Hello,

My house has a masonry fireplace chimney in the wall between the kitchen and the living room. The kitchen side of the wall ("behind" the fireplace) has no electrical outlet. I'd like to add one.

However, I have been unable to determine whether it is permitted by code to have an outlet in the same wall as the fireplace chimney. It seems odd that no outlet was put there originally, making me question whether it even is allowable.

Thanks

There are no codes to prohibit an outlet there. Chances are there was no space between the wallboard and masonry to recess a box for an outlet. If this is the case you could use a surface wiremold box or a floor outlet as a last resort. If there is space get an oldwork box and fish one in. It is alwasys best to use a licensed electrician.

You're probably not really putting an outlet in the "chimney;" the actual chimney is the flue liner. You're just using the brick that holds it up! Of course, it wouldn't hurt to make sure that no part of the wire run gets hotter than the temp rating of the wire's insulation. And forget using romex- masonry requires pipe.

I`d think you`d have some room behind the wall board.What is it sheet rock?They probably stripped it with 2x4`s even if laid flat you can get a box for the application.But you will only be allowed one wire so JB would be under house and come up to box.Normally you`d feed in and feed out.But if the cu in of the box won`t allow it put JB under house and feed in with one wire.Take a ice pick,piece of coat hanger and test to see how much room is avalible.Also go look under house to make sure all is as it seems.If you`re not sure about any thing call an electrician for advice or help.Make it a safe project and a code compliant one as well.

Right - the outlet won't actually go into the masonry. The chimney is surrounded by a regular 2x4-framed finished wall on all sides (except for the fire box opening on the living room side).

The chimney itself (not the wall) tapers considerably from its foundation in the basement to where it exits the roof. The wall was framed with the 2x4's in the usual orientation (not the flat way), meaning there is sufficient clearance for a normal-deepth box. Due to the taper of the chimney, the further your get from the floor, the more depth there is between the face of the wallboard and the actual bricks of the chimney. At countertop height, there is plenty of room.

I was planning to use flexible metal conduit and fish-in a flush-mount box. Why flexi-conduit over romex? Mainly because I have those materials on hand.

I will have access to the stud cavities in that wall from either above (attic) or below (basement).

Thank you everyone for your prompt replies. I really appreciate your opinions and advice.