Hi all,

Would I need to remove this:
http://www.drlargepants.plus.com/fir...7_IMG_0052.JPG to be able to
fit a gas insert with a standard surround ?

Some general photos here as well: http://www.drlargepants.plus.com/fire/

I'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

Séan Connolly wrote:

I'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!

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

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!


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

Séan Connolly wrote:
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!

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

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

Weren't you talking about removing the fireback/box, within the fireplace,
rather than dismantling the front of the chimney breast?

Yes

That bit should come out easily enough - surely it can't be taking any
load as suggested above?

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


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)


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

Séan Connolly wrote:
Weren't you talking about removing the fireback/box, within the fireplace,
rather than dismantling the front of the chimney breast?

Yes

That bit should come out easily enough - surely it can't be taking any
load as suggested above?

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

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.

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)

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

Well you need to know what clearance behind your chosen fire will
require (is it on www.diy.com?) 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