reinstating fireplace
 

Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid fuel.
used occasionally.
at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use by
previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for going
to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years without
and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

reinstating fireplace
 

Staffbull wrote:
Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid fuel.
used occasionally.
at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use by
previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for going
to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years without
and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

Staffbull,

Depends on whether it's going to heat water or not.

Minimum requirements (no water heating):

Plain burr, firebasket, fret, tiled surround, 'asbestos' cord (probably
fibreglass cord now), tin of fire cement, probably a few bricks to pack the
hole along with some sand and cement.

If you want to heat water (no CH):

Then you'll need to add a back boiler with (cut-away burr instead of a plain
one), a combination direct cylinder and some pipe work.

If you want CH:

Then stick something like a Parkray high output boiler in the opening with
the corresponding indirect cylinder, radiators, pump and all the pipework
etc.

Please note that all this is from memory - I may have forgotten something
and names and methods may have changed since I was last involved in this
sort of thing many years ago - but I'm sure that someone (TMH) will correct
me if I'm wrong. :-)

Tanner-'op

reinstating fireplace
 

On 19 Oct, 13:57, "Tanner-'op" wrote:
Staffbull wrote:
Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid fuel.
used occasionally.
at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use by
previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for going
to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years without
and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

Staffbull,

Depends on whether it's going to heat water or not.

Minimum requirements (no water heating):

Plain burr, firebasket, fret, tiled surround, 'asbestos' cord (probably
fibreglass cord now), tin of fire cement, probably a few bricks to pack the
hole along with some sand and cement.

If you want to heat water (no CH):

Then you'll need to add a back boiler with (cut-away burr instead of a plain
one), a combination direct cylinder and some pipe work.

If you want CH:

Then stick something like a Parkray high output boiler in the opening with
the corresponding indirect cylinder, radiators, pump and all the pipework
etc.

Please note that all this is from memory - I may have forgotten something
and names and methods may have changed since I was last involved in this
sort of thing many years ago - but I'm sure that someone (TMH) will correct
me if I'm wrong. :-)

Tanner-'op

Hi thanks, no water heating just open fire. Whats a burr?

reinstating fireplace
 

Staffbull wrote:
On 19 Oct, 13:57, "Tanner-'op" wrote:
Staffbull wrote:
Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid
fuel. used occasionally.
at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use
by previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for
going to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years
without and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

Staffbull,

Depends on whether it's going to heat water or not.

Minimum requirements (no water heating):

Plain burr, firebasket, fret, tiled surround, 'asbestos' cord
(probably fibreglass cord now), tin of fire cement, probably a few
bricks to pack the hole along with some sand and cement.

If you want to heat water (no CH):

Then you'll need to add a back boiler with (cut-away burr instead of
a plain one), a combination direct cylinder and some pipe work.

If you want CH:

Then stick something like a Parkray high output boiler in the
opening with the corresponding indirect cylinder, radiators, pump
and all the pipework etc.

Please note that all this is from memory - I may have forgotten
something and names and methods may have changed since I was last
involved in this sort of thing many years ago - but I'm sure that
someone (TMH) will correct me if I'm wrong. :-)

Tanner-'op

Hi thanks, no water heating just open fire. Whats a burr?


Staffbull,

Go he

http://tinyurl.com/5j4q6p (This will link to - FireTile Limited)

Scroll down and click on:
Solid Fuel Fire Backs and Bricks

Tanner-'op

reinstating fireplace
 

Staffbull wrote:
Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid
fuel. used occasionally.

You will need a basket if burning wood and firebricks if burning coal.
If burning both you will have to find a compromise I suppose

I'm not an expert but regularly cursed my firebricked grate which
didnt burn wood at all well and was so big that it needed loads of
coal to get a good coal fire

Thankfully it is now history

Anna
--
Anna Kettle
Lime plaster repair and conservation
Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
Tel: ***(+44) *01359 230642
Mob: * (+44) *07976 649862
Please look at my website for examples of my work at:
www.kettlenet.co.uk *

reinstating fireplace
 

Anna Kettle wrote:
Staffbull wrote:
Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid
fuel. used occasionally.

