do i need a lintel or not ??

[rishy]

i want to have a hole in the wall gas fire install but i have been told by a gas installer that i need a lintel installed the bricks seem to be fine good black brick with good cement



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Any help guys and girls would be appreciated


Thanks

Rishy

 

[Richard C]

Why don’t you trust what your installer has told you? The brick arch is holding up the chimney breast structure above but what’s holding up the bricks below the arch? To rely on the cement bonding the bricks together isn’t enough, is there a lump of steel under there somewhere? If nothing is holding them up, they can quiet easily fall down when subject to constant expansion & contraction due to heat & I would agree with your gas installer; it would at least need an inset steel bar under there. As little weight as there is in the bricks below the arch, they really need supporting or the new fire casing could distort/be damaged causing sealing problems. Not sure what sort of hole in the wall fire your considering but if you remove the bricks under the arch, they can’t possibly fall down!

 

[stuart45]

Richard is spot on. I've always done what the fitter asked for. It's his name on it.