Chimney not attached

[Zebra]

The chimney is not attached to the house, or at least, only at the bottom and at the roof ridge. It was attached before only by the cement render and some loose bricks stacked into the gap.
Would you do anything about it? The gap will be filled with insulation, and the new lime render will join the two surfaces, but won't do anything structurally. My instinct is it's fine, neither is moving, and a little movement wouldn't do any harm anyway, so I'm not inclined to strap the chimney onto the house, but just thought I'd check what y'all think....

 

[Keithj]

Velly interesting!

If it hasn't fallen down in the interim, I wouldn't worry. Is there a reason to incorporate it now, or could it be an "interesting feature"?

 

[Zebra]

The plan is to leave it unrendered, so I suppose it will be a feature. Unless you mean leaving the gap as a feature, which wouldn't seem like a good idea. Or do you mean making a feature of strapping it to the house....? Sorry, don't think I've understood you have I?!

 

[skier-hughes]

I think I'd be inclined to strap it.
I've never understood the "well it's stood there for 200 years like it, it'll last another 200" arguement.
One day it will fall down and it'll be a day after it was standing there looking good!!!!
That might be tomorrow or it might be in 200 years and one days time just after the then owner said exactly the same thing.
Strap it now before you do work which will prevent you.

 

[Feltwell]

Is it actually attached properly at the ridge though?

I would be inclined to strap it, personally. Chimneys are quite tall and slender things to have freestanding in high winds.

 

[Zebra]

Is it actually attached properly at the ridge though?

No actually, now you mention it, it isn't.
So, what with - like a black steel strap all the way around the chimney and onto the beam? The upermost beam that you can just see in the picture is still not more than halfway up the freestanding section of the chimney. Hard to see how I could attach it at the ridge. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Feltwell]

Really not my area of expertise at all, but I would suggest a heavy blacksmith-made strap to attach to the beam you mention, and another to attach to the ridge board of the roof or across a few rafters. To attach this of course would mean taking a few ridge tiles and top tiles off.

The straps could be made in 2 pieces with a bolted joint on the outside of the chimney to make fitting easier.

 

[robgil]

I thought you would strap a timber framed house to the chimney and not the other way about?

 

[Zebra]

Thanks Felwell, yes I see how that would work.

I thought you would strap a timber framed house to the chimney and not the other way about?

Well, what you're suggesting is kind of the reason I hadn't thought to do it before now. For one thing, the chimney is quite strong now, having been entirely repointed last summer not just to a depth of a few mm but the entire depth of each course with NHL; secondly it's not very high - a total 6m from the ground and surrounded by larger houses, but lastly and most importantly, if I were to attach it to the timber frame of the house and the chimney were to collapse, then it could pull the joints on the timber frame apart and take part of the house with it. Does that sound feasible? What does anyone think? Thanks for your help all.

 

[robgil]

I am no expert but if it were me I'd wait untl it becomes a problem before fixing it. If your house is pulling/moving/leaning away from the chimney then strap it to try and stabalise it.

 

[skier-hughes]

To me it already looks like a problem.

 

[LadyArowana]

I am no expert but if it were me I'd wait untl it becomes a problem before fixing it. If your house is pulling/moving/leaning away from the chimney then strap it to try and stabalise it.

I'm even less expert than Mr R, but visual evidence suggests that just because a chimbley isn't attached to anything doesn't mean it will fall over....

Warning : Results may differ from those advertised

 

[skier-hughes]

That chimney was built to stand on it's own, a chimney on a house, I don't think, ever was. Of course if it was I'll stand corrected

 

[robgil]

That chimney was possibly built after the house. If the gable wall is going to be insulated and rendered, and the ridge pole is secure , and no signs of excessive mevement in either house or chimney afre evident then it isnt broken.

If you strap it now and something moves 20 years from now , the strapping may aidnot help the movement, I would wait for something to move then strap it accordingly.

But like I said I am no expert , my house falls into the chimney and leans on it so I've not had to strap anything yet.

 

[Zebra]

That chimney was possibly built after the house.

That actually, now you mention it, does seem very plausible, and would explain what those bricks were doing in the gap - that they used to lean on the exterior wall of the house.. And also some rotten wood with nails pointing in towards the house, which were down there too. Very interesting.

 

[robgil]

How old is your house? Or at least this part of it?

 

[Zebra]

I don't know. There are no deeds further back than 1928. Anyone's guess is as good as mine. I've looked at tithe maps of 1848 and the census of 1851 and it was there then, but it's older than that....

 

[robgil]

I know that some older houses were built with possibly a central hearth, then many years later when the owner could afford it they put in a chimney. This may or may not apply to your house as it may not be old enough. Those bricks do look victorian, what does the fire place look like?

 

[Zebra]

Like this (obviously the surround is modern....)

 

[LadyArowana]

What a lovely fireplace!