hole in the wall gas fire vs chimney breast dimensions

tellme_why

Hello forum,
Wondering if anyone considered installing a hole in the wall gas fire and learnt about chimney breast and fire opening dimensions in the process.

My fire opening is 23" tall from floor level to the lintel.

Gas fire catalogues show pictures of fire inset sitting well above the floor level (e.g. 13" or more).
Not sure how they fit the fire inset/box so higher up; I guess they will have to move the lintel up but I suspect the flue shape dimensions would reduce just above the lintel making it impossible to fit the fireplace box?

I could not find anything meaningful about chimney breast and fireplace opening design over internet to get a better idea how these things were built back in the sixties?

Many thanks!

Doozergirl

The work required for them is huge and the lintel has to be raised to accommodate not only the part you see, but also the hood above it which tapers up at a steep angle until it reaches the width of the flue.

We had a chimney purpose built in a two storey extension, knowing that we would be using a flue, so it was mainly open within. We had terrible trouble as we didn't nearly account for the height of the unit being quite so tall or that it wouldn't allow for much of a brickwork face to the chinney! If you have an existing fireplace where it quickly tapers to a brick flue, the structural work will be significant and very dirty.

The overall height of ours was over 1200mm high with the finally visible height of the hole being about 450mm and you still need to somehow be able to work on the top of it to connect the fluework to it! And you need to account for it being raised off the ground in your work.

I'd not do it again. Real fires are much nicer and simpler to install.

tellme_why

Thank you for sharing Doozergirl; I guess your gas box was very tall.
How long did it take the installation?

Doozergirl

tellme_why wrote: »

Thank you for sharing Doozergirl; I guess your gas box was very tall.
How long did it take the installation?

I don't remember. It was convoluted as we were building an extension the size of a house but I remember the blasted thing sat on the floor for a a period while we tried to work it out.

rustyboy21

This job is done on an almost daily basis by Fireplace showrooms who have their own installers. It is fairly straightforward, too long winded to go into on here though. In 20 years, my installers must have installed over 3,000 of them

Don't buy your fire online and then try and find a gas fitter to install it. Go onto the manufacturers website, find a local dealer, go in and speak to them. Get their installers to install it. Buy it from them. It is not a usual purchase which anyone can fit.

The opening you have is too small, it can be moved up the wall, depending on flue type. Go in Armed with photos of what is there at present, What you have on the roof ( Terminal/Chimney pot) the dimensions of the chimney breast itself and if you want the size of your room, if you are looking for a primary heat source.

As I said, it is straightforward, but not for a normal gas fitter, who fits cookers, outset fires, CH etc.