Fireplaces

[Jo]

We recently bought a victorian house, built around 1896. Downstairs we still have fireplaces, but they're not original. We have the chimney breasts continuing upstairs in the bedrooms. Would it be safe to assume that somewhere under the plaster there are some holes where fireplaces could be replaced?

My husband is really reluctant to look and thinks it would be messy and a waste of time. So I have to come up with something good to convince him

 

[Penners]

It's quite likely.

First thing to do is have a look outside at the tops of the chimney stacks. Count the pots and compare with the number of remaining fireplaces. Also look for a stack that's rather larger than the number of pots on it - with an obvious gap where a pot might have been removed.

Next, get tapping on the chimney breasts. If a fireplace has been removed and the hole boarded over, you'll probably find that the sound of your tapping will be hollow where the hole was.

It's also worth shining a light obliquely across the surface of the chimney breast. Sometimes, if the plastering is quite thin, you can see slight undulations where the lintel and/or edges of the firehole were.

Bedroom fireplaces were usually quite small, so don't expect a huge firehole.

Do let us know whether you find anything.

 

[Nemesis]

Something good to convince him?

Sex sex and more rampant sex, a comfy bed, champagne and a log fire...

 

[Penners]

:shock:

 

[Penners]

It's Lent, you know.

 

[Nemesis]

Oh come on Penners... cast your mind back...

 

[Flyfisher]

It's Lent, you know.

Yes, but there are other things to give up . . . .

 

[Penners]

I have so few vices, I'm reluctant to lose even one, however briefly.