Funny-looking chimney

[John Kogel]

No top, no bottom, just a couple hundred pounds of faux stone hanging on the side of the house. :) :)

[MaMa Mount]

It is the sad world we live in that we have to impress people thinking that a large fireplace makes it a custom home.

[Jerry Peck]

It is the sad world we live in that we have to impress people thinking that a large fireplace makes it a custom home.

A VENTLESS fireplace even. :eek:

Those places sure do not have much rear yard, do they? I see separate roofs and a little tiny patch of green, which probably is divided up among those three in some manner, likely continuing out from that fence line at the corner and then meeting another line at the rear of the house John was on.

Got to say, that looks like one steep roof on the house John was on.

[Rick Hurst]

Could never share a common yard like that in the picture. I'm one of those weed freaks that would be hosing down all the neighbors yards around me.:D

Why even bother with the expense of a faux chimney. Could spend the money elsewhere. It like seeing these youngun's running up and down the road in the worn out Honda Accords that have the huge wing on the rear. Just for show.

rick

[Bob Harper]

Actually, this is quite common around here. Not much different than hardcoat stucco. The chase is built on a cantilever. When this weight settles, the ends of the cantilevers pry up causing the floor to buckle in front of the hearth extension.

Jerry, there is a direct vent ternination about even with the window sills. Appears to be the old round HHT termination. Sometimes a builder will really splurge and install a traditional black square termination from a woodburner just to add an architechtural element.

The top of the chase should have band boards forming a drip edge clear of the stone--can't tell if this one does. Also, where the stone meets the base of the cantilever, there should be flashing forming a drip edge in place of a weep screed as with stucco. The underside of these cantilevers is a common place for rot. Without a drip edge, water will wick in by capillary attraction. Most leave them unprotected plywood. A few will cover the problem with plastic siding. The other problem is weatherization or the lack thereof. Cantilevers are rarely insulated and even more rare, gasketed,caulked and air/vapor sealed. Then they drill holes into them for gas and electrical lines and wonder where all the cold air is coming from.

Don't forget the fireblocking. Even though this vents out the rear, there still needs to be fireblocking above it per R602.8 of the IRC or your relevant code.

To MaMa's point, why build a full size chase that you don't need if you don't at least do it right and make it look nice? Looks like a Jiffy Pop. That flat chase top will probably sag and pond water. Galvanized steel should ALWAYS be painted or otherwise protected from corrosion outdoors. Chase covers should be cross-broken to pitch them or at least have a board under them supporting it at a pitch while meeting clearances.
Bob