I observed above, that the new back, which it will always be
found necessary to build in order to bring the fire sufficiently
forward, in altering a Chimney constructed on the common
principles, need never be thicker than the width of a common
brick.--I may say the same of the thickness necessary to be given
to the new sides, or covings, of the Chimney; or if the new back
and covings are constructed of stone, one inch and three
quarters, or two inches in thickness will be sufficient.--Care
should be taken in building up these new walls to unite the back
to the covings in a solid manner.
Whether the new back and covings are constructed of stone,
or built of bricks, the space between them, and the old back and
covings of the Chimney ought to be filled up, to give greater
solidity to the structure.--This may be done with loose rubbish,
or pieces of broken bricks, or stones provided the work be
strengthened by a few layers or courses of bricks laid in mortar;
but it will be indispensably necessary to finish the work, where
these new walls end, that is to say, at the top of the throat of
the Chimney, where it ends abruptly in the open canal of the
Chimney by a horizontal course of bricks well secured with mortar.
--This course of bricks will be upon a level with the top of the
door-way left for the Chimney-sweeper.
From these descriptions it is clear that where the throat of the
Chimney has an end, that is to say, where it enters into the
lower part of the open canal of the Chimney, THERE the three
walls which form the two covings and the back of the Fire-place
all end abruptly.--It is of much importance that they should end
in this manner; for were they to be sloped outward and raised in
such a manner as to swell out the upper extremity of the throat
of the Chimney in the form of a trumpet, and increase it by
degrees to the size of the canal of the Chimney, this manner of
uniting the lower extremity of the canal of the Chimney with the
throat would tend to assist the winds which may attempt to blow
down the Chimney, in forcing their way through the throat, and
throwing the smoke backward into the room; but when the throat of
the Chimney ends abruptly, and the ends of the new walls form a
flat horizontal surface, it will be much more difficult for any
wind from above, to find, and force its way through the narrow
passage of the throat of the Chimney.
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