Clay Chimney Flue Damage

[Dandyman]

Hi all,

Whilst floor boarding my loft, I noticed that a couple of bricks were loose on the chimney breast in there. I thought it would be best to remove them completely, clean it up and cement them back in, rather than just re point them, mainly because I was worried of fumes escaping from the living room gas fire.

Although the bricks were loose, they still needed chiselling out slightly. Once removed I was surprised to see lots of mortar behind, which I chiselled at to clean up ready for the bricks to be put back in. In doing so, it became apparent that the chimney is lined with clay flue tiles, which I have now accidentally cracked and have also chiselled away some of the mortar between the join of two tiles, exposing the flue vent.

I have three pots on top of my chimney stack, but have only one gas fire utilising the chimney, so I hoped that this was a redundant flue, but I put the fire on and I could feel that the clay flue had heated up a little, proving that it is the flue in use.

In my old house, I had the chimney stack removed professionally from on top of the roof and then, years later, I removed the rest of the chimney breast from the loft to the ground floor and there was no lining at all, just two bricked sections. So this time around, I was naive in thinking it would be similar.

Can this be repaired with fire cement so that I can carry on using my fire without the risk of fumes escaping into my loft?

I would appreciate any advice anybody can offer.

Thanks,

Dandyman

 

[catlad]

A flue liner would be the way to go for piece of mind I think.

 

[Dandyman]

A flue liner would be the way to go for piece of mind I think.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I'd rather not go to the expense and hassle of having a flue liner installed; if it came to that, I think I'd just prefer not to use my fire.

Would sealing it with fire cement not be sufficient then?

The crack is only a hairline crack and looking at the gap where the mortar has come away from the join between the two tiles, I half reckon it was already loose, as where it is would have been a bit awkward for me to point my chisel. It's likely that there are other cracks/gaps throughout the rest of the chimney and I have never worried before.

 

[Nige F]

You don`t need fire cement - just normal mortar and put the brick back . BUT you do need a Gas Safe bod to check the flue and the fire

 

[Dandyman]

You don`t need fire cement - just normal mortar and put the brick back . BUT you do need a Gas Safe bod to check the flue and the fire

Okay, thanks. The chimney was professionally swept prior to the fire being installed and the installation was carried out by a registered gas fitter who performed a smoke test if I remember correctly. Are you saying I would need it checked again after repairing the hole?... It's only an inch sized hole and a hairline crack.

 

[Nige F]

Not with that tiny hole

 

[maltaron]

It is preferable to render the chimney stack where it passes thro' the loft.