Hello,
I've just spent the entire day ripping out an old 50's stone/tile fireplace identical to the one in wallace and grommet lol. All old crud is removed and it's now stripped back to the bricks.
Now I want to put in an electric insert and surround in its place since the condition of the chimney is pretty bad. For example, the bit that should slope down towards you into the room at the back has crumbled out. Many bricks nearby were loose and could just be removed by hand - the lime mortar was completely shot.
My question is, how best to prepare the old fireplace for the new insert?
I guess I'll need to block the chimney to prevent a draft in the room, but I've read that I must leave some hole(s) for ventilation. So, if I install an electric insert, won't that prevent the ventilation from working as the front of it would be sealed to the face of the wall?
Also what do you recommend that I do to block the chimney? Making a steel plate sounds quite difficult as I don't have any way to bend steel at home unless I get one made specially.
Any suggestions would be appreciated,
Cheers,
Mark.
I've just spent the entire day ripping out an old 50's stone/tile fireplace identical to the one in wallace and grommet lol. All old crud is removed and it's now stripped back to the bricks.
Now I want to put in an electric insert and surround in its place since the condition of the chimney is pretty bad. For example, the bit that should slope down towards you into the room at the back has crumbled out. Many bricks nearby were loose and could just be removed by hand - the lime mortar was completely shot.
My question is, how best to prepare the old fireplace for the new insert?
I guess I'll need to block the chimney to prevent a draft in the room, but I've read that I must leave some hole(s) for ventilation. So, if I install an electric insert, won't that prevent the ventilation from working as the front of it would be sealed to the face of the wall?
Also what do you recommend that I do to block the chimney? Making a steel plate sounds quite difficult as I don't have any way to bend steel at home unless I get one made specially.
Any suggestions would be appreciated,
Cheers,
Mark.
