Sealing up fireplace

[cartman44]

Hi All,

I live in an 80's house and as such do not have a chimney stack. I have just detected a cold draught coming in from behind my electric fireplace. When removed I found 3 holes in the block behind it and can feel cold air pouring in. The holes do not appear 'purpose' made so am I ok to just block them up with some expanding foam?

You'll see in the pic below, the top left hole is from mortar between the block being removed, the bottom left is a hole punched through and the bottom right is from what looks like a cut into the block.

I'm just concerned that these may be for some sort of ventilation or to let the house breathe etc? Am I ok to just block with foam?

Thanks

Mark
View media item 28745

 

[Richard C]

I live in an 80's house and as such do not have a chimney stack. I have just detected a cold draught coming in from behind my electric fireplace. When removed I found 3 holes in the block behind it and can feel cold air pouring in. The holes do not appear 'purpose' made so am I ok to just block them up with some expanding foam?

Before you start squirting foam everywhere, if you don’t have a chimney stack/flue what’s behind the blocks & where does lead to? What's on the other side of the wall? is it an external cavity wall?

I'm just concerned that these may be for some sort of ventilation or to let the house breathe etc? Am I ok to just block with foam?

It seems an odd way of doing it but that’s what it may be if there is a flue behind there. Unused flues should always be ventilated, grill vent at the bottom & a rain cap at the pot; no ventilation leads to condensation forming in the flue which may eventually be seen as damp patches on internal walls.

 

[cartman44]

Hi Richard

Thanks for your reply.

The wall is an adjoining wall to next door. There is a 3-4" cavity between these blocks and the block wall behind it.

I don't think it's a flue or chimney, I base this on the fact that there is nothing protruding from the roof other than the soil stack vent.

I am only using foam as a quick fix to plug the air in this cold weather. Do you think I'll be ok or am I better getting it checked out?

Thanks

Mark

 

[alittlerespect]

Hi

There was a habit of installing condensing gas fires around the time your property was built and one hole may have been for the pipe taking away the condensate, the other would have been the feed for the gas supply, and the third - I have no idea!

Whatever they are they are not a flue and you can fill in the holes to your hearts content!

Regards

 

[cartman44]

Thanks very much!!

Mark

 

[Richard C]

I agree, you can fill them in.