fireplace and chimney channels

[svouts]

I am having a new fireplace in the ground floor and repairing the old chimney on the roof of a two floor house. The chimney was battered by the weather for almost a century and was a bit tilt at the very top. I decided to remove the last 4 feet of the chimney and replace it with a metal pipe, so as to also reduce the weight. The old chimney had 3 cupped metal flues and a clay one that was open at the top.

Inside the chimney are 4 channels, I believe two form the old fireplace and two from and old bathroom ventilation or an old room. Does it make sense?

The new fireplace has a 5 feet pipe connected to the old chimney breast in the ground floor with no chimney liner. Then, there is a 4 feet metal pipe fitted at the top of the chimney.

I am afraid that the smoke route might not be properly done. Shall I leave it with one pipe flue for all channels, shall I have a second flue for the bathroom ventilation. Or better install 4 flues as before, one per channel?

 

[KenGMac]

svouts, good evening.

A couple of things.

The "bend" in the exposed chimney [above roof level] has been occasioned by what is called Sulphate attack, suggest you Google this chimney defect?
Sulphate attach occurs when following years of use, all and any material burned in the old fire place release Sulphur as a part of normal combustion. Now, when, not IF?? the soot on all the internal surfaces of the flues [all 4 of them?] is subsequently exposed to moisture, rain water coming down the open topped chimney pot, or from condensation in the flue used as a vent, the Sulphur in the soot is transformed into a weak Sulphuric Acid, this nasty acid attacks the old lime mortar between the bricks, and weakens them massively over time.

Your "bent" chimney head is a classic example of sulfate attack, where the chimney head bends in a curve towards the sun.

If I understand it your new fire is sending hot combustion gasses into a liner, then the liner discharges into an old [possibly] very dodgy brick flue that may / will have gaps that allow carbon monoxide Et-All into the other three flues including the bathroom vent and the unused flue froma further room, far from ideal?

The products of what is being burned in the new fire should be conducted within the old flue, but?? a total top to bottom flue liner should be installed, as for the bathroom vent? that too should also have a liner top to bottom, but in this case it may be a requirement to install a condensate trap and a condensate drain??

No doubt someone on the board will give advice on English Regs. as regards flue liners Etc.

Ken.

 

[svouts]

Thanks a lot for the reply it is much appreciated. I suspected that the job is not done properly but now I also understand much better.

I have checked the chimney myself and only the top 3-4 feet of the bricks was damaged. This part is now removed and replaced by the metal pipe so I believe the chimney is more stable now (I also plan to do some reappoint in the rest of the chimney in the following spring).

Now, the old bathroom vent is not in use any more, the whole bathroom has been relocated. But, my understanding is that it should have separate flues for it's own ventilation to avoid development of dump. Also with separate ventilation the smoke form the open fireplace and the related debris will not end up in the old bathroom vent.

Am I understanding well or I need to further explore the situation...?

 

[KenGMac]

svouts, good evening, again.

Suggest you have a look @ the following?

Sounds spooky, but it could safeguard you and your property?

HETAS stands for Heating Equipment and Testing Approval Scheme. ... HETAS Registered Businesses leave the customer with a Compliance Certificate and send a copy to HETAS for onward notification to the Local Authority.16 Oct 2017

Ken