prefab fireplace failure.

[mopinko]

so, about 10 years ago we put a prefab fireplace in our basement. it has had a workout every winter, as it is the only heat down there. we have dutifully had it swept most every winter.
it is "brick" with a metal sheeting inside. not a solid box, but panels on 3 sides, vents on the sides.
so, the panels started warping long ago. we have asked these people about replacing them, and mostly got- 'eh, it's fireproof without them, don't worry about it.'
well, now the brick part of the box is failing. sweeps said it is no longer safe (although there is nothing flammable behind it) and needs to be replaced, all the way to the roof. $8k.
he says the chimney is a snap and lock construction that cannot be undone and redone. it is ul approved and once you monkey with it it isn't ul approved. yada, yada.
he did say that the damage is consistent with a chimney fire and that he would attest to that. we are talking to our insurance about it. but really, the whole thing is chapping my ass to the point of not being able to think of what to do.
imho, it is fine for the remainder of the winter. like i said, this open corner goes nowhere.

i do have a source at the moment for some cheap/poss free real firebrick that would make a dandy REAL fireplace. i just don't have the energy for a project at the moment. in the middle of another one, anyway.

[Warpy]

1. Chimney fire? Eeek! Bad juju!

Since the expert has said that has occurred (and there's no reason to doubt him), do NOT use that thing until it is replaced by something else. Chimney fires can do a hell of a lot of damage you can't see and the whole business sounds completely unsafe. Fire insurance won't save you because you've been told the unit is unsafe.

My best advice is to invest in some electric space heaters for this year and try to get the thing replaced over the summer.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

2. I too installed one here in chicago about ten years ago.

I don't remember those chimney pipes being snap and lock so it sounds like malarky. They fit one on top of eachother with a couple sheet metal screws in the sides. Mostly gravity with strapping to dupport long runs.

i remember considering removing the brick panels when I had to carry the think up three flights of stairs. But I chickened out because they seemed fragile - mine felt like they were still wet from the factory. IIRC, they were bolted in with a couple bolts.

I would be surprised if you had a chimney fire and din't know about it. When I asked my FIL, who had one, he said there is no mistaking it. Besides, those stainless pipes stay really clean. I bought the brush and clean mine but I never get much. Maybe you get more soot because the cooling effect over the long distance to the roof??

[mopinko]

3. i would be shocked myself.

we always kept it clean. it never got that dirty in the first place.
and the clown charged my the same price to clean my 2' long dryer vent as he did to sweep my chimney. i know. i deserved that. DH bought it. not me.
malarky indeed.

[jeff47]

4. You need a new chimneysweep

This part makes no sense:

"well, now the brick part of the box is failing. sweeps said it is no longer safe (although there is nothing flammable behind it) and needs to be replaced, all the way to the roof. $8k."

The "brick part" of the box is just for show in the box itself. There is no "brick part" going to the roof. There's a metal pipe going to the roof. Any bricks on the outside of your chimney are mostly cosmetic and to protect from rain/snow

Unless your original installer did something insane like not connect the fireplace to a flue pipe.

And as a sibling post said, you would be well aware if you had a chimney fire. They are spectacular. If your chimney was not recently acting like a giant blowtorch, you haven't had a chimney fire.

[hedgehog]

5. Does anyone know if the fire department would do an inspection

in a case like this? If so, you'd have to be willing to allow them to condemn the set-up, I would think. They may require you to take it all down at once. I'm just speculating here.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. I doubt the fire department has the inspection cameras....

....or the time to do something like this. At least not chicago.

[TygrBright]

7. Get a second opinion. Sounds hinky to me.

If you had the fireplace installed 10 years ago and it's a prefab, the flue is most likely metal lined, not a brick stack. If there's damage to it, it should NOT be that expensive to replace. My sister had one replaced (also in her basement, 2-story house, a slightly older vintage pellet stove with a "fireplace" surround) for about $1800.

They do have to be replaced from time to time --10 years sounds reasonable. Eight grand does not.

You could probably have an entire new woodstove installed for less than eight grand.

helpfully,
Bright

[mopinko]

8. the $8k was to replace the whole unit.

the stack is just pipe, triple wall, iirc.
i had a guy come to give me a second opinion. thinking of just building the box out of brick if this is all the life you get out of a prefab.

[madokie]

9. If you were closer to me I'd make you some new panels

and install them for you. Other than that I'm not sure what to do.


It sucks when you buy something and it turns out to be not of the best quality.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. How would you do that? I'm curious.

They appear to be some sort of soft concrete.

Mine seemed really fragile when I purchased my unit 10 years ago. I think they were still damp from the factory. That's why I aborted my attempt to remove them to lighten the load for carrying the fireplace up three flights of stairs.

[madokie]

11. I talking about the the sheets

I presumed to be metal

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Ahh. I see. i thought the brick was bad.

My bricks are pretty dirty. I haven't tried a wire brush on them yet.

They seemed to be pre-cast.