Clearing chimney to stop draughts

[rborob]

Hi,
We recently moved into a new house. It had an electric fire hung over a void where I assume a fireplace used to be. I was looking at using something like a chimney plug to close off the gap but there is what appears to be a metal flue running up the inside of the chimney. Can /should this be removed to make room for something that can stop all the draughts?
Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Blagard]

You don't want to block it off completely. Since that the flue liner is no longer in use you can disconnect the rigid section from the flexible liner and fit a plate across to block off the opening, but put a small vent in the plate to keep an element of air movement there. It may even be possible to push the rigid pipe up above a closure plate saving you the need to disconnect it.

 

[rborob]

fit a plate across to block off the opening, but put a small vent in the plate to keep an element of air movement there. It may even be possible to push the rigid pipe up above a closure plate saving you the need to disconnect it.

Are there plates designed for that purpose? Or is it something I would have to do myself?

 

[Doggit]

Is the draught coming down the metal liner, or from around it.

 

[rborob]

Is the draught coming down the metal liner, or from around it.

Its not so much the draught im concerned about as the loss of heat from the room.

 

[Doggit]

Then you shouldn't have phrased your first question about how to stop the draughts then. If you block up the area where the draughts are coming from, then that's sufficient to stop any heat loss, and rockwool stuffed up in the gaps should be sufficient. You should normally have a degree of ventilation up the chimney to stop condensation issues inside it, but with a liner (which is where the draught should be coming from) this becomes a tricker issue to deal with.

I wouldn't drill anything into the broken plate in case it's asbestos based.

 

[rborob]

Then you shouldn't have phrased your first question about how to stop the draughts then. If you block up the area where the draughts are coming from, then that's sufficient to stop any heat loss, and rockwool stuffed up in the gaps should be sufficient. You should normally have a degree of ventilation up the chimney to stop condensation issues inside it, but with a liner (which is where the draught should be coming from) this becomes a tricker issue to deal with.

I wouldn't drill anything into the broken plate in case it's asbestos based.

Apologies for the confusion. So do you suggest I should try some rockwool around the liner? What about the liner itself? If the heat loss is linked to the draughts then how would i stop the liner from being draughty?

 

[Doggit]

If you're not using the liner, then stuff some rockwool in there was well. You've got a conundrum here, in that a chimney should be ventilated, but you've got a liner, and the liner doesn't need ventilation, only the surrounding chimney, and that can't be ventilated as it'll be closed at the top.

 

[rborob]

If you're not using the liner, then stuff some rockwool in there was well. You've got a conundrum here, in that a chimney should be ventilated, but you've got a liner, and the liner doesn't need ventilation, only the surrounding chimney, and that can't be ventilated as it'll be closed at the top.

Ah. Does that explain the sometimes wet soot i find in the open fireplace? it drops down occasionally..but there are some "splashes" of wet soot i couldnt explain

 

[Doggit]

Sounds like the chimney didn't get swept before the liner was out in, but yes, the chimneys cold, and soot is picking up moisture. Maybe you need to try and put a plate up there and some polystyrene to stop the heat losses, and to block the liner up.

 

[rborob]

Sounds like the chimney didn't get swept before the liner was out in, but yes, the chimneys cold, and soot is picking up moisture. Maybe you need to try and put a plate up there and some polystyrene to stop the heat losses, and to block the liner up.

Thanks, I'll go down the rock wool route for now as that seems like something I can do "today", then hopefully re-address the issue when we eventually come to use the fireplace again
Hopefully this will solve the issue for now

I appreciate the help and advice

 

[Nige F]

I wouldn't drill anything into the broken plate in case it's asbestos based.

Looks very much like it to me.