Hearths

Stevecc · 15 May 2019

1930s end terrace house

Two ground floor rooms has been combined into one and two chimney breasts removed, all some time ago.

Two fireplace hearths still remain. They each consist of a concrete block surrounded by a fender brick wall. All at or below floor level

Some wood rot on the floor boards around the hearth and damp on the wall between the hearths. Air bricks have been cleaned out, so ventilation now ok

Should we remove the hearths totally, i.e. remove the fender wall and chip out the concrete block.

Any advice on removing the hearths

blup · 16 May 2019

Removing the chimney breasts has removed the damp associated with residues of soot, smoke etc from when the fires were used.

The damp in the hearth is a separate issue, probably because there is no effective damp proof membrane under it.

So you will have to address the damp joists where they bear on the hearth.

Complete removal of the hearth would be one solution, as you say.

But impossible to give more specific advice based on a written description.

Blup

Stevecc · 5 Jun 2019

We have decided that we want to remove the hearths.

The hearths are made of a concrete block surrouded by a fender wall built off the subfloor and reaching to the level of the floorboards

Any precautions I should take on removing these hearths. The breasts have already gone

I assume there is no structural issues with removing them

Should I remove all the fender wall, including where it enters the gable end wall.

noseall · 5 Jun 2019

Smash 'em out, make good the floor structure and deck.

bobasd · 6 Jun 2019

crack out the conc hearths, and dig out the soil infill to below all timber joists.
depending on the trimming layout and the extent of the damage you can sometimes slip DPC mterial below any timber sitting on the fender walls.
then build in new joisting of the same section as existing, and then board over.

Stevecc · 9 Jun 2019

Thanks for your replies

With regard to joist. I need to install some new joists around where the hearth is taken out and I need to replace some rotten joists too.

I noticed that the existing joists go into the wall, just above the wall DPC. The joists sit on the existing bitumen DPC. The existing joists are not secured for lateral, side to side, movement, very well or even at all. In some joists, a broken brick has been shoved into the gap in the wall where the joists sit in order to secure the joist against movement. In other cases the joist is not secured at all, but simply sits on the wall

How should I secure the joists against lateral movement

noseall · 10 Jun 2019

Stevecc said:
How should I secure the joists against lateral movement

Nail floor boards to them.

bobasd · 10 Jun 2019

joist tails that sit in wall pockets must be capped with DPC material, and wedged in with whatever is handy such as masonry, slate and mortar.
slate is used to pack the joist to correct height.
otherwise the floor might be free to move slightly if the joists are not wedged in.

Stevecc · 14 Jun 2019

Discovered water rising througth gap between wall and concrete oversite in subfloor void when it rains. This is on the gable side of the house, the public street is on the other side of the gable wall. The public street is above the concrete oversite level in subfloor void

What are the options here.

blup · 14 Jun 2019

Try contacting the local council/highway authority, they may be responsible especially if the house physically abuts the highway and the level has built up over the years.

Blup

Stevecc · 14 Jun 2019

Thanks Blup

Yes house gable end does abut the public footpath. Note sure when the footpath was raised to the height it is now

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Hearths

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