Richmond's Historic Fan Area Fireplaces
Richmond's most popular downtown neighborhood is home to one of the largest populations of homes of its kind, built between 1880 and 1930.
Since most of these old fireplaces were designed by the same handful of architects, they share some of the same challenges. Over the decades their purpose and functions have changed and renovation is often needed to improve their safety and suitability for new uses.
Problem: Small Depth
Most Fan fireplaces are only 1 brick (4") or 2 bricks (8") deep. Most gas logs will require at least 12" depth and inserts may need 15-18" depth. Often we can deepen the fireplace by rebuilding it. This helps all around, greatly strengthening the overall fireplace structure and expanding your choices in how you can use your fireplace. Solution: rebuild the fireplace $500-$900.
We do offer several products for the tiniest of fireplaces. The "Adorn" will fit fireplaces just 11" deep, and our Victor gas coal burner will fit fireplaces just 6" deep.
Problem: Loose Faces (Marble, Slate and Mantels)
Often we find that what looks like marble is actually a faux-finish slate, painted to look like marble and originally wired or mortared onto the face of the old brick fireplace. Sometimes these pieces are arranged in intricate small patterns and most often the mortar behind the material has deteriorated. Pieces of these beautiful faces are sagging, missing and loose and often the mantel rests on the face, adding to the stress on the old mortar. This is dangerous because expansion, radiant heat and moisture can further loosen the face and expose the undersides of the wooden mantel to fire through pyrolisis. Solutions: take off the old face, and mantel if needed, and re-lay. For a simple 3-piece surround, costs will average $300-$400; if the face is made of mosaic pieces, figure on $800-$1000 since we have to re-set these many pieces back into the original pattern. If you don't like the facing currently on the fireplace, consider installing a new marble, granite or tile face. Or you may replace the face and mantel with a new noncombustible stone or marble mantel to update the appearance and customize your home for today's needs.
Problem: Unlined Chimney
At the time that Fan homes were built it was acceptable for the interior of the chimney to be made of brick, meaning they are unlined. Current safety codes do not allow unlined chimneys and new chimneys must be built with a lining system. Unlined chimneys can be dangerous because the existing mortar may be weak and allow byproducts of combustion (smoke, fumes, carbon monoxide) to seep through the mortar, through plaster walls and into the living space. This is dangerous! When you install a new appliance then the chimney needs to be lined appropriate to the requirements of the new appliance. Liner systems vary depending upon the type of appliance you're connecting to the chimney. Solutions: 1) Some gas appliances are approved for use with a very inexpensive aluminum lining system, average $500-$800. 2) When using other gas appliances (gas logs, furnaces) or any oil or woodburning appliance then the liner needs to be made of stainless steel or approved masonry materials. The venting requirements of the appliance will determine the diameter of the liner and the larger the diameter, the higher the cost and taller chimneys will also increase costs further. For a stainless steel liner, budget $1500-$2500 average. 3) While not our first choice, you may wish to consider installing a vent-free gas log set or vent-free hearth stove, but check safety concerns first.
Problem: Missing mortar at the top of the chimney
If the missing mortar is between the bricks above the roof, this condition gradually deteriorates the chimney until pieces of the chimney will topple off--onto the roof, or into the chimney and cause a blockage. Solution: patch or rebuild. If the condition is not severe then the bricks can be tuckpointed, or filled in with mortar. In more advanced cases it is necessary to remove the top course(s) of brick and re-lay them with new mortar. A simple tuckpointing job may be $300 or less, and rebuilding the top may average $500-$800. Also, install a stainless steel chimney cap to keep out rain and snow.
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"What Can I Do?" Most Fan homes have tiny "Rumford" style fireplaces. Taller than they are wide and only 4-8" deep, they are too small to install gas logs or any type of wood or gas fireplace insert. Similar designs are found in Church Hill, Ginter Park and other older areas of Richmond, but help is at hand!
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