Anyone well up on chimmney pots?

spinningsheep

Im hoping someone can help me with this, my new house has got chimney pots on the roof like the one in the photo I have added a link to. My question is, if the chimney is sound (and the current owner seems to think it was used up until about 15 years ago,just before they moved in) will the pot be okay or is it only suitable for a gas fire? we dont know if the pot is original or added since the house was built around 1900. Also, is there a solid top to this type of pot or is it open? thanks.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii73/spinningsheep/DSC00504.jpg

spinningsheep

I am moving into a new house very soon and this gorgeous fireplace is there in the lounge. My question is, if the chimney is sound (see seperate thread) how do you use the oven above!! There is a strange handle or 2 at the sides that pull in and out but I dont know if they have any sort of use. Hope somone can help, ive never seen anything like it you see!

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii73/spinningsheep/DSC00038.jpg

spinningsheep

BUMP, anyone?

Mojisola

Looks like you've beaten the MSers!

How about looking for a house renovation forum? They might have more knowledge.

I've never seen a chimney like yours but my OH says he thinks the top is solid - it looks as if the only light is coming from the other holes round the sides. He thinks it's designed like that to improve the airflow.

tubbee2

OK, I'm no expert on chimney pots but the one in your picture is very similar to one that was on my parents house - built about 1900 and used for open fires until the mid-1980's (and probably since but we moved!!) The only way to check it works without smoking yourself out is to get a smoke bomb from a plumbers merchants and light it in the fireplace then go outside and watch. If no smoke appears then take a deep breath before you go back into the room as the room will probably be full of smoke, and in this case call in either a builder or a chimney sweep (they do still exist but you have to look hard) If smoke is coming out of the chimney pot, make sure it is coming out of the top and not from cracks round the sides or from the brick stack below.

Ok the fireplace is very similar to one I fitted in a previous house and I don't think its an oven but a smoke hood. When you light a solid fire you need to make sure there is enough draught for it to light so you move the hood to open. Then when you aren't using the fireplace you can close it. This prevents you having to put a chimney balloon up the throat of the fireplace when you aren't using the fire in one of our glorious summers!!

Hope that makes some sense but please see if a fireplace expert has any other advice.

Ken68

Try these people SS..

http://www.diynot.com/forums/index.php?sid=fb78ac6873a35331ea02bbf2b5b72417