Shafted!

I came home from work with the mission to do some demo tonight and decided to take the kitchen wall down. With a plumbing riser full of gas, hot water, cold water and drain pipes, I figured that it was best I tackle this one on my own so that if I busted a pipe there was only myself to blame.

You've seen the plaster, brick and lathe pics so I'll spare you. After getting the plaster off the lath, I noticed an area of water damage on the column. I chiseled at it once, twice and the third time was a charm. To my surprise a hole magically appeared. The column was also a shaft way! Shafted!

Cool outside air came pouring out the hole. The rest of the plaster on the brick came off extremely easily.


I'm not sure what to do with this find. It clearly created a pressurization of the plaster facing, causing it to come off very easily. I can only imagine at one point the hole and shaft way was use to vent stoves. Can I re-use it for a vent hood? How should I seal it up? I'll have to hunt for the answers to these questions.

Anyhow, I finished up the demo on the kitchen wall. One more small wall section to go and the ceiling. I'm guessing the ceiling will be about 60ish bags of plaster and lathe.