How to Break Clay Tile Out of a Chimney

Clear off the hearth on your fireplace and cover it with drop cloths. Open the flue and close the glass doors, if applicable. If your fireplace has no doors, pull the chain curtain closed or close the spark screen. This will help to contain falling clay pieces as well as dust and dirt.

Put on gloves and place a ladder against your house near the chimney. Put a screw gun, cold chisel and hammer into a bucket.

Climb the ladder carrying the bucket onto the roof with you. Walk over to the chimney and remove the top using the screw gun. Remove the screen by unfastening the mounting screws with the screw gun to gain access to inside the chimney.

Hold the cold chisel against the edge of the first row of clay tiles and tap the blunt end of the chisel with the hammer to begin breaking them away from the chimney wall. Do not hammer too hard or you might dislodge the chimney bricks.

Chisel away the clay tiles one by one, allowing the pieces to fall into the firebox below. Once all the clay tiles have been removed, clean out the firebox and dispose of the clay tile pieces.