You will need a basket if burning wood and firebricks if burning coal.
If burning both you will have to find a compromise I suppose

I'm not an expert but regularly cursed my firebricked grate which
didnt burn wood at all well and was so big that it needed loads of
coal to get a good coal fire

Thankfully it is now history

Anna

Anna,

That's where the old burr comes in. Its one piece reduces the size of the
opening, is fire resistant and creates a proper air-flow path under and
through the basket to the get the wood or coal to burn properly - along with
proper room ventilation and chimney construction.

It's surprising how many times I have gone to solve fire grate problems and
have found the room to be almost devoid of airflow because the occupants had
draught proofed the room where the fire grate was - and I can still clearly
recall the verbal abuse I used to get when I suggested that they remove some
of the draught proofing or fit an over-door, inter-room air vent to get the
air flow back.

And that was even after I had proved the cause by simply opening the room
door a little - all great fun at the time!

Tanner-'op

reinstating fireplace
 

Staffbull coughed up some electrons that declared:

Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid fuel.
used occasionally.
at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use by
previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for going
to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years without
and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

Aside from all the other good advice, might be worth doing a smoke test.


I just exposed the brick on my chimney (the unplastered bit under the
upstairs floor). I noticed the mortar wasn't so great - looked like some
small gaps between some of the bricks. Doesn't matter for me because I'm
going to line mine for a stove, but if you are going to use the chimney as
nature intended, it might be a good idea to verify it doesn't leak.

Cheers


Tim

reinstating fireplace
 

On 19 Oct, 21:00, Tim S wrote:
Staffbull coughed up some electrons that declared:

Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid fuel.
used occasionally.
*at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
*I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use by
previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for going
to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years without
and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

Aside from all the other good advice, might be worth doing a smoke test.

I just exposed the brick on my chimney (the unplastered bit under the
upstairs floor). I noticed the mortar wasn't so great - looked like some
small gaps between some of the bricks. Doesn't matter for me because I'm
going to line mine for a stove, but if you are going to use the chimney as
nature intended, it might be a good idea to verify it doesn't leak.

Cheers

Tim

thanks, will do, the sweep should be able to do this I would have
thought?

reinstating fireplace
 

Staffbull coughed up some electrons that declared:

On 19 Oct, 21:00, Tim S wrote:
Staffbull coughed up some electrons that declared:

Hi, I have unbricked a fireplace I bricked up 6 years ago. I would
like to ask whats needed to fully reinstate it, it will be solid fuel.
used occasionally.
at the moment I have a 18" X 24" hole in the wall, do I just require
a concrete fireback thingy with sides? or do I need to install a
damping type thing?
I will be having it swept before use obviously, chimeny was in use by
previous owners, red brick and unlined. I dont see the need for going
to the extent of lining it as it has been used for 40 years without
and thats how they were constructed.
thanks

Aside from all the other good advice, might be worth doing a smoke test.

I just exposed the brick on my chimney (the unplastered bit under the
upstairs floor). I noticed the mortar wasn't so great - looked like some
small gaps between some of the bricks. Doesn't matter for me because I'm
going to line mine for a stove, but if you are going to use the chimney
as nature intended, it might be a good idea to verify it doesn't leak.

Cheers

Tim

thanks, will do, the sweep should be able to do this I would have
thought?

He might.

They do:

http://www.chimneysweepsltd.co.uk/smoke.htm

That's not a recommendation BTW - just what google pulled up.

Either that, or lob one of these in the fireplace:

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=882

The difficulty is I suspect you'd need to get an updraft going first or
you'll just fill the house with smoke anyway. I guess burning a bit of coal
or charcoal for 30 mins would work, just to get things warmed up.

Cheers

Tim