One Very Big Job

Well it's done, the chimney is out and so is the old fire box. Today it didn't take too long to remove the last 6 feet, the only problem I had was the last 3 courses, they were very well laid. I estimate there were just over 1000 bricks in this chimney, they'll make a nice walkway. After lunch ReBecca and I pulled out the fire box and put it in place, much better than a burn barrel. It was tricky getting it out of the basement, I used long sturdy boards covered with plywood. I put the fire box on the dolly, tied it to the trailer hitch and ReBecca pulled away and up it went right onto the trailer. She then drove it to our spot, it came off rather well and we placed it on some patio stone. We'll put up a little fence to hid it from the road later.

All done.

Looking up the rabbit hole.

Ready to go.

The trailer lift dug in a bit.

She loaded it on the trailer nicely.

It's new home.

This job is done.

Another One Bits The Dust

That is what we said when the first floor section of the chimney came down today. I used a new pneumatic chisel and it went well. The brick work was about three course high in the ceiling and I just cut away below it and when the room opened up I could get at the ones in the back. It took us about 3 hours to pull it down. I filled the pails with bricks and ReBecca took the out to the trailer. No stairs today. I first put up plastic to keep the dust down in the rest of the house and covered everything with drop cloths, you never know. It wasn't too bad and clean up went well. The rest tomorrow.

Trying to keep things clean.

My access point.

I'm working hard.

See I wear protection.

Hard at the last few courses.

A little problem, a stuck brick. Not for long.

What we started with today, from an older picture.

More Chimney Work

Today we hammered away at the second floor section. I was very lucky there was a void beside the chimney and I could get one section of an 8 foot ladder down there so I could work my way down. We first hauled all the brick up the back stairs to the trailer to make room for today's efforts, and again hauled them up to the trailer. Tomorrow hopefully will be a little easier, no stairs, we are working on the first floor run in the kitchen.

 

A 9 foot run of brick to remove.

6 feet left.

4 to go.

Looking back up.

Almost done.

Covered over to keep things out.

Making Room For Heat

We are about to get a new heating system and the best way to run the duct work is up the same spot the chimney occupies, so guess what has to go. It was a shame to take it down, and it took a lot to do it, and we still have more to do, about 15 feet worth. Once I got the exterior work done I worked in the attic. Then I boarded up the opening and shingled it making it water tight once again. What we did was I would chisel away at each brick, and I mean each one, they were in place and very study, then drop in down the flu pipe, ReBecca was in the basement and would pull out the  brick and all the debris like the clay lining and extra mortar the fell. We both had on respirators but it was still very dirty and we are beat. Still more to do.



Before I started.

Below the roof line now.



This is what the clay liner looked like, not very good.

What I had to work with in the attic.

Slowly coming down.

Gone.

New shingles.

New Look.

Getting Ready For The Chimney

We will be knocking down the chimney soon, and to make my job on the roof a bit easier I added a piece of plywood to the existing frame work up there, making it a bit sturdier. We don't have too many courses of bricks to come down from the roof top, but it's better to be a little safer all the same. I told ReBecca the view was great from up here (there) so she climbed up to see for her self.

Up on high.

A better perspective to where I actually was.



Looking south.



West view.

Northwest view.

Looking north.



Always time for a picture.

Discussing the job.