Can I Build a Chimney Along a Brick Wall?

Realities of Brick

• There are municipal requirements for how far the chimney can extend beyond the top of the wall. Beyond that, the brick must also be securely fastened to the wall behind the brick, or it needs to be structurally sound enough on its own to handle the fact that a chimney is being attached.

Weight of the Material

• Part of building a structurally sound chimney is ensuring that all of the bases are covered when it comes to weight. While you can run a simple pipe chimney up the side of a brick wall with little concern for weight, once you graduate to stones or even more brick to build the chimney, you have to worry about the weight of the finish material and how that will affect the brick wall. Confer with a licensed engineer when planning your chimney.

Type of Stove

• Different flue pipes are available depending on the type of stove you are building, and all of the various pipes have different methods that are required for safe installation. Some are meant to be built into the actual house structure, and thus within the brick wall, while others are meant to be installed on top of an existing structure. Your type of stove and thus flue pipes can dictate whether or not you can build a new chimney or if you need to integrate it into the wall.

Safety First

• Because fire codes are a very serious safety issue, you should always consult with a licensed professional when it comes to adding a chimney to your house. Not only can they help you determine which types of stoves and flue pipes are best for your chimney needs, but they will help you navigate the complexities of local fire codes, building codes and other requirements to ensure the safety of your new construction project.