Ok, situation:
Chimney with two fireplaces, one on first floor was already blocked off, no vent of any sort.
Fireplace on the ground floor had an old gas fire which we have now removed and have blocked off this one as well - plasterers are in there as I write.
ISTR seeing vents installed in some blocked off fireplaces, and I am wondering if there is a need to fit a vent into the fireplace.
Definitely good practice to do so; there may well be no trouble if no water or damp air gets into the chimney but it's just asking for trouble later if you don't. Surveyors are likely to flag it as an "issue" if you sell the place too.
Also a good idea to put a cap over the chimney pot to prevent obvious direct entry of vertical rain, once there's no fireplace opening (I don't know whether it's best for the cap to be completely sealed, or not).
I'm working on a house at the moment which has had the chimney stacks removed to below roof level and tiled over; and there are no vents in the chimney breast or any sign of damp, for that matter. I'd be interested to know whether that's just luck, or whether the removal of the chimney stacks obviates the need for internal venting - any comments?
David
Cap should be a vented one. These are available to match most types of chimney pot so they don't look out of place.
In message , G&M writes
the chimneys already have vented caps (used with gas fires) so that's not a problem.
Should be fine...
Quite possibly not - if you decide to put one in, put an airbrick on the outside.
J.B.
So the impression I get here, is that some may consider it good practice but there is no 'requirement'.
There is no outside, it's a semi-detached.
A house I bought got snagged on the survey cos of a missing air vent in a sealed up chimney / fireplace . You are supposed to have one to help stop damp building up by ventilating it.
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