Chimney repair

[garyo]

The top of my 2 metre chimney stack has been deteriorating over the last five years. It was already cracked when we moved in and as each winters rain/frost cycle goes by they get steadily wider.

I've got some scaffold coming at the end of the week, so will take 15 courses off and then re-lay the 5 so that it terminates just above ridge height.

My questions is - give the price of the scaffold (£400+), am I a fool not to drop a stainless liner down while I'm up there? The chimney isn't used, but who knows what we (or a new owner) might do in a few years.

Is it even that simple, or does the liner spec depend on type of stove/fire/etc?

Cheers

Gary

 

[ree]

1. I'm sure that you could hire a tower for much less than £400+

2. your stack is faux(?) stone clad - is the stone staying on the remains of the stack and c/breast?

3. no way drop a liner down the flue - just in case. Dont do it.

4. After building work the flue should be swept and an appropriate venting terminal fitted.

 

[garyo]

Most towers I've been on are too wobbly for me to be comfortable. I'm sure I was on cheap ones and there are better towers out there, but and I think I'd be seven metres off the ground so I've gone belt-and-braces on it.

Also the chimney is set in slightly so with a tower I expect I'd have to lean/reach over the ~30cm of eaves gap (see picture below).

It's a normal red-brick chimney.

I'll forget the liner and concentrate on getting the brickwork and pointing repaired. At the moment there's no chimney pot - it's just dressed in a three inch thick lump of mortar that's been smoothed in to a nice 'hump' around the top. What would an 'appropriate' terminal be for an unused chimney that's just decorative inside the house. Obviously I just want to keep the rain out and allow it to breathe sufficiently.

Thanks

Gary

 

[ree]

Until this two story red brick house pic appeared your previous "house" pic was a bungalow with a faux stone clad external chimney breast?
Probably my mistake.

Next time you work at height think if not tower then a cherry picker or scissors lift - both can be quite cheap nowadays.

google "chimney stack air vent terminals" and chimney pots. Use a pot - they look better than a blank cap-off.

The lump of mortar is the flaunching.

 

[chappers]

To be honest that looks pretty sound and looks like it just needs a bit of repointing.
If you are taking it down and not rebuilding to full height then it's pointless dropping a liner in anyway as you would need to raise it back to full height before it could be used again

 

[garyo]

Ree - the other house was one I'm considering moving to - it was my post about the realities of living in a dormer bungalow - you're not imaging it!

This is the other north-facing side of the chimney - pretty cracked I reckon, but not a great photo. Currently the chimney is about five courses above ridge height.

Time to go find a chimney pot from somewhere then!

 

[chappers]

Ah I see, but still doesn't look too bad from 10 or so courses down, just rebuild the top and re-point. Check out a reclaim yard, you will probably find a pot that matches the others in the street