As the cooler fall weather begins to set in, it won’t be long before the colder winter weather begins to set in. As beautiful as winter can be, it can get pretty uncomfortable as the temperatures begin to plunge. This is where having an open fire or stove can be so useful.
Fireplaces and stoves are not only great focal points in the home, they’re also very practical. Of course, in order for them to work efficiently and safely, you must ensure that the chimney is functional and well maintained.
Chimneys help to give a home character, but, overtime they can begin to degrade and break down. Eventually, the time may come when it will need to be removed and/or replaced. Now, removing a chimney yourself is not an easy job. It requires a lot of work, a lot of preparation, and a great deal of caution. Then of course, you need to factor in the costs.
Thinking of removing your chimney yourself? Here are some DIY tips on safely remove a chimney, along with a quick cost breakdown at the end.
Speak to a Structural Professional Beforehand
If you do decide to tackle a chimney removal yourself, it’s absolutely vital to ensure that you do so safely.
Before you begin any work whatsoever, you must first hire a structural engineer and have them come out to assess the integrity of the chimney and your property in general. They will be able to carry out an assessment and then determine whether or not it’s safe for the chimney to be removed.
It may sound dramatic, but if you were to attempt to remove a chimney without first having the structural integrity assessed, there would be the risk of the chimney collapsing, and even your property’s roof, especially if the chimney is loadbearing.
Install Temporary Walls if Necessary
Whether you’re replacing your chimney, or removing it entirely, if your chimney is indeed loadbearing, or offers any form of structural support, you will need to install temporary walls.
After the chimney has been removed, permanent beams or walls must also be added to provide additional structural support.
Obtain the Necessary Paperwork
Not only is removing a chimney a monumental task in itself, there is also a great deal of paperwork and logistics for you to wade through before you can begin dismantling it. Because of this, it’s always worth speaking to an expert and consulting a local code administrator.
A local code administrator will ensure that you are able to obtain all of the necessary legal documents and information, as well as the necessary legal permits required for a project of this scope.
Failing to obtain the necessary permits could result in code violations which would not only be costly, but they could also land you in legal trouble as well.
By speaking to an expert in your area, they’ll tell you exactly what work you can carry out on your chimney, and which permits and documents you will need beforehand.
Gather the Right Tools and Equipment
Because removing a chimney is such a complex job, you’re going to need to ensure you have the right tools and safety equipment before you begin.
Just a few examples of the tools and equipment required include:
- Safety goggles
- Dust mask
- Safety ladders
- Roofing materials
- Impact hammer
- Mini jack
- Ground sheets
- Chisels
Properly Manage and Dispose of the Waste
Of course, if you are removing a chimney, there will be a great deal of waste and debris that you will need to dispose of safely and legally. As well as the bricks themselves, there will also be masonry, lumber, drywall, dirt, leaves, stone, cinderblocks, and more besides. All of this will need to be disposed of.
Now, when we say it creates a great deal of waste, we really mean it. We’re not talking a few trash bags worth that you can just throw in with the rest of the garbage, you’re going to create at least a dumpster’s worth.
The exact sized dumpster you need will depend upon the scope of the removal. If you’re just removing the stack from above the roof, an average dumpster will do. If, however, the entire chimney stack is being removed from multiple levels, an oversized dumpster may be required.
Be Safe and Prepared Before Dismantling
When you remove a chimney, before you can begin work, it’s important that you do plenty of prep and ensure that you’re as safe as can be.
Chimney removal can be a slow and extensive process. You don’t just carry a sledgehammer up a set of ladders and start bashing away, the masonry needs scraping out and each brick needs to be removed carefully one at a time.
As you’re dealing with bricks, as well as other heavy materials and debris, you need to make sure you carry out plenty of prep. Outdoor furniture, ornaments, pots, trinkets, accessories, and vehicles will all need to be moved well away, just in case any loose bricks do happen to fall. You should also lay groundsheets to protect your lawn and flowers.
Even more importantly, however, you will need to make sure that there are no people, pets, or animals located underneath, or anywhere close to where you’re working. All it would take would be one rogue brick crashing to the floor and the consequences could be devastating.
Understand the Costs
And finally, before you begin work on removing a chimney, it’s important that you understand the costs involved in a project of that size.
The typical cost of a chimney removal ranges from $2,000 – $15,000, with the average coming in at around $4,500 – $5,000.
The price you pay will depend on a number of different factors, including the size of the chimney, how much you’re removing, your location, debris removal, materials used, whether you hire a contractor or do the work yourself, and more on top of that.
If you do the work yourself, you’ll obviously save on labor, but you must only do so if you’re qualified and capable of doing so.