A hole in the cavity

Polin_ka

Hi all,
End of September, I had a boiler updated, moved to a new location and the old flue hole bricked up. However, yesterday when I removed the board that was covering the hole, thinking I just need to plaster it, I discovered that only the external brick was done. I was convinced that by bricking up they mean the whole cavity wall, not just external side. Am I right to expect this? I wouldn't be as annoyed if not for the state of the work on this external brick. I'm not an expert in bricklaying but this doesn't look right. Again, am I right or am I being fussy?

Second question, what can I use to fill the insulation gap in this whole before I do the internal wall?

neilmcl

That really is a poor job, but they're gas installers at the end of the day not bricklayers but even a complete novice could do a better job than that. What's it look from the outside?

FreeBear

So that is the inside of the outer leaf - What an earth is that round(ish) lump of crud ?

It is certainly messy. No attempt to match the bricks or original pattern. Mortar looks like it has been mixed way too hard, and the joints aren't even level or even - I'd have been kicking butt as soon as I saw the bricks....

A white mortar is visible on the original bricks. This suggests a lime mortar which should be fairly soft and easy to cut out. A trip to a local building reclaim yard may yield some matching bricks. Cut out any half bricks, and insert the new ones on a bed of matching mortar - A couple of hours work for a handyman and shouldn't cost a fortune. Keep hold of those grotty bricks and use them to patch the inside.

stuart45

Looks like they used a log to fill at the top, which will probably bridge the cavity. You could use a cavity batt for insulation if you can get hold of one. I guess the external wall is rendered.

Polin_ka

stuart45 said:

Looks like they used a log to fill at the top, which will probably bridge the cavity. You could use a cavity batt for insulation if you can get hold of one. I guess the external wall is rendered.

Thanks, is it really bad if it bridges the cavity? Do you mean it could result in damp? I'm thinking if there's flue going through it, it was also bridging it. Sorry, I have no idea really.
The external wall is rendered and they just filled it with mortar, which I was expecting. 
The question is do I rebuild it or just leave it like this and add insulation and build the internal part. 

stuart45

Polin_ka said:

stuart45 said:

Looks like they used a log to fill at the top, which will probably bridge the cavity. You could use a cavity batt for insulation if you can get hold of one. I guess the external wall is rendered.

Thanks, is it really bad if it bridges the cavity? Do you mean it could result in damp? 

Better if you take it out, as damp could get through to the inner skin.

weeg

Take out the log, put in a part brick ( or similar), fill the gaps with mortar (or foam filler if you are as lazy as me).

In terms of how  the wall works , there's a lintel there. You just want something for insulation, and keeping a cavity void is much warmer and much better for avoiding damp.

Polin_ka

weeg said:

Take out the log, put in a part brick ( or similar), fill the gaps with mortar (or foam filler if you are as lazy as me).

In terms of how  the wall works , there's a lintel there. You just want something for insulation, and keeping a cavity void is much warmer and much better for avoiding damp.

Thanks. I'm now thinking whether this round log was there before; otherwise why would they use it instead of a brick. Doesn't make sense. 

What would there be a lintel? I thought these are found above windows and doors. 

weeg

Polin_ka said:

weeg said:

Take out the log, put in a part brick ( or similar), fill the gaps with mortar (or foam filler if you are as lazy as me).

In terms of how  the wall works , there's a lintel there. You just want something for insulation, and keeping a cavity void is much warmer and much better for avoiding damp.

Thanks. I'm now thinking whether this round log was there before; otherwise why would they use it instead of a brick. Doesn't make sense. 

What would there be a lintel? I thought these are found above windows and doors. 

Sorry - I assumed it was an old fireplace from the photos.

Davesnave

Is it a log? Doesn't make much difference, as I'd change it anyway, but I have a few thousand and it doesn't look very 'loggish' to me on the full size image!

neilmcl

Davesnave said:

Is it a log? Doesn't make much difference, as I'd change it anyway, but I have a few thousand and it doesn't look very 'loggish' to me on the full size image!

Agree, it looks more like some sort of coping stone. Possibly chose it because it matches the hole shape and size of the old flue.