Fireplace adventures.

[Santalum]

Posted this in another thread.
(I know exactly what your talking about, opened a fire place in our home that had been boarded up in the distant past, bought a grate and stoked her up, 5 mins later we were feeling our way around and every smoke detector in the place was going nuts still have not fixed it, on the list of things to do (one day) )

Well I finally got around to doing something about it the other day, turns out the reason it wouldn't draw is because some time in the distant past someone had plugged it with foam, laid chicken wire about 18 inches from the top plastered it and just for good measure on top of this found a mummified Galah, after removing this lot I have a fire place that is functional, not perfect but ok, it can be induced to smoke if you dont get a hot fire burning pretty quickly so plenty of dry kindling is the go, once burning it's fine, I've a feeling the fire place opening is a bit high, next job is to add a couple of rows of bricks across the top, this should make quite a difference.

[ozwinner]

Got any pictures?

Al

[echnidna]

I wonder if they sealed it up like that because it has another problem

[Santalum]

Got any pictures?

Al

Not a one, to tell the truth did not think it was worth documenting.

[Santalum]

I wonder if they sealed it up like that because it has another problem

Don't think so the house is 150 years old and the fireplace has obviously seen plenty of use in the distant past, as it will again in the future.

[echnidna]

If its that old check the mortar for cracks or holes that will let sparks into wall/roof cavities

[Santalum]

If its that old check the mortar for cracks or holes that will let sparks into wall/roof cavities

It's a stand alone chimney built onto the exterior, no roof or wall cavities to worry about, solid stone construction.

[ozwinner]

Not a one, to tell the truth did not think it was worth documenting.

I meant as to why you think the fireplace opening is too high.

Al