Base - when not in use, turn the base upside down – it fits neatly into the main chimney for easy transportation and storage. Alongside the money saved on customer bills, the simple draught excluder has also made a huge difference to the environment.

So the fire in the main needs to be two stage, with extra air added to ensure a very complete and hot burn, it needs to draw air from outside, and the rate of burn needs controlling so the flue is kept at around 150 deg C hot enough to stop condensation and cool enough to mean not too much heat is wasted. And the air control needs to be automated to ensure it stays within strict limits. When my son fitted a wood burning stove to a narrow boat, it required twin 12 volt water pumps, from two independent supplies, as if the water did not circulate so much damage could result, even then he never left the boat with the fire lit. By cutting out draughts, you can keep your home nice and cosy. You will also use less heating, which is a win win: reducing your bills and helping the planet. The climate is changing due to emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity, and heating buildings currently accounts for more than a third of the UK’s emissions. A property might not always have a chimney that can be utilised for a solid fuel or gas fireplace appliance but this is not a problem.

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What is required is a temporary draught excluder that will fit up your chimney. There is a range of options that you can choose to do the job, but the key thing is that it must stop the air flow and should ideally be easy to insert and remove without getting too sooty. How Does the Chimney Sheep Work? FLUE CONNECTOR:Connects the fireplace to the flue. Bends shouldn’t exceed 45°, to enable them to be swept clean. The handle and a useful tag will hang down into the fire place to remind you to remove it before your light the fire again. Give the Chimney Sheep a little tug once in place to secure it firmly Looking After Your Chimney Sheep After the chimney has been removed, there will be additional work to take care of such as new flooring and decorating. Having a chimney removed can be a difficult job, but it is worth doing if it is causing problems within your home. FAQ Do I Need to Hire a Structural Engineer to have my Chimney Breast Removed?

A very dirty, roughly-lined, tall chimney, subject to poor insulation and possible air leaks could well be less efficient than a well-designed shorter chimney. If you are removing a chimney breast, there are often building regulations that govern the work that must be carried out. These regulations ensure that the home is still structurally safe and stable after the job has been completed. Group safety rules - ensure roles have been allocated to group members and that everybody is clear about the safety rules. If the area where the chimney is located experiences water damage, fire damage, or failure of the chimney it will need to be replaced.

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In addition to her products, Sally also set up Buy Land, Plant Trees, a community interest company where 20 per cent of the company’s profits go. If the combustible material is separated from the flue by a non-combustible shield (for instance, a cement-based fire protection board used behind appliances), the distance can be reduced to 1.5 times the diameter of the flue. DAMPER:Also called a ‘throat’. A pivoted or sliding metal flap in the fluethat regulates the amount of draught, preventing excessive variations. It can also close off the fireplace from the outside of the house, preventing air loss when the fireplace is not in use. Sometimes it is located on the appliance. CO poisoning, dependent upon its severity, can vary from mild flue like symptoms to headaches and sleepiness to death when the CO concentrations in the air reach critical levels. Alternatively, if you are using matches, set up the tinder in the base and place the filled kettle in position. Then light the tinder in the base through the hole. Gradually add kindling through the hole in the top of the kettle, making sure each piece catches alight. Once the kindling is burning well add the fuel. Make sure that all fuel is short enough to drop into the cavity and is not poking up through the hole.

Ask for a breakdown of costs on the quotes so that you’re getting a fair price for each element of the job. However, electric fires require no ventilation for fumes or gases and so a false chimney breast or media wall can be built to house the appliance. This can be constructed from wood and plasterboard as electric fireplaces have only a 1-2 kW heat output.

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If you live in a property that is a listed building, they usually have strict rules about making any modifications to the property. It is crucial that you consult with a structural engineer when undertaking this project —they will ensure the structural integrity of your property remains sound and determine how the chimney breast can be removed in the safest possible way. Even if in your case it is found that the removal of your chimney will not compromise the structure of your walls, you will still need proof of this to show your local authority when it comes to getting the project signed off by building control. FDamperA pivoted sliding metal flap that regulates the amount of draught, preventing excessive variations. It can also close off the fireplace from the outside of the house, preventing air loss Both chimneys and flues are available in a variety of materials, including stainless steel, concrete, pumice, clay or ceramic, and plastic. Concrete, pumice and clay or ceramic are collectively known as ‘masonry chimneys’.