Breast advice (chimney!)

[catmando]

I have recently had new central heating and as a result have had my old fire and back boiler removed leaving me with a nice hole!

I have two options at the mo,:

1. Install a new fire

2. I am thinking of making the hole much wider to house my 32" Widescreen TV! Ideally I would like the whole chimney breast removed but this isnt really an option due to cost. Therefore does anyone know how big of a job it would be to do what I am suggesting? Will the chimney breast need extra support?

Any advice suggestions very welcome!

TIA

 

[masona]

Ideally I would like the whole chimney breast removed but this isnt really an option due to cost. Therefore does anyone know how big of a job it would be to do what I am suggesting? Will the chimney breast need extra support?

Any chimney breast removing or alteration will need building permission. Ring your local control planning for a free advice.

 

[dombe]

How about a fish tank!!

 

[DAZB]

I think you may be lucky and find that there is a stone lintel already in if you hack of a bit of the plaster above the opening . Many properties that are old enough to have had a back boiler do have this above modern fireplaces because years before Gas fires all fireplaces were larger to house a 'real' fire and these were built in to make a smaller aperture to suit a Gas fire. It is quite easy to remove the extra brickwork but it is a very messy job and probably one for a Builder to advise you on. If this is the case you could widen the opening back to what it used to be . A picture would help .

 

[oilman]

Ideally I would like the whole chimney breast removed .....

You might, but it's an effin good way of devaluing the house when it comes to selling it

 

[catmando]

I will try and take some pics this weekend and post here for you to take a look at.

Cheers

 

[catmando]

damn got some pics

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
New:
Picture 4

 

[catmando]

pic 1 shows the open fireplace

pic 2 shows the inside of the fireplace pointing upwards showing the flu liner

pic 3 is the TV I want to put in there!

Advice welcome

 

[DAZB]

Judging by the 2nd photo you should be able to shine a torch and check if there is an original lintel in there and if so it could be possible to widen the opening.

 

[masona]

I'm not sure about this because my TV instruction does say the TV should be 12" away from the back of the wall (not sure what gap on the side of the TV) to prevent overheating. I thought I mention this to you.

 

[tim00]

Building Regs. Approval is not required on a c/breast alteration unless the the work affects a party wall.
Oilman, why do you say the removal will devalue the property?

You should be able to see the lintol, in fact, is that a steel edge i can see on the right hand side of pic 2?

Now you no longer have the "borrowed "heat from the flue liner you should vent the flue top and bottom and at any c/breast in the room(s) above. This will help prevent sulphurisation damage to brickwork and plaster.

Sulphurisation can often be seen as a sooty flue outline on the gables of old houses and your flue is soot encrusted.

Tuck the flue liner up above the damaged closure plate, dont cut it. A new plate will be reqd. You will also have to remedy the sooty fire back etc. or the TV area will be contaminated.

 

[catmando]

Please see pic 4 above........

This was taken through the crack of the closure plate, I can't see any lintel I don't think!

Comments welcome!

 

[kevplumb]

whats the red thing in the flue ??

 

[masona]

whats the red thing in the flue ??

Father Christmas

 

[kevplumb]