chimney

[Brimfield]

anyone build their own masonry chimney from cinder block? any good books on this?

[Pat]

I tried a GOOGLE on "masonry chimney" and got a gazillion hits.

I went to Amazon.com and searched on masonry chimney and got ten hits on the topic.

Here is a user review on one of the books:

This is a very good book on designing good solid single face, multiple face, and Rumford fireplaces. There are many simple to understand formulas to insure proper operation and look. Much of the Uniform Building Code concerning chimneys and fireplaces is reprinted and explained as well. There is also excellent information on designing with an eye to seismic reinforcement. The only problem I saw with this book was the lack of information on framing around the fireplace. It seems that niether framing books nor masonry books treat this subject though. Overall a very thorough treatment of chimney's and fireplaces.

Sounds like a book I would want if I were in your position.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Brimfield]

Hey Pat do you remember the name of the book? Any help is really apreciated

[Pat]

Brimfield, Give someone a fish and feed them for a day, teach them to fish and feed them for a lifetime... I'll do both. First here is how to fish...

If you go to http://www.amazon.com You will see a search capability at the top of the column on the left side of the window. It is blue on top and has orange background. Click your mouse cursor on the little red arrow to the right of the empty white entry/selectioin box above and to the right of the "GO" in the red circle.

Select BOOKS It is near the top of the list. Next, place your mouse cursor in the second blank space in the orange box and type in youir search target(s). In this case, I used chimney masonry. Then click on "GO" and in a moment you will get a list of books on your selected topic.

Now here is a "fish" for right now... The first book in the list seemed bogus with its author listed as "Not Applicable" so I looked at the second book in the list:

Masonry Fireplace and Chimney Handbook
by James E. Amrhein (Paperback - June 1, 1995)
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

When you click on the title of the book you get a lot more info. This is a special order book and usually ships in 1-2 months. (etc.)

Another goodlooking choice is the 5-6 book in the list but it is out of stock and out of print.

Pretty skimpy fish, huh?

There are booksellers who specialize in used and out of print books so you may be able to find the book you want, in or out of print.

The PCA (Portland Cement Association) might have some info of interest. They are very professional and do have books and manuals for sale.

www.cement.org/masonry

A search there found two books with info on chimneys: Concrete Masonry Handbook for Architects, Engineers, Builders

and

The Homeowner’s Guide to Building with Concrete, Brick & Stone
Item Code: SP038
Date: 1988 Rodale Press


Description: A comprehensive and practical guide for the residential contractor and do-it-yourselfer. Photos, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions explain the most common household jobs: sidewalks, steps, walls, driveways, and patios. Special section has detailed plans for garden benches, barbecues, retaining walls, and more. A maintenance chapter covers patching and repair, tuckpointing, painting, cleaning, and removing stains. Published by Rodale Press, authored by PCA.

Good luck.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Brimfield]

thanks Pat for all the info I'll check it all out. Planning to put a stove in my walkout basement for the cold days.

[Pat]

Brimfield, Aren't walkout basements neat? If you have expectations of heating the basement on fairly short notice then maybe a metal chimney pipe (like with the old fashioned pot bellied stoves) would serve you considerably better. You get a lot of heat out of the stove pipe. So much so that a small fan blowing across it really helps a lot.

If instead you aren't in a hurry to heat the basement, and would like for the effects of the fire to taper off over a period of hours, then a high thermal mass chimney is a good thing as it will store a considerable quantity of heat and release it over a period of time after the fire has gone out.

For various reasons, inluding increasing laziness, we opted for a propane fired direct vent decorative parlor stove/gas log in our walkout basement. The basement theme is rustic/western and wood would have been a perfect fit except for the "L" word (see above.)

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Brimfield]

Pat I'm going for a coal stove in the basement and will use stove pipe to get out of the basement in to a masonry chimney. walk outs are great for getting in fire wood for the upstairs stove and for any crops to bring in and wash. but they do get cold in a NewEngland winter; froze water pipes once with no dammage. now I use a heat tape and insulated them. but wouild like heat next year so laundry ect isnt quite this cold. ie 37 degrees average. coal is a longer hottter burn and will provide some heat upstairs as well.We have propane baseboard heat but the propane delivry man is afraid of the driveway in winter. will pave it this year but thats another saga.

[Pat]

Brimfield, OOOOOH, I forgot about your being in the frozen north almost up to Nanook land. Sounds good to me. Coal fires can be banked to go unattended much longer and better than wood unless of course the competition is between those new fangled thermostatic controlled units that look more like a small nuclear reactor than a stove.

Our deep earth temp here is 62.5. I suppose yours is about 50 or maybe less. I only used R-11 rigid foam insulaltion outside the basement walls and under the slab, except of course on the walkout wall (not earth covered side)where I will put a little insulation where there isn't any glass.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat

[dlabrie]

I think you will find that you need "Chimney block" not " cinder Block" The former costing much more [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] You are also going to need to line it with clay tiles. Another route would be to use metalbestos pipe . It is rated for coal, and would go up quickly. [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[egon]

For books check with your local library. They may have some or will bring in specific books which are in the system.

Check building codes for the type of chimney reqired and if construction has to be certified.

Check with insurance company for more requirements. These may exceed the local building codes.

Just for interest sake on the construction side will scafolding be required. How will the construction materials be lifted as the chimney rises?

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]