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Housing - Renovation: terraced House - Unused Chimneys

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1 to 19 of 19

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  1.  
    I have a Victorian terrace, standard 4 chambers for the chimney.

    I intend to use the living room fireplace only with a 316 liner.

    What should I do with teh other three unused chimneys?

    In work (Council Housing) we generally block them up and just put an air vent in the wall.

    What is best practice? Aim is to keep chimney clear of damp but also want to reduce any heat loss?
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2014
     
    open it in the loft and fill the three with vermiculite then insulate a meter up it.
    • CommentAuthorjfb
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2014
     
    and then no need to ventilate it Tony?

    also - is vermiculite better than say EPS balls?
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2014
     
    if it is internal (ie not on an outside wall) then no
  5.  
    I am in a similar situation with six chimneys (and five will be unused). I hope to put in an MVHR system and create as air tight a building as I can. They are all internal chimneys in the central wall of a semi-detached house.

    Does anyone have any suggestions for treatment of the chimeny in this case?

    Thanks.
    • CommentAuthorjfb
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2014
     
    put a supply/exhaust up the chimney!

    well - I have seen conflicting things on this forum about that but some companies I have spoken to don't say it is impossible. Need adequate sizing and insulation.
    Similar situation here with 3 unused pots right by where the MVHR unit could go near the apex of roof.
  7.  
    cheapest place for vermiculite? Why not just wedge a slab of EPS up the chimney opening and cap off the pot?
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2014
     
    Pumping will happen and the whole lot will get damp
    • CommentAuthorjfb
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2014 edited
     
    tony I know you don't like to post more than one sentence at a time but can you explain why that would happen ? !

    is it because vermiculite is better at buffering moisture?
  10.  
    Do you still block up the bottom of the chimney if so with what? That must be a lot of weight from the vermiculite to take....
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2014
     
    Pumping happens where an area of higher temperature within a system is connected to one of lower temperature and the colder place is below dew point.

    In an closed off chimney the top gets very cold, condensation occurs and the cold air falls down the chimney, warm moist air rises, this dries the chimney breasts and indeed the house but dumps water in the form of condensation in the top of the chimney, saturating it until it can take no more at which point it starts dripping, running down the flue. This is like a cold tropical rain forest and not good.

    Block the flue at ceiling level, insulate over it -- ventilate the top part of the chimney and add ventilator cap and/or air brick.

    Vermiculite helps reduce thermal bypass, is easy to remove and keeps it all happy. It is not involved in the pumping.
    • CommentAuthorjfb
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2014
     
    thanks for that tony.

    so if I have a warm pitched roof and am trying to get a good level of airtightness and install MVHR I can get away without putting an air brick above where I close the chimney off if I have a ventilator cap (assuming I insulate)? I am having vaulted ceilings all the way to roof level.

    If not how else can I ventilate the chimney without putting more holes in it?!
  13.  
    if the attic is also to be converted so will also be 18degC then the whole length of the chimney will be 18c

    Is there really anypoint therefore in bothering with insulation fullstop?

    I could just put a small vent at the base of each fireplace (minimum size??) to ensure ventilation
    • CommentAuthorbarney
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2014
     
    Well the whole height of the flue is now gaining heat from the space, and in conjunction with the low level inlet will be a very effective chimmney - which is what it actually is - the stack effect will rip heat from the house

    If you ever get the chance on a cold, still day, stand by a flue pot and you can easily feel the warm air rising from it - it's quite considerable.

    I'd insulate and cap it at the highest point the heated envelope rises to, fill the flue with EPS beads, vermiculite, LECA or similar and stick a rain cowl on the pot.

    Unless you keep the fire place open, the insulation sits on the fire slab. If you keep the fireplace open then a reasonable register plate keeps it all "up there"

    All assuming it's not end of terrace and exposed to the outer wall of course

    Regards

    Barney
  15.  
    Does the cost/benefit actually work in terms of energy savings?
  16.  
    A simple chimney cap and a wedge of EPS insulation at the base with a small vent would be better than nothing but not at the expense of the insulation?

    I mean how much would it cost to line 4 disused chimneys with vermiculite or similar?
  17.  
    If the attic is being used, why not just open up chimney at attic ceiling height level or 1m below, block from there with vermiculite etc? Then vent
    • CommentAuthorbarney
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2014
     
    I guess it depends on how long you are staying - I estimated that the unused fires in my house were losing about 10% of the building energy - less when I blocked thenm initially with a chunk of rockwool, but still significant

    Measure the flue - I think you'll be suprised by how little volume it actually has when it comes to filling it

    Regards

    Barney
  19.  
    cheapest price for vermiculite?

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