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Inspected a 1932 Cape Cod today. Walked the roof, looked down the single clay flue. Went in the home, checked out the oil fired boiler. Then went in the first floor living room and there's a fireplace. Now wait a minute - one oil boiler vent + one fireplace flue should have equaled two vents. Hard to believe the chimney sweep or the HVAC contractor never saw it.

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By the looks of the top of the chimney, it appears there may have been a second liner in there at one time. See the width, and how its patched over with concrete? It would be interesting to know whats going on inside that thing. Could you see anything by looking up or down the flue from either position?

BTW Charlie, I'm not a spring chicken and I'm sure you would agree you are not either. I do risky things like walking wet roofs too but Cape Cods can have a bit of pitch to them. My friend, please be careful out there.

Oh, and welcome to the Greater Baltimore ASHI Chapter. Great to have you.

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From the fireplace looking up you could see the end of the metal oil vent sticking into the fireplace flue, so just one shared flue. Couldn't get the camera past the damper to get a decent picture. Cap at the top is no longer able to help shed water so the water soaks into the bricks, freezes in the winter, breaks the bricks loose or breaks the bricks, This one had loose bricks. Rear roof wasn't too steep, that's where I went up.

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From the fireplace looking up you could see the end of the metal oil vent sticking into the fireplace flue, so just one shared flue. Couldn't get the camera past the damper to get a decent picture. Cap at the top is no longer able to help shed water so the water soaks into the bricks, freezes in the winter, breaks the bricks loose or breaks the bricks, This one had loose bricks. Rear roof wasn't too steep, that's where I went up.

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I said what I did above because of the unwritten rule that respondents to threads shouldn't point out flubs that aren't specifically mentioned by the OP. The subtext in doing so is a presumption that the OP didn't know what he or she was looking at.

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Thanks for the guidance, Bain, always appreciated. I'll keep that in mind next time.

I don't know if you're being sarcastic, but I hope you haven't misunderstood.

You were the original poster, pointing out the single flue within the chimney. We typically try not to point out other flubs in photos--like the chimney cap--because that can be interpreted as insulting to an original poster . . . you, in this instance. I was actually sticking up for you.

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I don't know if you're being sarcastic, but I hope you haven't misunderstood.

You were the original poster, pointing out the single flue within the chimney. We typically try not to point out other flubs in photos--like the chimney cap--because that can be interpreted as insulting to an original poster . . . you, in this instance. I was actually sticking up for you.

Bain I no better also. I was just a little on the tired side and let my fingers do my thinking. I'll do my best not to slip again, sorry about that.

Anyhow, hope ya'll have a nice Thanksgiving.

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From the fireplace looking up you could see the end of the metal oil vent sticking into the fireplace flue, so just one shared flue. Couldn't get the camera past the damper to get a decent picture. Cap at the top is no longer able to help shed water so the water soaks into the bricks, freezes in the winter, breaks the bricks loose or breaks the bricks, This one had loose bricks. Rear roof wasn't too steep, that's where I went up.

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From the fireplace on the first floor, you looked up the flue, and saw the metal flue connector from the boiler in the basement?

I think John may be right, there may have been another flue at one time that was terminated.

That flue connector from the boiler hits the chimney structure right at the corner of the block wall, very odd.

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