I have a craftsman style home with a fireplace that was shored up with
concrete. There is a small hole in the top of the ceiling of the
fireplace since it does have a gas line. I would like to knock out the
concrete and be able to enjoy a wood fire.....anyone who has had the
joy of doing this, please share.....thanks, Dan

I really hate to use this term, but you need a local professional. Nobody
here can know your fireplace, your chimney or your climate. Call a chimney
guy; this is not a diy.

my opinion, of course,

Keith

"dano" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a craftsman style home with a fireplace that was shored up with
concrete. There is a small hole in the top of the ceiling of the
fireplace since it does have a gas line. I would like to knock out the
concrete and be able to enjoy a wood fire.....anyone who has had the
joy of doing this, please share.....thanks, Dan

"dano" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a craftsman style home with a fireplace that was shored up with
concrete.

I take this to mean there was a functional fireplace at one time and it
has been closed off with concrete?

There is a small hole in the top of the ceiling of the
fireplace since it does have a gas line.

I do not understand this sentence at all. please elaborate or at least
try again with different words?

I would like to knock out the
concrete and be able to enjoy a wood fire

Is there still a chimney above the fireplace and sticking out the roof?
Some old homes had a brick mantle/fake fireplace that folks would
stick a gas heater in.

circa 1910 north buffalo ny many homes had smaller original GAS
fireplaces. you can not burn wood in one of these, chimney heat on a
wood fire way too hot.

dano wrote:
I have a craftsman style home with a fireplace that was shored up with
concrete. There is a small hole in the top of the ceiling of the
fireplace since it does have a gas line. I would like to knock out the
concrete and be able to enjoy a wood fire.....anyone who has had the
joy of doing this, please share.....thanks, Dan

k wrote:
I really hate to use this term, but you need a local professional. Nobody
here can know your fireplace, your chimney or your climate. Call a chimney
guy; this is not a diy.

my opinion, of course,

Keith

"dano" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a craftsman style home with a fireplace that was shored up with
concrete. There is a small hole in the top of the ceiling of the
fireplace since it does have a gas line. I would like to knock out the
concrete and be able to enjoy a wood fire.....anyone who has had the
joy of doing this, please share.....thanks, Dan


I agree with the recommendation to get it looked at by a professional.
Otherwise you are, literally, playing with fire. There a lot of things
that could go wrong: the chimney has deteriorated, there are nests
plugging it up, it has old creosote buildup, it has been blocked or
removed, there never was a chimney, etc. Any of these could become
fatal (or at least a big mess) if you just knock out the cement and
build a fire. Also, you need to know if there is an operating flue
control (way to shut the flue when not using the fireplace). The
problem is, some chimney "professionals" will try to sell you a lot of
expensive repairs you don't really need - this has happened to me. Try
to get a personal recommendation from a neighbor. -- H