Can you remove just the chimney stack above the roof?
Short answer. Yes. Taking down the chimney stack, the part above the roofline, to just below the roof deck is a common way to eliminate a leaking, unused chimney without tearing into the house. The flue below has to be out of service and capped, and the roof opening is then framed, decked and shingled like the rest of the roof.
When partial removal makes sense
- The fireplace and any appliances no longer use the chimney.
- The stack leaks or is deteriorating, but the chimney inside is sound and not in the way.
- You want to simplify the roof, especially before a replacement.
How the job is done
- Confirm it is out of service. No fireplace, furnace or water heater may vent into it. Any appliance that does needs new venting first, installed by a licensed professional.
- Take the stack down. Bricks are removed by hand from the top down to a level below the roof deck, so no masonry sticks up through the roof.
- Cap the remaining chimney. The top of the remaining masonry inside the attic is capped so debris and pests cannot fall in, and the fireplace below is sealed off.
- Frame the opening. New framing ties into the rafters around the hole.
- Deck and roof. Matching sheathing, underlayment and shingles woven into the surrounding courses.
Things to know
- The fireplace becomes decorative only. Make sure everyone in the house knows it cannot be used.
- An old interior flue can collect condensation if the house's moisture finds its way into it, so seal the fireplace opening well.
- Shingle matching on an older roof can be imperfect. Removing the stack during a replacement avoids a visible patch.
- Permits may be required. Check with your city or county.
Compare this with full removal and other chimney fixes in chimney leaks and crickets, and see how roof layers go back together in roof anatomy explained.