Thread: moist black stuff at base of chimney

These were taken in the basement of a house built in about 1920. To the right is the furnace. There's a pile of slightly moist, sort of fluffy bits of brownish black stuff coming out the open base of the chimney (heating, not fireplace). And there was a (dead?) milipede there, if that matters. The stuff almost feels like a rich compost, not like I'd expect soot to feel or look, though the color suggests that, sort of.

There's a well-defined line along the chimney and furnace above which the black stuff doesn't go, but that I'm guessing is because something was there when the last cleaning was done.

Similar Threads:

• White stuff on soil
• black flex gas line
• Black marks on ceiling
• Satellite Dish Mounted to Chimney
• Chimney Flashing

Coal or oil fired furnace used to use that chimney. Possibly even a trash incinerator. The opening at the base is where the cleanout door used to be. It's damp because the cap is most likely missing at the top of the furnace vent allowing rain into the chimney. So it's years of soot and water. They most likely had a box or something stored right in that area causing the line on the chimney and furnace.

Probably some dead birds and squirrels in there too. Wash your hands.

OK, that's pretty much what I thought. It seemed so organic though, it puzzled me. Perhaps some bird or bat guano got mixed in at some time...or like you say, a body or two. Hmmm, the chimney looks fine from the ground. The house was recently inspected, too (though he missed the black stuff - I agree, there were boxes or something in front of it).

that debris is also an indication of lack of proper maintenance and cleaning as well as draft reduction caused by lack of cleanout door.1920's would normally not be cinder block, which is what that looks like so maybe a later addition.
typically the yearly servicing will not include cleaning that crap out of there, althoiugh it should and i alsways recommend that it be done and reinspected to properly determine the condition of the flue liner and the boiler vent pipe entry into that flue.
iu normALLY take photos up from that hatch to view the liner.
try it, you may like it

Originally Posted by wayne soper

.
try it, you may like it

.
Kristi,

If Wayne Starts to bother you the attachment would be Very Effective.
.* sorry bud