Victorian chimney issues

lookstraightahead

Hi all

Since buying our house a few years ago, we've noticed that our 'closed off' (no chimney stack) chimney has sometimes shed dust and rubble.

today I went to dust it and a load of bigger pieces dropped down, I shone a torch up the middle of the chimney and there's a whole load of bricks / rubble up there. Ive attached two photos. The one of the inside of the chimney shows a black 'plinth?' Either side of the flue, and a brown old piece of rusty metal withering away across part of the open bit. Behind this is lots of old bricks which seem to be just held up by this bit withering away.

the chimney is on the ground floor, I think the breast is cut off upstairs as the bedroom lies flush with the back wall maybe.

Im concerned the chimney is collapsing, or could it just be filled with rubbish? Who do we need to get in to check? 

Brie

I'd suggest a chimney sweep. Others might suggest a brickie to check how solid the stack actually is.  

lookstraightahead

Brie said:

I'd suggest a chimney sweep. Others might suggest a brickie to check how solid the stack actually is.  

There isn't a chimney stack. Do you mean a chimney sweep would be able to work it out (not to clean it as we don't use it). Thank you

stuart45

You need a closure plate fitted. An unused flue will often have a lot of loose brickwork and mortar.

lookstraightahead

stuart45 said:

You need a closure plate fitted. An unused flue will often have a lot of loose brickwork and mortar.

Thank you. I feel like chicken licken at the moment thinking the whole flue is going to collapse. Looks like a lot of random bricks up there 

stuart45

The main part of the structure is the jambs at each side. The inside brickwork is an infill to form the flues. Modern chimneys don't have the amount of brickwork that the older ones had.
It's quite common for the inner mid feathers to come loose.

lookstraightahead

Look at all those bricks 

stuart45

I'd probably use a steel closure plate rather than a cement board one. It looks like the bigger pieces of brick are wedged in the flue. This often happens when people are taking the stack down and drop the bricks down the flue to get them to the ground.