What's going on here?

[Michael Thomas]

Getting a very bad feeling about this one:

Picture is taken from above the damper of a second-floor wood-burning fireplace.

There's also wood-burning fireplace on the first floor, but I was not able to get a successful picture above the damper.

Roof was beyond the reach of my 28 foot ladder, and couldn't get a camera angle that let me get a look at the top of the cap, but no flues at all were visible from any location on the ground.

Of course, this chimney gets a level II.

But what I'm thinking, looking at these pictures, is that at some point someone may have closed off (sort of) the flue from the first floor fireplace, and just knocked out the flue tiles above the level of the second floor so both fireplaces are now venting through the original flue for the second-floor fireplace.

Does this seem reasonable based on the pictures?

If not, what else might I be seeing here?
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[Raymond Wand]

I think you nailed it Michael. Improperly terminated flue. And was the flue at the chimney cap terminated correctly so as water cannot enter?

[Mark Reinmiller]

Getting a very bad feeling about this one:

Picture is taken from above the damper of a second-floor wood-burning fireplace.

There's also wood-burning fireplace on the first floor, but I was not able to get a successful picture above the damper.

Roof was beyond the reach of my 28 foot ladder, and couldn't get a camera angle that let me get a look at the top of the cap, but no flues at all were visible from any location on the ground.

Of course, this chimney gets a level II.

But what I'm thinking, looking at these pictures, is that at some point someone may have closed off (sort of) the flue from the first floor fireplace, and just knocked out the flue tiles above the level of the second floor so both fireplaces are now venting through the original flue for the second-floor fireplace.

Does this seem reasonable based on the pictures?

If not, what else might I be seeing here?
30242
30243

My guess is that the two original flues were too small for the fireplaces to function properly so they broke out the flue liners to create one large flue.

[Ken Amelin]

Getting a very bad feeling about this one:

Picture is taken from above the damper of a second-floor wood-burning fireplace.

There's also wood-burning fireplace on the first floor, but I was not able to get a successful picture above the damper.

Roof was beyond the reach of my 28 foot ladder, and couldn't get a camera angle that let me get a look at the top of the cap, but no flues at all were visible from any location on the ground.

Of course, this chimney gets a level II.

But what I'm thinking, looking at these pictures, is that at some point someone may have closed off (sort of) the flue from the first floor fireplace, and just knocked out the flue tiles above the level of the second floor so both fireplaces are now venting through the original flue for the second-floor fireplace.

Does this seem reasonable based on the pictures?

If not, what else might I be seeing here?
30242
30243

Well, its definitely not correct as you noted, but there are quite a few additional problems here:

1. Common liners - no wythe.
2. Rough surfaces - exposed brick flue.
2. Flue size reduction.
3. multiple fireplaces in one flue.
4. Lots of creosote.
5. No rain cap.

[Don Hester]

Micheal, I am impressed that you could even get that photo. You must have long arms ;)

[John Schneider]

Also, IRC G2427.5.6.1 - Only 1 solid fuel appliance connected to flue. More than one solid fuel appliance shall not share the same flue.

[Ian Page]

Try Google Earth for an overhead view. I've used it a few times to establish time-lines of repairs or changes to structure footprint. It might help.

[Michael Chambers]

Your theory is certainly plausible, but with the apparent lack of support to the broken up tile flue, it may have just cracked, and collapsed on its own. The whole system is obviously bad, and will need some major help.

[John Kogel]

Nice catch, Michael. Hopefully you didn't come out of there looking like a chimney sweep. :D

[Michael Thomas]

Thanks for all of your comments.

[Bob Harper]

Each flue requires a 4" wythe wall separation. Regardless, this is a mess and yes, Level II.