JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) A bit of an update, the fireplace has been reopened and it looks like there is a 5" liner in there already. Because the chimney breast is 50/50 side by side, it's quite wide 145cm, 50cm deep. It does not make sense to open the whole thing. I think we leave some of the cheeks. The stove is H58cm x W49cm x D29cm It seems I need to move the center support block at least one concrete block higher because at the moment it would touch the stove. Edited August 9, 2022 by JohnBishop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 Looking at the chimney stack above how do I know which ones belong to who? Considering the right hand side of the chimney breast is mine the right side of the chimney should also be mine. So the neighbour has the big pot and the small smoked thingy as he has a gas heater while mine is the white one. If the big pot and white one is mine then the two flues must twist in a awkward way. I just don't know how they build these wide chimney breasts side by side but it must be a lot of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 14 minutes ago, JohnBishop said: Looking at the chimney stack above how do I know which ones belong to who? Considering the right hand side of the chimney breast is mine the right side of the chimney should also be mine. So the neighbour has the big pot and the small smoked thingy as he has a gas heater while mine is the white one. If the big pot and white one is mine then the two flues must twist in a awkward way. I just don't know how they build these wide chimney breasts side by side but it must be a lot of fun. Yes you can assume right is right etc. more difficult when there are two pots and they are in-line not side by side. I would be looking at the capped off one too and maybe getting a vent cap put on instead of it being blocked off. capping needs some work/typing anyway so might as well sort it while you/they are there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 That 5” flue isn’t useable - it’s sealed with duct tape, makes me think it was put in for ventilation not a stove. Whole of the top of that stack needs coming off including neighbours side - it looks loose and will have been leaking for a while. You also need to get someone who understands how these stacks were built to look at that opening brickwork - blocks look new and very odd ..! Don’t forget your stove also needs a minimum 250mm all round so the sizes need to be checked. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 58 minutes ago, PeterW said: That 5” flue isn’t useable - it’s sealed with duct tape, makes me think it was put in for ventilation not a stove. Whole of the top of that stack needs coming off including neighbours side - it looks loose and will have been leaking for a while. You also need to get someone who understands how these stacks were built to look at that opening brickwork - blocks look new and very odd ..! Don’t forget your stove also needs a minimum 250mm all round so the sizes need to be checked. there was a gas heater in the past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Gas! Holy crap 🙈 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 1 hour ago, JohnBishop said: there was a gas heater in the past … and that is standard duct tape … I would get the rest of the house checked, including a full gas survey !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) 7 minutes ago, PeterW said: … and that is standard duct tape … I would get the rest of the house checked, including a full gas survey !!!!! It's safe. There were 2 gas safety men. The gas stove has been removed years ago. There is no gas leak anywhere. The pipe that delivered gas is plugged. Edited August 9, 2022 by JohnBishop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Given the work needed up top I'd get the flue replaced while they are up there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Looks like the stack needs a partial rebuild followed by new pot and suspended stainless liner for the stove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, PeterW said: That 5” flue isn’t useable - it’s sealed with duct tape, makes me think it was put in for ventilation not a stove. Whole of the top of that stack needs coming off including neighbours side - it looks loose and will have been leaking for a while. You also need to get someone who understands how these stacks were built to look at that opening brickwork - blocks look new and very odd ..! Don’t forget your stove also needs a minimum 250mm all round so the sizes need to be checked. You said 250mm minimum around the stove however the spec says minimum 50mm but they recommend 150mm for the best heat output and I get your point 250mm is even better but depth of chimney breast is 500mm so if I do 250mm gap at the back the stove will be sticking out by 50mm. I reckon the best would be to do 200mm as a compromise. I am not entirely sure about the height of the fireplace I should demolish. I can see most people do the height of the stove + the height of the pipe so the register plate is level with the breast opening so in my case it's 580mm + 280mm = 860mm I reckon I need to go even higher, get rid of these concrete blocks and replace them with a long supporting block that can reach from one end to the other unless there are other options at supporting it e.g. with steel. I think the idea is so the hot air leaves the chimney breast into the room rather than circulate under the concealed register plate so I think it is preferred to have a larger opening. I think the chimney is completely blocked because I don't feel any draft. Edited August 9, 2022 by