Two storey house. Brick and breeze-block (?) construction. Pre-cast flue.
I'd like to fit a new inset fire (electric as the flue does not work well enough; don't ask), but the opening in the pre-cast flue is too small. It needs widening, both sides, by 50mm. An easy job, but does it call for a structural investigation first?
Two storey house. Brick and breeze-block (?) construction. Pre-cast flue.
I'd like to fit a new inset fire (electric as the flue does not work well enough; don't ask), but the opening in the pre-cast flue is too small. It needs widening, both sides, by 50mm. An easy job, but does it call for a structural investigation first?
On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 22:16:56 +0100, "Grumps" had this to say:
I have exactly the same query - have you got a useable email address?
Surely an electric fire doesn't need a flue??
If it is a fire back that is in the way, there shouldn't be any problem with removing it altogether as it shouldn't be supporting anything. If it was fitted properly then it should have some fairly solid stuff at the sides of it though.
Well, the electric fire that I've nearly chosen, doesn't need a flue, but it does need to sit back into a hole in the wall. The issue here is, that the pre-cast flue hole is not wide enough. All I need to do is remove about 2" either side of the existing opening, but what structural implications does this have? It's not as if it's a supporting wall that is being ripped out, it's only 2" (ooh err). I may just bung in a lintel above the new opening anyway.
Is this in a new house??
In the old houses we have had, we have found what is known as a builders opening (left behind after an earlier grate/back boiler had been taken out. This is basically a large opening about the size of the box a 26" Widescreen CRT TV might come in. With a flue above it. We fitted a precast fireback into this and filled in the spaces at either side with bricks and mortar.
If this is the kind of thing you have then there should be no problem in removing the pre cast fireback.
if it's not, then i've no idea.
It's a new(ish) house, and there isn't any such opening. But thanks for the idea.
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