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Nick Ostrowski
06-28-2007, 06:54 PM
I saw these chimney defects at a house I looked at today for some friends. This sucker had it goin' on.

Pic 1 - deteriorated mortar joints and missing counterflashing
Pic 2 (best of the bunch) - the plumber in his infinite wisdom carved out a 3-4 inch deep swath in the base of the block portion of chimney structure to run a PVC drain line (an elbow or shortening of a run upstream of this would have saved him much sweat)
Pic 3 - actively wet insulation next to the chimney due to the missing counterflashing two stories above
Pic 4 - attic view around the chimney

Bob Harper
06-28-2007, 07:10 PM
Nothing but the best for our citizens!

Hey Nick, I hope you didn't find that gem in my area, too.

From the looks of that rafter, they've had water problems higher up for some time (hence the new roof?). The roofer should have coordinated who was going to counterflash that excuse of a chimney. Better yet, they should have torn it down into the attic and rebuilt it. What a mess!

I like those crappy ground key gas cocks on the unsupported gas pipe. I change out a lot of those clunkers. Real junk.

All these pretty old home around me and I have you, Joe, & John making me feel like I live in a ghetto!

Richard Rushing
06-28-2007, 07:41 PM
From top to bottom this thing was bad in every since of the word:
(pictures are from left to right, 1-4)

From roof level-- the chimney was boarded up (not disclosed).
Attic view-- the chimney has sustained serious structural damage (and no liner)
Inside view--
Crawlspace view-- the flooring under the fireplace and hearth is ready to collapse.This was a home that had been re-done from top to bottom (well with the exception of the roof and fireplace). Someone had bought this 1921 home and put about 45K of renovations into it.

My impression... the damn thing is haunted!! No joke!

Rich

Richard Rushing
06-28-2007, 07:43 PM
Ooops... first pic was wrong pic.

Here it is of blocked chimney.

Bob Harper
07-06-2007, 08:18 PM
I was hoping some of you would have commented on Rich's pics. Ok, so the whole thing looks like an episode of "Decorators Gone Wild". If you wanted to seal off the chimney, what would you guys hope/ expect to see?

Good pick up Richard.