Paint on inside of fireplace box

fusilier67

we purchased a remodeled home with a fireplace. The seller has painted the inside of the fireplace white and I am not sure if it is high heat paint. How would you recommend removing the paint from the blocks safely to be able to use the fireplace again without risk for poison or contamination from paint.

Thank you

Jamie Hall

Just about the time I think I've seen pretty much everything…

First thing to do is to check and see what they did to the chimney, if anything. Folks brilliant enough to have painted the fireplace may have done something equally clever to the chimney. If they have, you're pretty much in the position of having to start all over.

I know of no easily commercially available paint which is sufficiently high heat to be usable in a firebox. What's on there will, in time, burn off — but in the meantime it will be produce fumes which you really don't want to breathe. The problem with removal, however, is that firebrick is slightly porous — so you can't simply scrape it off.

I really don't know what to say, except to talk to a really good chimney repair and sweep company.

delcrossv

Hire someone with a blowtorch and scraper. 😬

Calling a fireplace company is a good idea. Might just have to replace the firebrick.

Wow. Just wow.

fusilier67

thank you both so much . I have heard back from the realtor who reached out to the seller and they painted it with regular house paint. The inside of the chimney is not painted. I wondered about sanding it off then trying to have the inside of the firebox lined….there is no damper on chimney opening so I have to deal with that too. We have a very good sheet metal company that I am going to contact to at the very least close up the hole with a damper. Two owners back (based on old pics) had an insert that looks to have been vented via a tube run up through the chimney. We don’t have many chimney repair people in my area it I will try

pecmsg

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1835998#Comment_1835998

that may only be approved with a insert.
you need it professionally inspected.

CTH3

We built our house and put in a Majestic contractors fireplace. Several years later we tore it out and replaced it with a RSF fireplace. Your best bet is to demo the fireplace which is only a vent to the outside for the warm air in your house. Our fireplace/firebox heats our 20x20 living room to the upper 70s no problem. An unsealed fireplace is a waste of money all around.

This mornings scenery

gunn308

Find a restoration company that sand blasts with walnut shell to remove the paint then get a mason to install a damper and inspect the chimney. Changing the size of the firebox by relining with firebrick could change the drafting up the chimney .