Thoughts on Chimney Stack Removal

[jonnyw]

Hello all,

We have a two chimney stacks that desperately need re-pointing.

Someone has suggested that instead of re-pointing the stacks, we remove them to below the roof line (into the loft), and tile over.

The house is 1890s end terrace, and both chimney breasts are on the party walls (though are just ours, next doors chimney stacks are on the other side). The chimney breasts are in place (unused & bricked up) throughout the house (we have no plans to remove them).

Does this sound like a sensible suggestion*?
Can doing this introduce any new issues (damp/structural)?
Does anything special need to be done to the stack under the roof line (capping/venting etc)?

*I'm thinking in the long term it might be one less thing to go wrong???

 

[catlad]

If you are not going to use them again then get rid of them, and leave them open in the loft.

 

[jonnyw]

If you are not going to use them again then get rid of them, and leave them open in the loft.

Thanks for that.

If we did this, would we still need to vent the chimney breasts (as was recommended in our homebuyers survey, which we never got round to!)

 

[catlad]

I would leave it open for 6 months at least to let it all dry out.

 

[joe-90]

Chimneys give character - why make it look bland?

 

[Alastairreid]

Just drop below the roofline and forget them.
Because they are internal stacks they dont need vented.
Leaving them open in the attic wont do them any harm.

Unless the stacks give architectural character to the property its not worth the hassle of keeping and maintaining them imo.