"Keith D Pipex" munged @ munged . com wrote in message
...
Hi all,
Following on from my OT: post below entitled 'New Build Chimney
question' the subject has entered the arena of D-I-Y. I have presently
got
bits of stone and hailstones pinging from out of the chimney all over my
nice new fire, hearth and laminate. I know absolutely nothing about
chimney
fittings and would like to know if there are devices that can be put into
a
chimney to stop this cascade without blocking the venting effect. I
realise
that I'm going to have to cap it but I can't see how this is going to stop
the hail and grit. Any info would be really appreciated, especially links
to uk supplier websites. ...or am I going to be stuck with a daft looking
fireguard :-)
I would also like to hear about any other inventive ways people may have
got
around this problem. Bloody new houses ... I'm never going to move again
.... I hope.

Cheers,
Keith



Well, we had an open grate gas fire fitted a year or so ago. It's not the
same kind of house - Edwardian, chimney (fortunately) tested fine for leaks,
so we didn't need lining.

However.... we just had a ridge tile over the opening at the top at the
time, ISTR that the chimney sweep said that these weren't considered
compliant for gas fire installations any more - the gas fitter concurred.
So, he came back, fitted a pot and something called a "UFO" on top -
basically a cap with mesh around it that sits in and on top of the pot. Was
maybe about £150 all in including fitting.

So, if what the sweep and the fitter said was accurate and that a gas fire
must have suitable protection from not just water ingress but nesting birds
and insects, then the builders and the fitter that commissioned the fire
have no leg to stand on. If they commissioned a fire in a non-compliant
setting then they must have transgressed the gas regs, and it most certainly
would not be up to you to fit suitable protection.

I'm sure that Mr Sirett and/or the other gassers around here would be able
to verify or reject this detail.

cheers
Richard
--
Richard Sampson

email me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk