Thanks for the information

To be sure about the venting when you go to do the work you need a licensed master plumber that will certify this work, pull a permit out with the Jersey City building department and ensure that it will not be life threatening.
PSEG can do this but it has to be their licensed master plumbers to do it, not a regular meter reader.
Doing it any other way involves a fine to the home owner and also to the contractor that does not hold a NJ master plumber license. FYI

There are gas fireplaces that require ventilation and gas fireplaces that do not (ventless). You will need to check whether your particular unit requires ventilation. Try googling any info you can find on the unit, and you should be able to find the answer. It may also say on the unit.

Please make sure that this pipe isn't venting carbon monoxide from either the furnace or the water heater. You shouldn't touch that pipe without having someone professional--PSE&G-- for example, take a look at it. Carbon monoxide kills.

Thanks Eddie, the fireplace in the basement has a functioning gas unit right now. I figured the pipe was for burning wood, so would I be OK removing it since I have a gas unit downstairs? I'm not planning on using wood.

The basement fireplace has been reworked fairly recently to convert it to a functioning wood burner. The pipe dumps smoke into one of the chimney flues up to the roof. I'm not so sure that pipe setup in the second floor is up to code and safe unless they put a stainless steel liner in the flue, so if you're currently burning wood in the basement, have it checked out. If you remove that pipe, you lose the basement fireplace. If you remove the chimney on the top floor, you lose functionality on both floors below. Sometimes they run stainless steel pipe through the wall and up the side of the house if it's not an attached building but my guess is that's not an option in your case.

I was actually wrong about the pipe being the same as the one in the boiler closet. It actually took a look under the downstairs fire place and the pipe comes up right from it. Check out the pictures below. Downstairs Fireplace

Opening is covered with aluminum shingles

Aluminum shingles removed Close up of pipe going up to first floor First floor fire place, this is where I want to remove the pipe Pipe goes into the side of the fire place here Second floor fire place is sealed

So was this system meant for burning wood? Or does the gas fire place require it?

My guess is that it is a vent running from your hot water heater or furnace in the basement up to the roof. The emissions from these are often vented up the old fireplaces to the roof. I see that someone recommended Safwat. I have used him and recommend him also.

You could try Safwat Taurus of Tadco 201-852-3764.. I believe he's a structural engineer as well as a general home inspector. He did some work for us a couple of years ago and seemed very thorough and the price was reasonable.

Thanks a lot for the reply. The pipe isn't gas, its very large, looks like some sort of vent. I'll take a picture and post a link.

The fireplace is a brick stack extending up to and possibly through the roof as a chimney. Sometimes they were removed at the roof line and roofed over. To remove it, you would have to start at the roof line and go down brick by brick. Don't try to knock it out below the roof line, a ton of bricks will come down on you. As for the pipe, how big is it? It's probably an old gas line that fed a gas stove in the fireplace. It was common to put gas stoves in old fireplaces when gas became available.

anyone?

Thanks for your reply, I forgot to mention though that the house is only attached towards the rear on that side.

maybe not. I have a row home on Belmont ave. The flue is structurally part of the chimney with the adjoining property. Its been an issue since the chimney above the roof line has deteriorated. I have had to coordinate repairs with the neighbor.

Hi all, does anyone know or can anyone point me in the right direction to someone who would be able to tell me if a blocked off fireplace in my home can be knocked down to build a closet in its place? There are two tiny closets next the blocked off fireplaces in both upstairs bedrooms of my row house and it would be great if the non functional fire places could be demolished and turned into closet space.

I also have a thick pipe going through the non functional fireplace in my living room that I think is left over form a previous installation which also seems to be non functional but I'm not certain. It seems to come all the way from the water heater closet which is on the ground floor in the back of the house, to the front and then up into the living room fireplace on the first floor, then it makes a turn inside the living room fireplace into the wall. The end of the pipe in the water heater closet is sealed off and doesn't lead anywhere.

I'd love to get rid of the portion of pipe in the living room fire place to install either a gas fireplace unit or to hide all of my electronics inside if I choose to place my TV over the fireplace.

Thanks so much!