Need some advice re fire surround and chimney breast

[DaMekon]

Ive wall mounted my TV above the fireplace, and am now thinking af routing the cables through the chimney breast... The stack has been removed from the roof, and closed off (by previous owners), so the chimney is purely cosmetic.

I couldn't quite figure out why the upstairs opening was offset, but after doing some research, it became obvious, that its due to the vent from the downstairs fireplace running alongside. Im glad I found this out, as I wanted to drill a 2" hole behind my tele, ane 1 either side of the chimney breast at low level to all for cabling to be passed through, and also up/down. The hole needs to be this big for hdmi cables, and other such cables. I have bought a 2" masonry hole cutter, but have yet to take on the task. A friend who has a bit more experience of general diy has warned me to be careful as to no shatter any bricks when drilling such a big hole, and also to perhaps remove some of the plaster so that I can see the brick and drill through its centre.

Im now considering actually getting someone in who has better tools and also competent, as Im no diy-er and have only ever drilled the odd hole for fixings.

The back of the fireplace is removable, and I could get my hands in to help route cabling from the tv to the side holes, but I would like to take the fire surround down to give me more access, however, I cant quite figure out how its actually been erected! I thought the top was simply a shelf and I can see some sort of fixings into the wall, but no way to un attach it.

Would like a bit of advice on the idea of drilling the 2" holes, and also how to go about removing the fireplace!

Cheers

 

[russellsmiler]

Not sure about how your fire surround is fixed but i think drilling a 50mm core bit hole in the chimmey would be fine, leave the plaster in place this will help the core remain a core.... and just take it very steady as you exit inside to avoid to much brick burst!

hope that may help

Russ

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

First of all, the fire insert, can you remove the flap that covers the flue? (if fitted). So now you can drill the chimney breast and drop the cables down into the fire grate. Drilling your holes through the sides of the fire chimney breast should be OK. The only problem I can fore see is that quite often there is a whole pile of broken bricks and old mortar around what was the old fire insert. So some of this will need to be moved or removed to give you a clear path upwards. But its normally loose but very dirty from muck falling down the chimney. So now you need a something like a loong coat hanger wire to rattle through your holes that you can pick up through the flue hole. You could try another way, by tying a weight (large nut?) to a light bit of string, fling it through the flue hole, and let it rattle down the side of the liner and hook it out through your drilled hole with a coat hanger wire fashioned into a shepherds crook.
Good fishing !
Frank

 

[ree]

1. Both flues require sweeping even if the stack has been removed. Residual soot over time can appear on the decorated chimney breast.

2. Both flues need to be ventilated top and bottom - the vent in the c/breast skirting in pic 2. is useless as far as i can see. Its the actual flues that need venting.

3.Without pics of the fire back its difficult to advise you on how to remove it. If you get a HETAS chimney sweep in then the sweep will be able to remove the fireback - altho i suspect that you might also be referring to a metal Throating & a Register plate?

4.In general, what you propose is fine and will work. The c/breast cheeks in your case are about 9" thick which would require a hole saw with an extension.

5. Cable can be threaded/snaked thro without using your hands or having sight of it in the void - sparkies do this kind of thing all the time