Chimney in loft

[Daisy1996]

I’m sorry to be bothering you again. I’m a bit anxious about the chimney and flue in my loft. attached to a cavity gable end wall it comes down the wall at an angle that doesn’t look supported then the first floor goes down the bedroom wall at the opposite angle (thin to a thicker base) before going down to the middle of the living room on the ground floor.

All of the chimney breasts are still on each floor, all original from when it was built in the 1950s. I’m having sleepless nights worrying this huge hanging block could fall through the ceiling into the kids room

Does this look normal or does it need looking at?

 

[23vc]

It’s corbelled and will be toothed into the gable wall, doesn’t look any different to thousands of other houses unless I’m missing something.

 

[noseall]

I’m sorry to be bothering you again. I’m a bit anxious about the chimney and flue in my loft. attached to a cavity gable end wall it comes down the wall at an angle that doesn’t look supported then the first floor goes down the bedroom wall at the opposite angle (thin to a thicker base) before going down to the middle of the living room on the ground floor.

All of the chimney breasts are still on each floor, all original from when it was built in the 1950s. I’m having sleepless nights worrying this huge hanging block could fall through the ceiling into the kids room

Does this look normal or does it need looking at?

As above. Typical corbelled chimney, diving over to exit the roof favourably.

 

[Daisy1996]

Thank you for your replies. When I saw this in the loft I stupidly googled to see if it was normal and went down a rabbit hole thinking I needed steel beams to hold it up otherwise it could fall off into the room below

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Well I'll be controversial then...

It looks wrong. Has the left half been removed? I'm wondering if there was a left branch going down to other rooms. But I don't see any scars on the wall.

It would be unusual to have a fireplace in one room but not the other.

If half of its support has been removed then you're right to be concerned. Or it may have just been dodgy from the start.

Is it all yours or shared with a neighbour? Unless it's shared I'd think about just getting rid anyway, get rid of the worry and what looks like damp plaster in the room.

 

[stuart45]

You mean like this? It was quite a common method, so not really that controversial.
That would still get flagged up on a survey.

Bing

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[Ivor Windybottom]

You mean like this? It was quite a common method, so not really that controversial.
That would still get flagged up on a survey.

Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.

www.bing.com

Yes, there are usually branches up to both sides, so it's balanced and fully supported.

I had a loft room as a kid, I had that giant upturned funnel on one wall with weird shaped alcoves either side. Some loft conversions even have a little triangular alcove under where the two branches meet.

I've never seen one like this though, where there's only support on one side and nothing under the other.

Obviously it's tied into the wall. But that has limits. A chimney is a blooming heavy lump.

 

[Daisy1996]

Well I'll be controversial then...

It looks wrong. Has the left half been removed? I'm wondering if there was a left branch going down to other rooms. But I don't see any scars on the wall.

It would be unusual to have a fireplace in one room but not the other.

If half of its support has been removed then you're right to be concerned. Or it may have just been dodgy from the start.

Is it all yours or shared with a neighbour? Unless it's shared I'd think about just getting rid anyway, get rid of the worry and what looks like damp plaster in the room.

Hi thanks for replying. There’s been no chimney breasts removed. What’s in the loft is original. It comes down the corner of the room upstairs then across to the middle of the living room. It’s a gable end wall so nothing the other side. When you say damp on the plaster so you mean where the wallpaper meets the chimney? If so that’s wallpaper paste I’ve just not got round to repainting it yet

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

My chimneys didn't look like they were hanging in the air but I still got rid of them. If you're not using it then it's just a liability. Get rid of it, together with all those dodgy flashings and potential leaks.

You probably need someone else to do the outside work and roof over it. Then you could take down what's in the loft. Then you could choose to get rid of the lump in the corner of the room if it's worth doing - which depends on whether it's in the way or not.

 

[Daisy1996]

I quite like the character it gives the rooms plus it might not be our forever home and the next person might like it too. The chimney had new flashing and flaunting last winter after we noticed it was cracked and leaking. A structural engineer did check that wall a few months ago as I was concerned there could be some cracks in it I hope he would have mentioned the chimney if he thought it was dangerous

 

[catlad]

It would be unusual to have a fireplace in one room but not the other.

Not in the 50s