Removing a Chimney - Should You Do It? Pros, Cons, and FAQs

[@buildwithrise]

What are YOUR top reasons for removing an old chimney?

[@Sartorial_Sacrilege]

the wife is bitching about it

[@AA-ct7cb]

What happens if it’s leaning in the attic and and you don’t remove it?

[@imatellya2609]

The base of my chimney in my basement is 3''x6'. As you move up to the first floor, it becomes an open fireplace which I believe is also 3'x6'. It does get significantly smaller on the 2nd floor at maybe 2'x2', along with the stack that comes out of the roof. As this is located in the center of the home, away from any known load bearing walls, I'm hoping that it can simply be removed with manual labor and not much science. I would love to reclaim all of this lost space.

[@robertfullone9032]

I have two. I'm removing the one on the weathered side of the house. The water heater exhausts through the other. If it's not taking up any square footage, and is not dangerous, AND you still have a fireplace, leave it. Figure out a way to plug the fireplace. But make it so you can re-open it, for use. Just in case you NEED it.

[@PongoXBongo]

I would love to remove the entire chimney stack from my 1-story house. It would free up around 9 sq. feet in my main (i.e. only) full bathroom, which I would love to use for a small, stacked washer and dryer (no more lugging laundry up and down from the far end of the basement from the stairs). The only tricky bit would be re-routing the exhaust from the gas water heater which currently goes up and out the stack.

[@MrLamu8080]

I’m same situation I have a cape and the chimney right down the middle of the house

[@cbalf15]

They do make a washer/dryer combo that does not use vents when drying. It is basically a dehumidifier that extracts the water. An added plus is it saves room since it is only one unit and not stacked.

[@karinavlog9703]

Me too but my husband says no takes space n we don't use it

[@1.8.100s]

I wonder if my chimney is also being used to support upstairs?

[@kymarah]

What to do if there is a free floating chimney that is locked in the middle of the house that is over the living room with nothing standing it. The house is one hundred years old

[@AA-ct7cb]

Good question.

[@kymarah]

There is another one located near the kitchen that goes through the roof to the basement floor

[@maryreed3616]

How do you remove a chummy outside of your home

[@caseyhartman7094]

I could gain 11.5 square feet in my kitchen and move the electrical wires inside drywall instead of using a surface mount conduit.

[@Dude99124]

I would have thought determining if it’s an asbestos abatement job would have been the first step, but it wasn’t even mentioned except for going to the dump with your pile of hazmat in your trailer and your lungs.

[@jeffreybowers5646]

Mind is pulling away. Every expert I've called out has a different reason for it, and different 6-figure fix for it. We don't use it, so I'm to the point of finding the cheapest way to remove it and brick it up. However, it's one of the ones on the outside of the house, so I don't know if that's any better.

[@robertfullone9032]

Start from the top.

[@jeffreybowers5646]

@ So, funny story… I called my insurance figuring I’d at least see if they could help in some way with that astronomical bill. They sent out a local structural engineer. He said, “There is nothing wrong with your chimney or foundation. What you are seeing is poorly applied siding that has allowed water to get behind some mortar. “ I told him that a few masons and two major foundation places had said it was falling in, and he said, “Cool. Call them back, and tell them I’ll put the cost of the repair up against an independent inspection from the county OR equivalent” (paraphrasing that last bit). I did…no one was willing take him up on it lol. I’ve since had another structural engineer check it, repaired the mortar and then the siding.

[@anthonybruno9628]

Im pretty sure for 99% of us the months long, 50k+ process isn’t going to be worth it unless we’re already in the midst of a massive reno/rebuild.

[@kymarah]

The last one is on the front of the house

[@michaelwalsh9145]

The minute you mentioned the planet I switched off, WTF has the planet got to do with your chimney?

[@WilfSchlitt-kk9kd]

Exactly. Just looking for some tips not a lesson in woke construction.

[@stpOwner]

Removing all the character of your house

[@Sam-zr5tx]

Not in my case. The chimney in my house was used to vent the old furnace that was in the crawl space. There's no fireplace at all, and getting rid of it would add more space in my pantry and eliminate a roof penetration.

[@brandonyoung7760]

If your city says you're not allowed to have a chimney you should probably move. They have too much control over you already.

[@jeffbarroga2845]

I can gain 8sq ft space in single car garage