Cast iron doors

[Bill Kibbel]

On Friday, I inspected a building that started out as a modest 1870s home. Multiple additions now connect the house with the barn at the back of the property. It now contains 5 apartments and an indoor parking garage.

In one of the crawlspaces there was a large (approx 16'x18') internal brick foundation. I first thought it was a cistern, but found this in the kitchen of the apartment above.

Any guesses? I know what the right one is for, but not the two on the left.

[hausdok]

Early central heating system.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Rob Amaral]

A chimney system above it? Incinerator?

[Bill Kibbel]

There was a large chimney above it.

[homnspector]

What Rob said. Is that a damper control on the right of the door?

[hausdok]

Let me correct my earlier post,

Early central "radiant" heating system. The fire Burns and hot gases pass into the brick foundation through a maze of galleries and rise up through the chimney and out the roof. The thing you thought of as a cistern radiates heat up through the house. The romans had 'em, the Koreans still do, my first hooch in Korea was heated that way. You definitely have to keep a window cracked or you're liable to croak from CO that seeps up through the bricks below.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Inspectorjoe]

I'm going to go out on a short limb and say it's a plain ol' wood-fired wall oven. I saw some similar things a few months ago at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts.

If anyone is interested, here are some more pics I took there last President's Day.

http://inspectorjoe.photosite.com/HancockShakerVillage

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric. . . Any guesses? I know what the right one is for, but not the two on the left.

When you open those two doors, what do you see?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Bill Kibbel]

"When you open those two doors, what do you see?"

Behind the top left one was a very shallow space. Only a few plastic shopping bags fit in there. I couldn't get the left lower door open.

The right door was actually only a hinged plate with a counter balance to keep it in the closed position.

Behind it was a clay tile lined space, only about 15" high, by at least 17' deep and probably 15' wide.

[homnspector]

Sounds like a "Central" oven system (the print on the casting was a clue). Were there more in other areas?

[Brian G]

The little one on top is the first colonial pizza oven. The door below is for human cremation. Never do both at once, it makes the pizza taste funny. [:-yuck]

Brian G.

Cod Pizza Anyone? [:-sick]