The chimney breast in our house was blocked up using breeze blocks. I intend
to put a reclaimed fire back in. Its in a bedroom so we don't intend to use
it as a working fire. I assume I can knock it back open again so long as I
don't make the opening bigger than it was orginally - am I correct?

Whats the best way to knock it out - my current method of hammer and cold
chisel is going to take some time!

TIA

elziko wrote:
The chimney breast in our house was blocked up using breeze blocks. I
intend to put a reclaimed fire back in. Its in a bedroom so we don't
intend to use it as a working fire. I assume I can knock it back open
again so long as I don't make the opening bigger than it was
orginally - am I correct?

Whats the best way to knock it out - my current method of hammer and
cold chisel is going to take some time!

TIA

If you have a working fire in the room below? you will need to make sure
the fire you're putting in is sealed in the appropriate way for fear of
fumes from the fire below.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

In article ,
"elziko" writes:
The chimney breast in our house was blocked up using breeze blocks. I intend
to put a reclaimed fire back in. Its in a bedroom so we don't intend to use
it as a working fire. I assume I can knock it back open again so long as I
don't make the opening bigger than it was orginally - am I correct?

Whats the best way to knock it out - my current method of hammer and cold
chisel is going to take some time!

When you've got the first couple of bricks out, the rest are
generally easy -- light tap with the hammer loosens them.
I had taken the plaster off the front anyway as it was loose,
so it was easy to see where the opening had been bricked up.

If it's on an outside 9" wall, the back of the fireplace may
be just a 4" wall, and liable to condensation. I lined the back
of one I opened out with with 1" cellotex behind 9mm plasterboard,
which has prevented any condensation (actually, that wall is now
warmer than the 9" walls either side of the chimney breast).

I also blocked the flue off with a piece of plasterboard held up
by bonding coat plaster, with an insulation offcut on top of it.
For continued flue ventilation, I fitted an air brick above the
plasterboard open to the outside.

--
Andrew Gabriel

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
If you have a working fire in the room below? you will need to make
sure the fire you're putting in is sealed in the appropriate way for
fear of fumes from the fire below.

The fire in the room below is one of those gas/living flame affairs. Is the
sealing still required? And if so any information on how to do this would be
appreciated!

TIA