DIY Chimney Removal

Consult with a scaffold supplier or rental company about your project. Get referrals for scaffold suppliers from a local home improvement store. Help the supplier recommend the proper scaffold by answering questions about the approximate height of the chimney and whether the house has one story or multiple stories.

Rent the scaffold and install it. Or hire a company specializing in scaffold erection to build the scaffold on your property. Obtain the owner’s manual from the website of the scaffold's manufacturer to learn about safety issues and weight limitations.

Obtain an electric demolition hammer and a chisel-like device called a bit. The hammers and bits are available for rent from home improvement stores. Ask the clerk to demonstrate proper use of the tools.

Rent a safety harness for working from the roof. Read instructions for wearing and securing the harness. Put on the safety harness and climb the scaffold to the roof with the demolition hammer. Safely position yourself on the roof.

Demolish the chimney with the demolition hammer. Attack the chimney, one brick at a time, from the top down while wearing eye protection. Pass bricks to an assistant who remains on the scaffold at the edge of the roof.

Instruct the assistant to place the bricks in a 5-gallon bucket, and lower the bucket to the ground using a rope after the bucket is full. The assistant should climb down the scaffold each time to remove the bricks. Secure the hole in the room with a tarp after you complete removal of the chimney.

Move inside the house to finish the removal. Place a drop cloth on the floor to protect against falling debris. Use a ladder to reach chimney bricks. Remove the bricks one at a time, including fireplace bricks, to complete the project.