I am considering buying a seventy-year-old house. I am concerned though about the fact that there is only one flue in the chimney. Both the oil-fired furnace and the wood fireplace exhaust through the one and only flue. This situation is apparently tolerated by the owner's insurance company because she has been living there ever since the house was built. Could you please explain to me the nature of the existing or potential problem(s), what should be done to rectify the situation?
Answer:
To begin with, there is nothing saying the present owner has insurance even though she's been paying premiums. If the fact that the chimney is not up to scratch in its usage and/or design is not mentioned on the policy, she may very well be paying for naught. This sort of thing normally sorts itself out with a complete new exhaust system but again, your insurance broker is the best one to discuss it with. A chimney system in the situation you describe starts at a couple of thousand dollars so you might give that serious thought.
