# Interesting Chimney



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

I don't know if these photos will show up because I am having trouble attaching them, but if they do, great.

I discovered this in an attic today.

If the photos post alright, I'll provide more detail.


----------



## CookeCarpentry (Feb 26, 2009)




----------



## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

I wouldn't try snaking up wires that way... that's for sure.


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Hey it worked. Angus had to give me tech support.

When I saw this I didn't know whether to be awed or apalled. An HVAC guy on site said they did it to cut down on draft ??????????????

It looks to me like the masons had to offset the chimney when it was discovered the it was headed directly for the ridge.

Any comments?


----------



## jkfox624 (Jun 20, 2009)

We see this all the time in the turn of the century homes around here. I always figured the same thing they came up in the middle of the house and gave it an oh  when they got into the attic. But then again i see alot of chimneys come up dead nuts in the middle of the ridge.


----------



## mikeswoods (Oct 11, 2008)

*You'll want to save that picture!*

Start a collection of 'nobody will believe it unless they see it' pix.:laughing:


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

jkfox624 said:


> We see this all the time in the turn of the century homes around here. I always figured the same thing they came up in the middle of the house and gave it an oh  when they got into the attic. But then again i see alot of chimneys come up dead nuts in the middle of the ridge.


It's a pretty old house-probably newer than turn of the century by a little bit.
The chimney comes out through the roof exactly adjacent to the ridge. No ridge board, obviously no cricket, but it seems to have held up well for now.


----------



## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

mikeswoods said:


> Start a collection of 'nobody will believe it unless they see it' pix.:laughing:


It is not unusual AROUND HERE EITHER


----------



## eisert (Jan 31, 2009)

I beleive that's called "FlexBrick".


----------



## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

Thats where the Jack Daniels consumption exceeded the brick layed amount because the tender couldn't keep up. 

Once they went above the second floor the poor guy just couldn't keep material on the boards.:thumbup:


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

dakzaag said:


> Thats where the Jack Daniels consumption exceeded the brick layed amount because the tender couldn't keep up.
> 
> Once they went above the second floor the poor guy just couldn't keep material on the boards.:thumbup:


I'll look for ancient JD bottles in the insulation tomorrow:laughing:


----------



## CookeCarpentry (Feb 26, 2009)

What are you doing up there anyway, Ron?


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

CookeCarpentry said:


> What are you doing up there anyway, Ron?


I'm sleeping one off:laughing:

Actually it's a very small bath remodel and I was tracing wiring.

Is that OK with you?:notworthy


----------



## Red Adobe (Jul 26, 2008)

Yes turn of the century THIS ONE. BAHAHAAA

Looks like modern day mesican "brother in law" work to me. A good mesican woulda thew up chicken wire and a scratch coat of stucco to hold it together, but never came back to 2nd coat or finish it


----------



## jkfox624 (Jun 20, 2009)

A little off topic but dont you love goin in those old attics seeing 2 x 4's on 2' centers and like a 20' rafter length. Then you drill through the roof to cut a boot in and find 1" boards, shakes, then 4 layers of asphalt. Its like wtf keeps this thing from turning into a pile of kindling in the basement.


----------



## Aframe (Mar 24, 2008)

That one is a bit extreme but they off set it so there would be solid framing for the hip roof. 
With a gable roof you can split the ridge no problem. With hips you have lateral pressure coming from all four sides.


----------



## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

As long it is less than 30 degrees it is all good (from a draft standpoint, structurally, good luck with that).


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Tscarborough said:


> As long it is less than 30 degrees it is all good (from a draft standpoint, structurally, good luck with that).


Our work has nothing to do with the chimney. I just happened to notice it. I think it does actually fall within 30 degrees.

I was just baffled by the draft comment by the HVAC guy. I thought he was full of s***. Was he? It was hard to tell by your post.


----------



## DavidC (Feb 16, 2008)

In our parts that is a very common chimney for an older house. As to why, I have no idea. I don't see how it would effect the draft so I would lean to accommodating the framing.

