Bill Kibbel Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 On Friday, I inspected a building that started out as a modest 1870s home. Multiple additions now connect the house with the barn at the back of the property. It now contains 5 apartments and an indoor parking garage. In one of the crawlspaces there was a large (approx 16'x18') internal brick foundation. I first thought it was a cistern, but found this in the kitchen of the apartment above. Any guesses? I know what the right one is for, but not the two on the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Early central heating system. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Amaral Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 A chimney system above it? Incinerator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted May 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 There was a large chimney above it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homnspector Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 What Rob said. Is that a damper control on the right of the door? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Let me correct my earlier post, Early central "radiant" heating system. The fire Burns and hot gases pass into the brick foundation through a maze of galleries and rise up through the chimney and out the roof. The thing you thought of as a cistern radiates heat up through the house. The romans had 'em, the Koreans still do, my first hooch in Korea was heated that way. You definitely have to keep a window cracked or you're liable to croak from CO that seeps up through the bricks below. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 I'm going to go out on a short limb and say it's a plain ol' wood-fired wall oven. I saw some similar things a few months ago at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts. If anyone is interested, here are some more pics I took there last President's Day. http://inspectorjoe.photosite.com/HancockShakerVillage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Originally posted by inspecthistoric. . . Any guesses? I know what the right one is for, but not the two on the left. When you open those two doors, what do you see? - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted May 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 "When you open those two doors, what do you see?" Behind the top left one was a very shallow space. Only a few plastic shopping bags fit in there. I couldn't get the left lower door open. The right door was actually only a hinged plate with a counter balance to keep it in the closed position. Behind it was a clay tile lined space, only about 15" high, by at least 17' deep and probably 15' wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homnspector Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 Sounds like a "Central" oven system (the print on the casting was a clue). Were there more in other areas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 The little one on top is the first colonial pizza oven. The door below is for human cremation. Never do both at once, it makes the pizza taste funny. [:-yuck] Brian G. Cod Pizza Anyone? [:-sick] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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