Chimneys of brick and stone fireplaces are a very strong visual feature of the house whether they are installed inside or outside the house. The walls of the chimney with lined flues that are not more than 30 feet high should be at least 8-inches thick if it is made of brick or concrete, and if it is made of stone it should be at least 12-inches thick.
A separate flue for each fireplace or furnace is required by building codes. The most important thing is that neither the chimney nor the fireplace should contact any wood or any flammable materials in the house structure. The chimney should ride at least 3 feet above flat roofs, and at least 2 feet above the roof ridge.
When clay tiles are used to line the chimney, there is less chance of soot accumulating in the flue, than when bricks are used for the lining. Any brick work around chimney flues and fireplaces should be laid with cement mortar. It is a much more heat resistant material than the lime mortar. It is recommended that the fire brick will be laid with fire clay, because mortar will not withstand the extreme heat as well as fire clay will.
The chimney cap is located at the very top of the chimney. The purpose of the water tight cap is to prevent any water or moisture from entering the stone, brick, and flue lining. Generally, the cap is made out of concrete.
Another part that is very important is the chimney spark arrestor which is a metal device with metal caging on the sides and a solid metal top, It is tightly installed on the top of the chimney, to prevent the escape of sparks or any other burning material, and also prevent rain, leaves and animals from entering into the chimney.
The connection point of the chimney and the roof should include metal flashing which extends at least 4-inches under the roof shingles, and 4-inches up the exterior face of the chimney. Where ever the chimney flashing meets the shingles it should be caulked and then coated with rust proof paint.
It is recommended that with the completion of the chimney the contractor will seal the outside masonry with transparent penetrating water repellant sealer specifically developed for stone, concrete and brick. If the exterior of the chimney walls are not treated they will eventually absorb water, and that may cause cracks and chipping.
All wood fires produce an amount of creosote, these deposits of creosote can become extremely flammable and can result in dangerous house fires. Because creosote is so hard and gummy it cannot be swept loose, that is why specialized tools are needed, and its best to hire a commercial chimney sweep company.
The fireplace hearth is the fireplace floor the protects the surrounding room’s floor area from catching fire. Generally, its the brick, stone or concrete pad in front of the firebox. It can also be made from terrazzo, quarry tile, marble, slate etc. a hearth should extend at least 20 inches into the room.
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