Balanced Flue

[chriselevate]

Hi,

I've bought a 2nd hand Gazco fire a while ago which I was going to have installed in my lounge. I've got round to sorting it out and found that as it's a BALANCED FLUE it's not easy to put a flue liner into our chimney for the appliance.

Can this be done or does it HAVE to be a conventional flue type for m to be able to use the exisiting chimney in the house?

Thanks

 

[expertgasman]

Hi,

I've bought a 2nd hand Gazco fire a while ago which I was going to have installed in my lounge. I've got round to sorting it out and found that as it's a BALANCED FLUE it's not easy to put a flue liner into our chimney for the appliance.

Can this be done or does it HAVE to be a conventional flue type for m to be able to use the exisiting chimney in the house?

Thanks

No. You CANNOT use this fire in a conventional chimney. You may be able to chop through the back of the fireplace opening to use it (as balanced), subject to supplied flue length.

This assumes it is a normal balanced flue and not a type with a flexible flue designed to up a chimney. If you see what i mean.

 

[chriselevate]

Thanks so much for your quick reply. I was worried that'd be the answer!

No it's a normal, rigid balance flue supplied with about 2m of flue to take it out of the wall.

So I guess I should stick the fire on eBay and look for a new one?!

Brand new it's £1100 + £200 upwards for the surround - way out of my price range!

I'm currently having my roof replace (long story why!!) so while it's being done I wanted to sort out a flue. Can I run this past you please?

My chimneys rubs from the lounge up into the loft and stops in the loft. It's been left open in the loft about 2m from the roof.

Could I (for now, whilst the roofer is messing around up there and scaffolding is up there) get him to put a flashing tile onto the roof (correct one for the pitch) and then run a ridged flue down to a plate (which'll sit over the chimney top) and then run a flexible flue down the rest of the chimney to the lounge ready for when I can afford a fire/find one second hand etc?

I'll try to find links of the products I'm thinking of using and post them here for your approval.

Thanks again

 

[chriselevate]

The products I was referring to are mostly on this page:

http://www.fluesupplies.com/index.php?cPath=24_59

 

[expertgasman]

Is this a "proper" class 1 chimney or a precast flue. A pc flue is only about 5" deep including plastering on front wall.

A class 1 has about a 15" deep opening, which gathers down normally to an 8" clay liner (since 1986 (?) or a 9" x 9" stack prior to this.

If it is a pc flue, no liner is required, just aproper connection in the loft plus twinwall to the ridge.

If it is an old flue, it would be wrong to say too much as we can't assess why it was cut off int 1st place, but yes, it could be lined, but I would wait until you are definitely going to fit something.

How do you feel about abandoning the chimney and using the balanced flue?

 

[chriselevate]

I'd go the balanced flue option it's just that the fire won't be located on an external wall - which is the problem isn't it?

The house is 1940 so I'm guessing they took down the chimney when they swapped the roof tiles from slate to concrete (without going into it the reason for the new roof is that it's sagged since they swapped the tile as they DIDN'T put in any supports to bear the heavier tiles!).

The chimney is wide, the only reason I went for the 6" option was because I was estimating a new fire could have 6" flue.

The reason I'd like to have some of the flue system done now is because the roofer is up there doing it this week so is happy to do that part.

Your thoughts, and thanks again for your help btw.

 

[expertgasman]

I'd go the balanced flue option it's just that the fire won't be located on an external wall - which is the problem isn't it?

Yes, absolutely correct!


The chimney is wide, the only reason I went for the 6" option was because I was estimating a new fire could have 6" flue.

The reason I'd like to have some of the flue system done now is because the roofer is up there doing it this week so is happy to do that part.

Your 6" comment pretty much sums up why you shouldn't do it yet! Seriously, most fires only need a 5" liner. Also, it should be done by a Gassafe RGI (although I don't necessarily agree with that rule).

The problem is that the fire you eventually decide upon may demand something different, and so you will either waste cash or be compromised on your choice.

 

[chriselevate]

So will I not need scaffolding and a lot of hassle to do it in 6months time?

Isn't it worth getting the connection between the chimney top and the tile or ridge tile dine and dusted now or the flue put in ready? Convertor kits will finished the job off when I'm ready with the fire won't they?

Thanks

 

[Agile]

The terminal and the flue liner are a matched pair and need to be suitable for the fire that you choose.

You already seem to have bought a fire which is not suitable.

Why risk another problem?

As the roof work is presumably planned then the obvious situation is that you did not check out a fire requirements before it started.

The usual way to do these things is to go and choose a fire at your local shop, get the flue bits and fit them while the roofing work is being done. The fitting should be by an RGI.

But you want to save money by buying something on Ebay and unless you choose a particular model now and wait until you see one on Ebay you will not know the flue requirements.

Tony