Survey - Ventilation for Chimney

guinness.cobra

Dear All - advice would be appreciated. We had a survey done which highligted that there are two capped off chimneys on the right hand side of the property. On one of them the stack has been removed and for the other the stack is still partially present. They have been fully blocked off.

However there are no air bricks outside the property and the surveyor stated that ventilation is needed for the redundant chimneys.

What does this entail? Does this mean that an airbrick needs to be put in at the top of the blocked off chimneys on the outside? Or do you need two airbricks on the outside - one at the top and one at the bottom? for the air to get through? Or do we need any airbricks inside the property?

If we put airbricks on the outside is there a chance rain water / small animals may enter through these air bricks?

Thanks for your help

G_M

It's a very minot job.

remove a brick (o two) from the side of the chimney and replace with an air brick.

They are designed not to allow rain/squirrels in (spiders will do not harm!)

The bricks probably cost £2 wach and a man wih a ladder will fit them for £25 -£50 (in London)

guinness.cobra

G_M wrote: »

It's a very minot job.

remove a brick (o two) from the side of the chimney and replace with an air brick.

They are designed not to allow rain/squirrels in (spiders will do not harm!)

The bricks probably cost £2 wach and a man wih a ladder will fit them for £25 -£50 (in London)

Thanks for the quick reply. But is one airbrick enough on the outside or do we need one on the top and one at the bottom?

And does it need venting inside the property?

makeitstop

guinness.cobra wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply. But is one airbrick enough on the outside or do we need one on the top and one at the bottom?

And does it need venting inside the property?

One top and one bottom to allow air to be pulled through.

Can be fitted internally or externally, but externally is better.

G_M

I'm not an expert so either google for the best solution (there's an enourmous amount of information on the www if you can locate the 'reputable' sites!) or take advice from a builder, but logic suggests one top & bottom will encourage an air flow.

If you have a gas fire fitted in the fireplace you'll need to check
a) if the chimney is required to be used
b) if the chimney IS being used

The GasSafe website might help, or get in a GasSafe engineer. Perhaps when having the boiler serviced (assuming it's gas and you decide to service it!) ask the engineer about the gas fire/chimney.

lxpeanut

I had a damp survey and they just suggested that the chimneys just needed a vent installed in each room except the one that has the gas fire in it.

camptownraces

If you've paid for a survey, phone or email the surveyor tomorrow and ask him for more detailed recommendations.

That's what you've paid him for! Most surveyors are happy to help.

guinness.cobra

Have spoken to the surveyor who mentioned for one of the chimney it will need one at the top and one at the bottom and for the other only one at the top.