Removing Fire

[Séan Connolly]

Hi all,

Would I need to remove this:

to be able to fit a gas insert with a standard surround ?

Some general photos here as well:

'm pretty sure I do, but it looks pretty sturdy and seems to curl up into the chiminey. Would/should there be a lintel above it ? I'm rather worried about touching it to be honest!

Thanks

Séan

[Jonathan Pearson]

The problem you have is that if you bu**er it up, the whole chimney stack can come down!!! - That said 'most' chimney breast have a lintel further up the wall (about 5ft up - its common to be a brick built arch) - if you are planning to replaster you could chip away at the plaster to see if you can see the arch - if you have an arch then you can take the whole lot out, and rebuild where necessary - looking at the photo, the lower lintel is resting on the fire back (which isn't structural/strong) - so in that laws of probability I'd say if you just knocked it out, I give it a 80% chance of the thing still standing!

good luck Jon

[Séan Connolly]

LOL! A ain't touching it with a barge pole then! I'll let the builder do it, he has insurance !

[Lobster]

Weren't you talking about removing the fireback/box, within the fireplace, rather than dismantling the front of the chimney breast? That bit should come out easily enough - surely it can't be taking any load as suggested above?

The level of surgery involved depends on what gas fire you're think of; I'm sure some types would readily fit what you've got, once tidied up (assuming the chimney's OK of course)

David

[Séan Connolly]

Yes

Thats what I thought. If you look at the pictures though it seems to be one thing, i.e the bit that curls up the chimney seems attached to the sides of the box

I'm tempted just to get b&q to do the lot. Does anyone have any experience of their installation service ?

[Lobster]

Yes, it will be. But it will be made of firebrick and will succumb readily to a wop with a hammer - very messy job as there will be all sorts of crud and rubble behind it - and you'll be left with the "builder's opening", ie normal bricks and mortar all round.

Well you need to know what clearance behind your chosen fire will require (is it on

and you could ado with ascertaining asap whether your existing flue is OK or not - different types of fire require Class I or Class II flues, and yours might not be either! Might need a lining fitting for example.

Might be best to get someone round to at least give you a quote - they will assess the chimney versus your proposed fire - then you can decide what bits you can or want to do yourself.

David

[Séan Connolly]

I like the sound of that...

That will blend in with the existing decor so no worries there!

Well there was a fetching Valor gas fire and surround there previously which basically had its exhaust connected to a metal box that sat sealed into the old firebox. That would be an easy solution I suppose.

Allways a plan, thanks for the help anyway, its not looking quite so daunting now :)

S

[Séan Connolly]

You were right, all is fine and dandy, new fire should be going in next week :)

On the other hand, the electrician discovered rubber and braided wiring, but that's for another post :(