Tech Corner
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Installing the high tech Guardian System. This treatment of the remaining flues brought the entire chimney up to code with regard to the 2-inch clearance to combustible rule.
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To really make this a challenge the two chimneys had a decorative “skirt” just above the roofline made of solid concrete. Each skirt consisted of eight pieces of solid concrete weighing between 500 and 600 pounds. One of the two chimneys consists of three separate fireplaces and rises almost 60 feet off of the ground. The solid concrete “skirt” was about to fall to the ground and was being held in place by a steel band someone had welded around the chimney just below the skirt. We were wary that the demolition of the chimney would cause the skirt to slip off and we would come down with the chimney and end up in a heap on the ground.
With those challenges the Technical Department of Boston Brick & Stone set to work with our engineer and we came up with a plan. A “super” scaffold system was designed and erected that would survive the possible collapse of the concrete “skirt”. I fell back upon my experience in the commercial/industrial construction arena and proposed that we use a method known as “Anchored Veneer”. We discussed this with our engineer and decided to incorporate this “skyscraper” technology and employ anchored brick veneer set on a super strong steel frame. This way we could use the original brick and follow the original design almost perfectly. Full bricks can be used and “anchored” directly to the heavy gauge steel studs with specially designed steel ties. I’ve included a photo of the “Anchoring Ties” so you can see how they work.
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