Victorian coal chute - block or leave open?

[kanina4]

Hello,

We have an old coal cellar under our Victorian flat - and a coal chute for it by the front door.

The cellar is only used for storing stuff. It does smell damp down there, but we've never noticed water coming in down there. It has airbricks and all.

My husband has discovered that the coal chute is only covered by a metal plate which is easily removed. The actual hole is losely filled with plastic sheets. He's worried that this hole lets in too much damp and maybe even water (although this has never been confirmed). The hole is about 10'' across, so I'm not worried about unwanted vistors coming that way.

My husband wants to block this hole. We've had a builder around who'll use 'reinforced concrete with steel bars running through the centre of the new concrete' to block the hole.

I'm just looking for a second opinion - is this necessary or even a good idea?

Thanks for reading so far

 

[Nige F]

Yes, if the plate still has visible writing on it - sell it on ebay Seriously tho` may not be so good if you`re in a conservation area.

 

[JohnD]

I bet the coal cover will disappear into the builder's van

 

[kanina4]

Well, the coal cover is loose anyway, so anyone could take it. Are they worth much?

What I want to know is, do we really need to block it?

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

you only need to do anything if water comes down it.

squirt it with a hosepipe, then go into the cellar and look.

unless it is sunk below the path, not much will get in.

it ought to have a chain or latch on the underside to prevent it being stolen. Look for a ring like a pdlock fits.

I would prefer to leave it in place (1) for historical originality of your old house (2) you can use it for extra ventillation

I see no benefit in stuffing the chute with plastic bags.

 

[mattylad]

Lay newspapers on the chute.

go up and pur water/use a hose - on the cover.

then check the papers.

I have a similar old unused chute, my cellar floods but the apers are dry so its not the chute cover.

Seems to be coming out of the wall under the chute

 

[kanina4]

Thanks for your replies and useful tips. Will pour water on and check for leakage and also see if we can somehow lock it from the inside.

 

[mattylad]

Mine has a chain on it, with a steel peg from the wall through a loop on the inside.

I lifted it, cleaned the edges etc and sealed it with an outdoor gungy sealant all around.

It should not be too hard to build a brick wall on the chute, bracket a few courses to the existing walls, then fill the rest of the hole with bricks etc from the outside, fill the hole with concrete, you can even put the cap back or concrete it over.

 

[JohnD]

good idea about the sealant. A tube of silicone might save all that brick and concrete work.

 

[mattylad]

While it stopped a lot, it hans't been perfect & still drips a little in heavy rain.
Yet I'm hesitant to completely fill it for when I may need to find a path to extract water....

 

[Fluffster]

When the gas and oil runs out in a few years the coal shute could come back to good use!

Pete