Good Luck
Dave


----------



## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

Ha Ha, you did the same thing I did when I saw my first loopy chimney!!

I had a bricklayer buddy come and look at it - he explained it was supposed to be like that!!

Seen quite a few since


----------



## CharlesD (Feb 12, 2007)

I've seen chiminys like this on a lot of houses. I thought it was an accepted procedure.


----------



## DarrenB (Aug 30, 2009)

That is called a *sloped offset chimney.* 

Very common years ago. 

One thing you have to worry about is cracking where the slope starts, cracks commonly form presenting a fire and gas hazard.


----------



## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

It will reduce the draft, but I don't think that is why they did it.


----------



## JonM (Nov 1, 2007)

I've seen quite a few like that here in New England..quite common in the turn of the century three story houses...:thumbsup:


----------



## DavidC (Feb 16, 2008)

Tscarborough said:


> It will reduce the draft, but I don't think that is why they did it.


How is it that it affects the draft? Inquiring minds want to know.

Good Luck
Dave


----------



## RenaissanceR (May 16, 2006)

*Another one*

[deleted]


----------



## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

wow, twisted!


----------



## stuart45 (Oct 7, 2009)

RenaissanceR said:


> Found this chimney while bidding on a proposal on a house built in 1830. The chimney was "twisted" to clear the roof line and a staircase I was told.


That is an interesting one.
It used to be thought that a flue needed to travel at least its own width to reduce any downdraught and increase the draw. We were taught this at college as can be seen from these old drawings.
















Nowadays a straight flue is said to be more efficient.
How much would you charge to rebuild these 4?


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

RenaissanceR said:


> Found this chimney while bidding on a proposal on a house built in 1830. The chimney was "twisted" to clear the roof line and a staircase I was told.


Yours wins!:thumbsup:


----------



## English Roofer (Dec 22, 2008)

Ive only ever seen an offset chimney built in to a gable wall end, seen lots of twisted chimneys, great to look at but a bugger to re-point!
Cheers
Dave


----------



## English Roofer (Dec 22, 2008)

On a recent job, the chimney in the first photo was going to get repointed till we took the slates off the lower roof to discover they had taken the chimney breast (flue) out below it and it was being held up by a timber batten!!(photo 2)
Cheers
Dave

P.S. we took it down....carefully!


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

How in the heck did you fix that one?


----------



## stuart45 (Oct 7, 2009)

Taking the chimney breast out and leaving the stack suspended is quite common in the UK. It was done a lot in the 70's when everyone wanted central heating and open fires went out of fashion. It's OK if the stack if supported with gallows brackets in the roof space, but many aren't sometimes with deadly consequences. Here is another typical example.


----------



## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

My fascination and respect for what good masons can do is growing with every post!


----------



## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

Ive seen plenty of offset chimneys like in the opening post. Usually they are laid up against a pair of 2X4's to prevent them from falling over while the mortar is still wet. The 2X4's are usually left in place.


----------



## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

The chimney in our house starting in the basement is on top of a massive arch system. It has two flues from there that are on either side of the staircase, then merge above the stairs to come out the top in only one spot.


----------



## bonz (Mar 23, 2009)

Interesting Thread...

Is the verdict in as to why this was done?

I have seen this in several historic homes we have renovated. Always figured it was to have the chimney offset from the ridge (specially because the offset occurred only in the attic)...

But, after seeing a couple homes where the chimney runs straight thru the ridge, I am wondering if there may be some other reason...

Thanks,
Bonz


----------



## naptown CR (Feb 20, 2009)

I think the poster who saw the hip roof was on track


----------



## English Roofer (Dec 22, 2008)

rselectric1 said:


> How in the heck did you fix that one?


We took the chimney down as it was to dangerous to leave like it was!
Cheers
Dave


----------



## English Roofer (Dec 22, 2008)

I came across these chimneys on a job in Liverpool, thought they looked rather nice!
I think a chimney can come through a roof where ever but the pots need to be about a metre above the ridge line to stop down draft!
Cheers
Dave


----------

