Please help with fireplace question

Can someone please tell me that the difference is between these two chimneys from the outside only?


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There are multiple differences, please refine your question.

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One is brick and one is vinyl siding.
Cheers

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Or is it? I have seen dumbasses fasten vinyl siding to a masonry chimney, you have to take a good look at it to be sure. :thinking:

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Statement based upon available information. Kind of hard to see what is under the siding from here!
Cheers

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And one has a clay liner while the other has an insulated metal pipe.

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Exactly. The point is you can’t always assume it is a wood chase chimney. Looking at the age of the house and the chimney base, I would bet that there is a masonry chimney behind the vinyl siding. Further investigation is required on this one. Oh, You can put an insulated metal pipe up through a masonry chimney.

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And one is taller than the other… :upside_down_face:

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Oh, One is further down on the roofline, making it look taller than the other. :flushed:

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is there a difference in life span? is one better than the other?

It depends what they are used for and how they are maintained.

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Welcome to the forum, Tessie. Enjoy!! :+1:

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The first image appears to be a masonry chimney with a clay flue.

The second image appears to be a “pre-fab” chimney with a metal flue.

The difference between the two is that the masonry chimney is built out of bricks and mortar.

The pre-fab chimney is likely a wood framed skeleton with a wood/osb sheathing and covered with vinyl siding.

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My guess is they covered the brick, maybe was deteriorating, but it does appear that a metal flue was also installed, possibly added a gas log insert. I see the blue hose possibly has mortar deterioration above the roofline, and needs repointing. that is how I got my guess.

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Morning, Tessie.
Hope this post finds you well.
As to your question, it would be my great pleasure.

1: The chimney on the/to the left, is a masonry chimney.
2: The chimney on the/to the right, is a chimney chase.

MASONRY: Masonry , ‘the art and craft’ of building, erecting, or/and fabricating, in stone, clay, brick, or concrete block.
CHIMNEY: A chimney is an architectural ventilation structure/feature, made of masonry, clay or metal that isolates hot toxic exhaust gases or smoke produced by a boiler, stove, fireplace…

CHIMNEY CHASE: A chimney chase, is a chimney by any other name, typically/usually/normally framed wood & siding.

Hope that helps.

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thank you!!!

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This helps quite a bit!!! thank you so mch for taking the time to explain it to me

Now that is resolved, when do we eat?
image

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:laughing::rofl::joy::grin::upside_down_face::grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes::sweat_smile::rofl::joy::slightly_smiling_face:

Things are not always what they appear to be. :thinking:

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