Fireplace Restoration

I am looking for recommendations for fireplace and flue restorers. I have an old wood burning fireplace that the DOB has allowed me to rehabilitate. I just don’t know if the flue needs to be relined and what that costs/entails. I know this topic has come up before, but the search feature gets me posts from 8~10 years ago, even though I clicked “latest” for the search – making is pretty much useless.

brooklyn_newbie

in Chimney and Fireplace 7 months ago

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cate | 7 months ago

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A chimney company can inspect and tell you what will be involved. Be aware the fireplace you have may have originally been intended for gas or coal rather than wood fires. If this is the case, the firebox will be too small for a wood fire and will have to be rebuilt if you want to convert it. This could mean destroying the mantel. Personally, I would just stick with gas or a duraflame log if this were the case. As for relining the chimney, we relined the chimney to our boiler from the cellar through three levels in 2011 or so for $3,000. More recently I’ve been quoted about $6,000 or more to line another chimney to use for kitchen gas stove exhaust. (Why that should be so expensive when no wood burning fires are involved I have no idea.) I’ve heard figures anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 to line a chimney and alter a firebox to convert a fireplace to wood burning.

neilw | 7 months ago

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Seconding the Big Apple Chimney recommendation. They did ours about six years ago and did a fantastic job.

Brownstone Home Inspection | 7 months ago

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i have taken the training to become a chimney and fire place inspector but have not completed any of the testing to lead to certifications. i perform what is known as a “Level I” chimney inspection with every roof inspection i perform and include the information on the chimney in the larger roof inspection report.

be aware that these old unlined (brick) chimneys do not meet modern standards. when i encounter people who have unlined chimneys above fireplaces they wish to use, i tell them do not proceed until they have had a chimney company look at the situation.

i have vetted at least one company to do this work and i consider them to be at the top of their game: Big Apple Chimney. If you call them, you will speak to Jason. If you do, please tell him Steve from Brownstone Home Inspection sent you his way.

Steve