyer has no recourse if they want the job improved, extended, or corrected.

The ash dump repair serving only a fireplace is deferrable - one simply doesn't use the fireplace before it has been inspected by a certified chimney sweep or expert mason - for safety and function. That's the most-skilled person to assure that the fireplace, flue, and ash dump are all safe and to remove any exposed wood or other hazards.

IF, despite my (neutral party) advice, you and buyers insist that you have the work done (as your attorney will perhaps advise, after all it doesn't cost the attorney a dime to spend your money to simplify their life), you should hire a professional chimney sweep to inspect the whole system and make necessary repairs.

Otherwise you risk putting buyers at risk of other more-hidden fire safety hazards and you have created a liability for yourself should, heaven forbid, Dan Martin not be present when the new owners build their next hearty fire in the fireplace of their new home.

A photo of our home where the fire occurred is shown - no damage was visible from outside.

Reader comment:

(Sept 26, 2011) Anonymous said:
the best info.

Reply:

Thanks anon. We also welcome question or content suggestions.


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