Bolts/Valve on outide of bedroom chimney breast

maryroberts

We are renovating an ex-council house built around 1930. 2 upstairs bedrooms share a chimney breast. High up on the outer edge of the chimney breast (facing front) in each bedroom is what looks like a bolt coming through the chimney breast. It is a round bolt with a square piece in the middle that has been painted over.

We have no idea what these are, but ideally want to remove them & plaster & paint over them. There are no such bolts downstairs in the living room chimney breast.

Both bedrooms have very old vents in the chimney breast which need replacing. Could these bolts/valves be something to do with these vents?

A plumber seemed to think they used to be a connection to the old gas lights - in a house built in 1930, I don't think so?!!!

Can anyone help identify what they could be? Is it possible to post photos on here as it's a bit difficult to explain what they look like.

We don't really want to just unscrew them/wrench them loose, without knowing what they were originally for. Thanks.

spadoosh

Ive got the same bolts on the upstairs chimney stack. Same type of house.

Always assumed it was something to do with gas being soo close to the firplace. We just glossed it and wallpapered around it. I can imagine youll be able to get it removed as long as it nots ocnnected to existing gas supply, would imagine it would be a pain in the bum to do though otherwise it would have been removed already. We just put a vase in the way!

Just had a look on another forum and its suggesting it might be something to do with an old back boiler system?!

maryroberts

Thanks - yes there was an old back boiler in one bedroom which was removed years ago, so various old pipes which have been capped off.

I wonder what the actual bolt/ valve controlled though. They really are quite unsightly and too high to put anything in front.

spadoosh

Ahh i see, ours was just above the skirting level so not to bad. and only protrudes about an inch.

Sorry i cant be much help i dont really have a clue what it does just noting we have a similar thing. You tried asking neigbours what theyve done with theirs?! Could be worth a try?!?

keystone

Pic?

Cheers

maryroberts

Hopefully this link will work - I've uploaded 3 photos to Photobucket:-

http://s1064.photobucket.com/albums/u364/young_fran2012/Bolts%20in%20Chimney%20Breast/

There are 2 closeups showing the bolt in each room, plus one showing a whole chimney breast with the bolt high up on the right side.

It would be great if anyone can help identify what they were used for. Thanks.

keystone

maryroberts wrote: »

A plumber seemed to think they used to be a connection to the old gas lights - in a house built in 1930, I don't think so?!!!

I think there is a distinct possibility that he could be right and you could be wrong. The National Grid wasn't fully established until the late 1930s and if this house was built at the turn of that decade its more than possible that it originally had gas lights.

I don't think they are bolts though - they look like screw in plugs of some sort which could reinforce the gas light theory..

Cheers

phill99

They are iron caps for gas pipes. Would have fed gas lights. They should not be live but you mite want to get a Gas Safe Engineer just to be on the safe side.

maryroberts

Thanks for the replies - very interesting about the gas lights, I had no idea they were still being used in the 1930's!

Canucklehead

Something like this http://www.belowstairs.co.uk/acatalog/DSCF325355D.JPG gives you the circular 'footprint' on the wall.

Yes I know it's electric. It's based on a gas original.

GSR.

ormus

most likely gas pipes capped off. gas lighting.
my last house in west london had them too. 1930s semi.
i had to remove all the iron pipework and caps.