Fire place dilemma

[Gandalf]

Hi everyone,

Would it be possible for me to check if the flue from down stairs is connected to a covered fireplace upstairs without me removing all the plaster...and then having to replace it if they are connected....any help would be appreciated...

thanks gandalf

 

[thiambal]

Best bet would be to count your chimney pots. If the flue are connected they would pressumably only go to one pot - if they are seperate, there would be one pot for each flue.

What do you want to know?

 

[Gandalf]

Thanks for the advice,

Unfortunately we have only 2 pots which would suggest that the fire in the living is connected to the one in the bedroom above.....as the other pot will be for the dining room fire...the reason I want to know is that I am concerned about the gases entering the bedroom from the gas fuelled stove in the living room...and could this cause a danger!!!

 

[thiambal]

Not sure on the gas fumes issue - I am sure others will advise

Just a thought, are you sure that the other pots have not just been removed and the flue capped look at other houses in the street if possible and see how many pots they have.

 

[finglonger]

You could hire some sweeps brushes, run them up from one fireplace, look at the chimney from the outside and see where it sticks out, then do the same from the other fireplace. If they both come out of the same hole then they share the same chimney.

Alternatively, get a NACS sweep in to clean the chimney and advise you, it costs much less than redecorating (60 quid +vat to sweep our chimney) and they make very little mess. You'd be surprised what they can tell you just from shoving a brush up there.

 

[finglonger]

Ah, just realised you were talking about a gas fire.... Perhaps a corgi engineer then? Usually gas appliances/stoves/fires need a chimney liner installed so if it has been done properly you're probably okay.

 

[thiambal]

60 quid +vat to sweep our chimney

Good God!, We only pay £18 to have ours swept.

Does the price vary by length of chimney?

Have I just admitted that I have a short one?

 

[Gandalf]

Size is not always important!!! But thanks for the help with the fireplaces

 

[finglonger]

We only pay £18 to have ours swept

Ouch. Clearly I need to find a cheaper sweep, or lose the T shirt which says "Please fleece me".

 

[Penners]

I am concerned about the gases entering the bedroom from the gas fuelled stove in the living room

I think your gas stove should have its own flue inside the chimney, rather than just venting up the chimney like a fire. If it has, then obviously this will isolate the exhaust gases from anything else, even if the living room and bedroom flues do merge.

But of course you need to confirm that this is the case. How do you feel about going up on the roof and looking down your chimney?!

 

[Manny]

Are you sure that the pot hasn't been taken off and replaced with a short steel cowl for the gas fire? That's quite normal practice and it would leave you with two useable pots - bedroom & living room perhaps?

 

[Gandalf]

Thanks for the suggestions,
Taking a look on the roof is no problem and I know for a fact that the only pots up there are the 2 originals....so I will have to do some investigating.

Thanks everyone again

 

[Lime]

If you are absolutely sure that there are only two pots but more than two flues then you must make certain that the gas fire flue is separately ducted up to the top of the chimney.
For obvious reasons you must not take any risks with carbon monoxide posoining as it is a colourless and odourless gas and is often produced by gas appliances.
I think you are right to be concerned.

 

[Penners]

For obvious reasons you must not take any risks with carbon monoxide posoining as it is a colourless and odourless gas and is often produced by gas appliances.

...always...