Bulging wall on chimney breast

sbird90

Hey all. Hope someone can offer me some advice and hopefully reassurance as you I may see from my previous posts I have a lot of house anxiety. 

I was in the dining room today and noticed the wall on the blocked up chimney breast had a buldge/more prominent area sticking out. Now it could have always been there but it’s next to my bike so in there often and I think I would have noticed it before but I notice more when I’m anxious and my anxiety is high so I think I subconsciously look for things. 

It was already covered when we moved in, still renovating and not got to this room so have no idea how it’s been blocked up etc so I know that’s not helpful but anyone know what it could be? 

I’ve had a good prod and it feels hard/ solid nothing feels spongy/soft. Photos to show it I hope that helps 

sbird90

Forgot to add my house is 1930s, and want very loved as the ex owner was a landlord 

stuart45

Probably where the fireplace and mantle were removed and the making good was a bit proud.

sbird90

stuart45 said:

Probably where the fireplace and mantle were removed and the making good was a bit proud.

Thanks, that’s what I’m hoping and that’s it’s always been there but I’ve just not noticed (been here two year) but tell that to my anxiety brain telling me it’s subsidence and my house will fall down sigh 

poppellerant

To me, the bulge looks like it's in between the two circles you've drawn - almost one large square bulge.

Have you tried pushing the bulge? It could be a loose piece of plaster, which could make a lot of mess if it tears through that wallpaper.  I've seen a few chimney breasts, 1930s and 1960s, need replastering as the plaster fell away from the chimney breast for whatever reason.

Whatever you do, exercise caution as it can be quite mess if it goes pear shaped.  I'd be inclined to clear the room, lay dust sheets everywhere and peel that wallpaper back to get a proper look.

MalMonroe

I'm with stuart45 - it looks very much like something's been removed but not very professionally. Years ago my ex and I bought a 1930s house and the previous owners had also carried out similar DIY jobs, your photo brought back memories of all the hard work we had to do! Some people just don't seem to care. As long as your house insurance policies, buildings and contents, are up to date, I'd try to relax and enjoy your home.

I'm inclined to think that this isn't bulging so much as bodging.      

sbird90

poppellerant said:

To me, the bulge looks like it's in between the two circles you've drawn - almost one large square bulge.

Have you tried pushing the bulge? It could be a loose piece of plaster, which could make a lot of mess if it tears through that wallpaper.  I've seen a few chimney breasts, 1930s and 1960s, need replastering as the plaster fell away from the chimney breast for whatever reason.

Whatever you do, exercise caution as it can be quite mess if it goes pear shaped.  I'd be inclined to clear the room, lay dust sheets everywhere and peel that wallpaper back to get a proper look.

Yea and a good poke, solid as a rock no movement. I will have a good look behind but after Christmas (unless it gets significantly worse before then) and currently renovating elsewhere and I can’t cope with both being done at once. 

sbird90

MalMonroe said:

I'm with stuart45 - it looks very much like something's been removed but not very professionally. Years ago my ex and I bought a 1930s house and the previous owners had also carried out similar DIY jobs, your photo brought back memories of all the hard work we had to do! Some people just don't seem to care. As long as your house insurance policies, buildings and contents, are up to date, I'd try to relax and enjoy your home.

I'm inclined to think that this isn't bulging so much as bodging.      

Ah I hope so! Thank you for commenting! We have insurance but my partner did it so maybe I need to check haha but he’s quite good like that so I trust him, and if not it’s someone to blame isn’t it!! Yes we’ve had a LOT of bodge jobs to rectify so far and only just scratched the surface so fingers crossed this is just another ti add to the list  

Money_Grabber13579

If you tap it with your knuckles, does it sound hollow anywhere across that area? As it’s a chimney breast, I’m guess it’s a brick construction so if any parts sound hollow, the plaster is likely to be loose.

sbird90

Money_Grabber13579 said:

If you tap it with your knuckles, does it sound hollow anywhere across that area? As it’s a chimney breast, I’m guess it’s a brick construction so if any parts sound hollow, the plaster is likely to be loose.

No it doesn’t sound hallow it’s firm and sounds like the rest of the wall when tapped 

Grizzlebeard

1: Has the chimney been capped?
2: Is the plastic vent open or closed?
3: Is the "backside" of the fireplace in another room, or external. Either way check the rear wall behind the breast and see if everything is normal.
4: The bulge is clearly over the original fireplace opening so is below the lintel and is unlikely to pose a structural risk.

If 1: & 2: are no, then there might have been an accumulation of damp at some time that's blown the masonry (edit: or caused a wooden frame to swell). There's no sign of damp on the wallpaper and the paper hasn't split which suggests the bulge was present before it was last decorated. If the knuckle rap isn't hollow sounding as per Money_grabber13579's suggestion the plaster is still bonded to the bricks/whatever behind.

4: is reassuring - the house isn't going to fall down within the next year so keep an eye on it and see if anything moves.