Chimney breast removal

[kiwi in london]

Hi, I have a typical 3 bed victorian terraced house in SW London. I want to remove most of the chimney breasts. Once the chimney stack is support from the attic upwards can I remove the breasts myself? If so, how easy is this and how do I do it? Thanks, Jason

[Phil]

[Christian McArdle]

It is not always possible to remove the chimney breasts at all. It depends on how the flues are arranged. Your neighbour's flues might intrude across the centre line of the party wall.

From above:

Flue Pattern A Flue Pattern B +-1-+-2-+ | | | +--+2-+--+-1+

---+---+---+---- ----+ | | | +--- | | | +-1+--+2-+--+ +-1-+-2-+

1 = fire opens on ground floor 2 = fire opens on 1st floor

From side:

Flue Pattern A

| | | | | | | | ++ +++ ++ | | | roof _____| | |_____ | | | | / /| | |##/ | 1st floor ____| |##__|_____ | \ | |\ \ | | \ \ | | | | | | |##| | ground floor _____|__|##|_|_____

## ## = fire opening both sides, divided by straight party wall

Flue Pattern B

| | | | | roof _____| | | | |_____ | | | | | | | | | | | |@@|##| | 1st floor ____| |@@|##| |_____ | \ / /| |\ \ / / | | \ | / | | | | | | | |##|@@| |ground floor _____|__|##|@@|__|___

## ## = fire opening your side

@@ @@ = fire opening neighbour's side

In type A, the party wall is continuous, with 2 flues, one for each floor (obviously the 2nd flue stops at that level). It might be possible to remove your chimney breast, under the supervision of a structural engineer who can determine if it will destabilise the wall/floor/neighbour's stack.

In type B, all the flues are adjacent, with your neighbour's flue "intruding" into your property and your flues "intruding" in your neighbour's. This design is common, as it gives a pleasing width to the chimney breast (allowing grand fireplaces) and reduces the intrusion into the room to half a flue depth instead of a full depth. This type may be impossible to remove without also removing the neighbours stack.

Are you sure you have type A above?

Finally, removing the chimney breasts in some Victorian properties, particularly from the main reception rooms may have a negative effect on house valuation.

Christian.