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Why do old chimneys curl?


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Hm... Well, I think we at least have it narrowed down to a combination of wind, rain, freeze and thaw. The remaining question is why they lean in the direction they do, which may never be explained. I've seen the lean toward and away, Mike in WA has seen them lean w/o freezing.

Well, I'm glad to pretty much have consensus on the how?

Bill, speaking of accross the pond, my second and by far toughest mentor in my apprenticeship was a man named Antonius "Dutch" Dassen from Holland. He turned out many a good mason. When I worked for large commercial companies, two masons would usually struggle to meet me in the middle and their work was a mess and mine was neat as a pin. I thank Dutch for that. He insisted that we use all tools as designed and never waste a move. No one could work out of my pans because, like Dutch, I used pretty soft mortar and never ever had to touch a brick with the but of my trowel. (Dutch would kill if he ever heard anyone beat a brick) We rolled the brick to the line, cut off the mortar and put it on the end of the brick just layed as we reached for the next. He taught us to be very efficient machines!

Those were good and fun days, but I am glad they're behind me. I still have all of my tools. I have no idea why. Just can't part with them even though I haven't touched them in over 20 years.

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"I think we at least have it narrowed down to a combination of wind, rain, freeze and thaw."

And internal condensation.

I hope I'm not giving the impression that I have any hands on experience with masonry. (Which side of the trowel does the mud go?)

My background was in construction management and restoration consulting. I was just fortunate to earn an education at the point that science proved that modern methods and materials were destroying architectural heritage. Researched, documented and tested preservation measures in effect for decades in the UK have yet to be implemented to any significant degree here.

Now I have had some broad experience with traditional timber framing and joinery.

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Originally posted by inspecthistoric

Researched, documented and tested preservation measures in effect for decades in the UK have yet to be implemented to any significant degree here.

Not only that, but I find an absolute refusal on the part of most contractors to even recognize that there's something to know. They are contemptuous of the idea that there's additional information outside of what they already have stored in their (small) heads.

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Indeed Bill,

I have posts all over the professional sites telling stories about the same discoveries. The "old school" had it right all along.

When I left masonry and after a period of Design/Build construction, I entered the Disaster Restoration Field. Many of my projects were catastrophic losses to old Richmond row houses where the order of the day was find and replace, restore or reproduce what was here.

One particular project was a large loss due to loss of heating in sub-zero temps. All the radiators and supply lines froze and burst and when things thawed, the owner came home from Boston to water running out from under the front door (Uhh.. ohh.. ). I had to go as far as Texas to find replacement radiators because some wise fellow had scoured the country collecting and hoarding them. $750.00 a piece! When I called up north in search of them, a salvage guy told me of the guy in Texas. I had to work with mills to make replacement trims for scratch and often went to salvage yards with huge collections of columns, fixtures, windows, doors, etc.

It was a lot of fun, but the home owners and insurance companies made a hot box that was no fun to be in. That put a lot of gray hairs on my head. So, finally when I spent my second Christmas Eve in the middle of a large fire loss doing a take off instead of at home opening presents with my kids, I threw in the towel and became a home inspector.

And speaking of timber, from 1981 to 1983 I lived in a 100+ year old hand hewn log cabin. It only had a fireplace and my wood stove for heat. I went through about 7 cords of wood a year. Someone had covered the exterior with wire latch and stucco. The owner, a farmer, asked me to tear off and re-install the stucco, which I did, and replaced all the chinking from the interior. The only drawback was that the plumbing, kitchen and bathroom were all in a very poorly designed and constructed addition on the back of the house. The cabin was atop a knoll that faced the gap of Harper's Ferry and when the wind blew and the temps were down, you had to run the shower for a bit to get the shower curtain to unfreeze from the stall floor! You could see your breath in the bathroom.

From that house I went across the street to another farm and into a 100+ year old solid stone Quaker house, two side by side front doors, one for the ladies and one for the men. No heat but wood again. I had a copperclad cookstove with a firebox about the size of a shoe box. I finally got tired of feeding that thing and converted to coal!

From my architecture days, through my masonry career, additions and renovations design and construction, disaster restoration and home inspections, nothing has intrigued me more or earned my respect like the designers and builders of old homes. It all is truly a lost art.

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Now, as for the chimney in your picture, Bill, I'm certain we can all agree that the bow is the result of squirrels that prefer to climb the shorter side of the chimney to enter the residence. Over countless decades thier sharp little claws have gouged out the morter joints and shortened that side of the chimney. Hence, the bow. [:P] [:-angel]

Enjoy your day.

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  • 7 years later...

For the Inspectors:

I am not an inspector. I own a home circa 1861. The chimney is in the middle of my home. It rises from the basement. In the basement it is made of large lime stone/sand stone with sandstone mortar. At the first floor it changes into homemade red clay brick with the same mortar. It is straight as an arrow until it reaches mid second story where it sort of tilts to the south and then rises straight again. (There are no cracks anywhere.) Do you know why this would be?

Our theories: 1. they missed the hole they cut in the roof and had to move it slightly to fit. 2. it was made like this to offset the weight. 3.The hot water heater has been vented up through it and the condensation has gotten stuck about where the bend is and has softened the structure at that point.

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Wow,

This might be a record or the most unique cooincidence ever on TIJ; a 6-year-old thread revived 6-years to the day after the last time anyone posted in it.

Kit, can you post a digital photograph of the chimneystack and the section you are referring to?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

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Here's my recent chimney curl find. 1944 town home. This chimney houses a two flues, one for each town home.

At what point does one conclude that something should be done about it?

This looked like point work was smeared in on one side only. It was also obvious of some on going leaking either through the open chimney top or the roof penetration flashing.

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What's wrong with right now? There's no way to establish when it "should" be rebuilt. The only standard one is held to in any dispute is the best standard, which is now.

It's anyone's prerogative to ignore you if they want to.

I just wondered what general thoughts were. I like yours Kurt. The chimney I pictured did get written up. [;)]

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