Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Chimney removal a basement-to-roof task
Question: We recently had a high-efficiency furnace installed. As the furnace is vented through the side wall, we would like to know how to go about removing the chimney on the roof and the flue lining which goes down to the basement. I would like to utilize the space in the house currently occupied by the chimney. The chimney appears to be aluminum, rather than brick.
Linda Ballantyne, Winnipeg
Answer: There are a couple of considerations to be aware of in relation to removal of the old furnace chimney and vent from your home. Although actual removal may be quite straightforward, repairs to a few areas in the home afterward can be tricky.
Although you have not given information on the exact location of your chimney, I will make the assumption that it is located somewhat near the centre of the home. I base this conclusion on the fact that you want the additional space, which would be limited if you had a chimney located on an exterior wall. If you do have an exterior chimney chase location, the exterior repairs will be more complex due to the need to rebuild part of the eaves after chimney removal.
Unlike an older brick or masonry chimney, metal chimneys can be relatively easy to remove from your home. Yours is likely a double-walled metal B-vent covered with a thin, galvanized metal chimney chase above the roof. The B-vent is the actual flue for the older furnace and is normally secured only at the basement floor and the ceiling where it enters the attic. The top may be partially secured to the metal chimney chase above the roof, but all these areas should allow for easy dismantling of the sections of B-vent.
The vent can often be partially removed by accessing the roof and attic at the same time. This will require at least one person to physically manoeuvre the metal pipe above the roof while another helps disconnect it inside the attic. If you have a roof with a typical pitch and an easily accessible attic hatch, this may be quite easy to do. Alternatively, if you have a low-slope roof or a steeply pitched roof where the chimney is located, removal may require installation of temporary platforms or opening larger sections of the roof, which will increase the complexity of the job.
Once the B-vent is removed above the attic floor, the remainder can be dismantled and removed from the basement or main floors of the home. This may require removal of wall coverings around the vent, often in a closet or other area attached to a partition wall. If the vent is not covered and can be seen inside a closet or other cavity, removal should be quite simple. Either way, the cavity occupied by the vent inside the home may yield even more usable space than the basement section after it is vacated.
The next steps will likely require the aid or one or more contractors. Once the vent is removed at the exterior, the metal chimney chase above the roof can be taken down. This will require the removal of several shingles and flashing around the base of this metal box to allow disconnection from the roof sheathing.
After this area is open, the roof sheathing will have to be patched and the entire exposed area covered with new shingles. If your roofing is older than a couple of years, repairs will require an experienced roofer to ensure a waterproof seal and proper match to the existing roofing. Once the roofing is patched, the internal repairs can be safely completed.
The final critical area to repair is the floor of the attic and the ceiling below, where the old chimney exited the living space. The underside will have to be patched with drywall.
If you currently have a polyethylene air/vapour barrier in the attic, this will have to be extended and properly caulked or sealed to a new section of poly placed over the old opening. Alternatively, a piece of rigid extruded polystyrene insulation may be cut to fit and sealed in place to provide a good air/vapour barrier.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors-Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be emailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P.O. Box 69021, 110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Pop that pop stain from your carpet
QUESTION: Have you found a way to remove orange pop stains on carpet? Whenever people visit they ask me where the orange stain came from, it is very visible and I would like to get rid of it. I have had no success with commercial carpet cleaners as of yet. Any ideas will be very much appreciated.
George, Winnipeg
ANSWER: What you will need to do is make a recipe that requires products from around the home. Into a two-cup measure drop one teaspoon Dawn dish soap and two cups of water. Stir. Next, pour the solution onto the stain. Lay a white cloth onto the area and press with an iron on medium setting. Make sure that you do not scorch the carpet by leaving the iron in one place for too long. Replace the white cloth with a new white cloth and press. Repeat until the stain is gone.
QUESTION: On Canada AM this week you gave a solution for burnt pot bottoms. Can you repeat the process?
Sandy, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Sprinkle the bottom of the burnt pot with a layer of powdered dishwasher detergent. Fill the pot one-quarter full with water. Boil for five minutes and remove from the element. Leave for an hour and wash as normal.
QUESTION: Is there any way to remove a ring made by a hot cup on a stained and lacquered oak desk top?
Jackie, Brandon, MB.
ANSWER: I always thought that watermarks on furniture were tricky to remove. Now I realize that they can be zapped by applying a combination of mayonnaise and some ashes from a wood stove or fireplace. Leave for about 10 minutes and wipe. Non-gel, non-bleach toothpaste also works well. If neither solution does the trick this means that the finish of the wood has been stripped and your best option is to refinish the area.
QUESTION: I like to use vinegar, dish soap and water to wash my hardwood floors. However, I am noticing that although it cleans the floors I am seeing marks on the floors. Every time I walk on them with bare feet, I can see footprints (also most slippers leave an imprint). Is there a solution? Much appreciated.
Donna, Arborg, MB.
ANSWER: With such a wide variety of hardwoods available, what works for one floor will not necessarily work for another. Here are a few effective options to try: into a bucket combine one gallon warm water and two tea bags. Wipe the floor (the tannins in the tea will leave the floor looking clean). Option two: into two gallons warm water drop three tbsp. household ammonia, and one-quarter teaspoon dish soap. Mop the floor to dampen (no need to rinse). Option three: purchase hardwood floor cleaner by Bona. Clean with a good quality microfibre mop (test all applications on a small, inconspicuous area first).
QUESTION: Here is a challenge that the carpet cleaners couldn't help me with. My 75-pound dog stepped on a glue trap (for mice). In an attempt to get the trap off, he stomped it into my off-white acrylic berber carpet. The trap pulled away but not without leaving some residue behind. The hot steam has left the surface loops stiff and discoloured. Any ideas before I have it cut out?
Diane, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Before you run for the scissors try the following solution. If I were you, I would pour boiling water onto the area and blot, blot and blot until every tiny little bit of glue is gone. Worst-case scenario: spray the area with WD-40, leave for 10 minutes, then blot with dish soap and water.
QUESTION: I need a solution for removing mould on painted surfaces. I've used bleach on a spot in my bedroom lower corner and the mould keeps reappearing so I'm most interested in what you have to suggest. Thank you so much and hope you keep the information coming.
Carol, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The problem sounds more like a structural problem, which you may want to look into so that the problem will be permanently rectified. In terms of cleaning the area, why not try something less toxic than bleach? Instead, switch to two cups of wonderful white vinegar and add 10 drops of tea tree oil, which is an anti-fungal and will tackle the mould problem. Add to that vinegar and you've got a powerful combination.
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestsellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets, and the soon to be released Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives, available online and in stores across Canada.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming! Check out my website: www.householdsolutions.org
Fabulous tips of the week
To get something out of a heat register or from under the fridge, add an empty paper towel roll or gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off.
Glenda, Winnipeg
To give your microwave a great cleaning, combine four tablespoons of lemon juice with one cup of water in a microwave-safe, four-cup bowl. Boil for five minutes in the microwave, allowing the steam to condense on the inside walls of the oven. Wipe clean.
Lawrence, Russell
