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Old 06-06-14, 12:38 PM   #4
Ryland
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Western Wisconsin.
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You can often rent "Chip Hammers" more or less a hammer drill that has a hammer only setting, it works like a hand held jack hammer.
Don't toss the bricks down the center of the chimney, they can get wedged in and cause cracks, they also make the chimney useless if you later realize you need it, if you do realize you need it the ideal way to update it is to run stainless double wall chimney pipe from the attic up and out, but for now just knock the brick down level with the attic, seal it and insulate it, don't forget the air sealing!

Leaving the brick chimney in the house does take up space, but it also is a thermal mass that will help regulate the indoor temperature, if you later want to run anything from the attic to the basement, like solar hot water or solar electric lines, you will have a nice clear run as well.
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