JohnBishop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, markc said: Yes you can assume right is right etc. more difficult when there are two pots and they are in-line not side by side. I would be looking at the capped off one too and maybe getting a vent cap put on instead of it being blocked off. capping needs some work/typing anyway so might as well sort it while you/they are there I think it makes sense to add another vent. One roofer also recommended to put an air-vent tile in the loft so there is some airflow for the chimney to dry out. The black marks and white residue indicates penetrating water from inside to outside. These two things would help with the ventilation on both sides of the brick. Edited August 9, 2022 by JohnBishop 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Would this be a Victorian age house, or slightly later. They were surprisingly standard whoever built them, and so the chimneys are very predictable and , yes, the 2 pots on your side are yours. I agree with all said. Repair chimney and keep the rain out. Change the flue, which is the cheapest part of the work. In the upstairs rooms, are there still chimney breasts or have they been removed? Often they are knocked out and not supported. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 2 hours ago, saveasteading said: Would this be a Victorian age house, or slightly later. They were surprisingly standard whoever built them, and so the chimneys are very predictable and , yes, the 2 pots on your side are yours. I agree with all said. Repair chimney and keep the rain out. Change the flue, which is the cheapest part of the work. In the upstairs rooms, are there still chimney breasts or have they been removed? Often they are knocked out and not supported. this is about 90 years old house. As far as I know there were no chimney breasts upstairs on this chimney but there was a chimney on the other side of the property, outside wall, it was taken down at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 14 minutes ago, JohnBishop said: no chimney breasts upstairs on this chimney OK sounds unusual. Just check in the attic that there isn't a lump of chimney missing. If a fireplace is taken out to make a bigger room then then it needs a bracket in the attic, which is easy but not always done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 On 09/08/2022 at 00:16, JohnBishop said: The spec says that "The diameter of the flue should not be less than 150mm and not more than 200mm." So the 5" liner is going to be used I'm confused. The liner clearly doesn't comply? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 8 hours ago, dpmiller said: I'm confused. The liner clearly doesn't comply? no, these are two different things. The spec says to use a 5" liner, 150-200mm is the clearance between the chimney breast walls and the sides and back of the stove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 When I open the whole chimney breast it is going to be about 1080mm wide. If I put 1200mm long lintel is it going to be enough? Like 6.5cm on each side. I only see 1350mm long lintels if 1200 is too short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 I would open up but leave a full brick either side so opening would be more 900mm and then a 1200 would be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 4 hours ago, PeterW said: I would open up but leave a full brick either side so opening would be more 900mm and then a 1200 would be fine. right so you suggest to do a bit of an arch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 12, 2022 Author Share Posted August 12, 2022 (edited) I can see there is a DPM and some concrete on top in the chimney breast. How can I build on top of that? I think I just use the cement board on the sides and back but not sure how to go around this poly-ethylene stuff. I think on the right side originally the chimney breast was not vertical and they kind of reconstructed it to make it straight on the outside but there is a bit of a mess on the inside. Edited August 12, 2022 by JohnBishop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 (edited) I am looking into strengthening these concrete blocks On this video the man is applying some liquid onto the lintel and bricks? What is that? Diluted PVA or basically some water? Edited August 16, 2022 by JohnBishop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 It’s either plain water or water and a bit of PVA. Not for strengthening, stops dry surface sucking moisture out of the mortar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted August 17, 2022 Author Share Posted August 17, 2022 I am looking into liners and you suggested to go for a double skin. I can see two types: 5" 316 / 904 Ultraflex Chimney Liner 5" 904 / 904 Ultraflex Chimney Liner I can see that the guarantee is extra 5 years making it 25 years. 316 is only couple quid cheaper not sure what would be the reason to buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBishop Posted September 28, 2022 Author Share Posted September 28, 2022 I want to resurrect this topic just before the liner installation. I have taken vermiculate into consideration however because the chimney is on a party wall the temperature in the chimney won't be that low to cause condensation and tar build up. However I was thinking about part of the chimney from the loft to the top. Would it make sense to at least cover the liner in this Rockwool insulation on the last 4-5 meters where the chimney is getting cold? The chimney twists so the insulation would sit on it's own on the first bend. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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