WHY Are Chimneys on the Outside of a Home?

[lynnelliot]

on some of the early homesteads in New Zealand there was a separate cavity on the outside of the chimney also for cooking outside as well.

[markenge]

As a brick and stone Mason of 35 years of chimney building experienc, it is a hell of a lot easier to build a chimney up an exterior wall than through the middle of the house. Scaffolding can be erected directly off the ground all the way to the top of the chimney (minimum 15' but I have gone as high as 54'). Material can be delivered to outside scaffold by forklift tractor or by hand and improvised hoisting system much easier than having to pass materials mostly by hand up through various levels of a house. Floors of the house aren't in the way of the masons and they can work with scaffold boards adjusted to optimal heights; interior scaffolds necessitate working above your head or reaching down below your feet through an opening in the floor which you had just previously used to pass up and stockpile tons of materials needed for the subsequent story's section of the chimney requiring extra temporary structural support for the overloaded floor or ceiling on which the material sits. An interior chimney presents a challenge to building a safe scaffold on a steep pitched roof and problems getting materials up the roof to the scaffold. Also roofs and floors need to be protected from mortar droppings and brick or stone fragments as many times they (the floors, walls, or roofs) are finished or nearly finished surfaces. These things simply fall to the ground and are easily cleaned up after construction when everything is done off an exterior scaffold.

[hiphopshaun]

Thanks Noah! This was the first video I've seen from you and I was impressed there was no clickbait, or waiting for info, or bullshit. You got right into talking about the awesome external chimney. I learned a lot and you have a new subscriber. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[royperkins]

The truth is that the chimney catches fire it can be pushed over and fall away from the house! And in the southern United States we often had a separate kitchen in a attached room separated from the main house by a breezeway in the older homes built pre air conditioning if you see a older home what is often assumed to be a laundry room is in fact the original kitchen!

[johntwigg]

Noah I am entranced watching your program. I must come to a workshop real soon! Thanks for your skill, knowledge and most of all sharing!

[HvEunen]

Sorry I missed the 4 names you used to say at the end of the video. ;-) But thanks for the video's I'm so interested that I almost can't wait for the instructional videos for construction. It is good to learn patients

[maury]

Noah - great info - you're doing an awesome job with this video series.

[bremexperience]

In New France and until the beginning of the 20th century chimneys were built on the inside of the house. Either right in the middle, or adorning an exterior walls. Sometimes there would be one chimney on each exterior wall if the house was large enough.

[edsmelly]

I agree, that certainly is a handsome chimney.

[Dave-dm]

My mother’s house, built in 1900, was part of a terrace row. All chimneys were on the wall connecting to the house next door. At roof level there were two stacks each with four flues. Four on our side and four on next door side.
She also had another chimney at the back with two flues - kitchen and bedroom. But still not on exterior wall.
My house built in 1970 had the chimneys at one side near the corner. Frankly useless as the room (lounge) was always over-heated. My plan was to move the hearth and wood stove to nearer middle of the house. It never happened as too much structural change involved (doors in the way etc).

[honestlynate]

I live in rural Mississippi and I own Seven Acres that has Loblolly yellowpine matured between 16 and 20 in in diameter. I have probably about 2, 000 of these trees to choose from. I don't have any heavy machinery and everything I would do I would have to do by hand and by wench. I only have one person to help me in that's my wife. We have no family and no friends here. I am intimidated. However I am strong I'm a hard worker and I am a brick and block Mason. I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger. Do you believe Loblolly yellow pine is sufficient for building a log home? I enjoy your videos and I will continue to watch them. My intimidation is still getting the best of me

[Community-Action]

Early American colonial homes prior to the American Revolution in the Northeast had Center chimneys to utilize the heat as much as possible. During the federal period many homes started putting the chimneys on the outside primarily for fire protection. It was about survival in the early days.

[Thomas-wncl]

Many settlers built cabins with few or no nails, let alone roofing flashing required to keep an interior chimney from leaking. They were centrally located in the ridge of the roof to reduce the amount of accumulated water passing by that could cause leaks. A chimney located lower on the roof would also require a cricket to prevent it from leaking, and would be suseptible to ice dam leakage.

[marcarscott]

Chimneys use up a massive amount of space inside a small cabin. Putting the chimney outside means you maintain your useable floor. area.

[domsau]

Now, with modern security, you can build chimneys inside, the home.
It's better for efficiency.

[quantumofconscience]

It needs to be stressed that a chimney on the INSIDE will draw / draft much, much better than one on the outside. Also, creosote is much less for reasons I can't explain quickly here. ALL chimneys AFTER the year 1900 should be inside the home and not even close to an outside wall. What do we see today... "new home construction" with them on the outside. I understand what he is saying about aesthetics, but how many home builders are building historic looking things like that with real stone?

[rogerwalsberg]

I live in Minnesota. We have a tax season, and 10, 000 lakes.

[constantinosschinas]

an inner stone wall/fireplace/chimney combo (russian style) is far more logical, economic and a beauty that you admire all night long.

[johnathon]

Before even watching the video I think I can guess. The cabin is too small to put it inside.

[lanceroark]

5:03 Howard Roark just rolled over about 500 times in his fictional grave.