Chimney Sheep in a permanently sealed Chimney ?

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Mun.Rassul86
Mun.Rassul86 Posts: 1 Newbie
in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
Hello everyone, I am looking for a little advice please.

I have decided to make use of a chimney space and turn it into a small book shelf in the kids bedroom (mid terraced house, solid brick, no cavity).

The fireplace gap itself has been emptied out, there is nothing there now, just an empty space, and has actually been plasterboarded and skimmed over , which i plan to break again to plasterboard the inside of the chimney.

Does anyone know if it is ok to stuff a chimney sheep up the chimney and permanently sealing it away by plasterboarding and then skimming over the top opening afterwards?

thank you all :j

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  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,989 Forumite
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    I wouldn't, you would be creating conditions for dampness.
  • Mun.Rassul
    Mun.Rassul Posts: 33 Forumite
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    Would you just plasterboard the chimney up without adding the chimney sheep?

    I was under the impression that the chimney sheep is breathable
  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,989 Forumite
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    I wouldn't plasterboard it up, either. At the moment, the chimney is open top and bottom, allowing air to move throughout. If you cap one end, you restrict that air movement and risk dampness. Capping the top could cause moist air from the house to condense inside the chimney. Blocking the bottom could cause precipitation or just damp air in the winter months to condense inside.

    I loosely "block" my chimney over the seasons I don't use it with a deliberately poorly-fitting bin-bag full of loft insulation. I suggest omitting the sheep and fitting a mesh, grille or similar across the hole to allow air to move through it. Either that, or have a builder put some vents in the chimney.
  • Mun.Rassul
    Mun.Rassul Posts: 33 Forumite
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    I was under the impression that as long as one of the ends remained unblocked I wouldn't have any damp issues, clearly not!

    What I may do instead is plasterboard the back of the fireplace and also sides and then close up the hole with a glass vent, maybe plasterboard and then drill some holes through it for air flow.

    I'm trying to find the best way to make use of the space whilst being able to keep the heat in the winter.
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 16,479 Forumite
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    Blocking a fireplace won't necessarily create a damp problem but there is a risk. We have been in our house over 30 years, one fireplace had been removed prior to that, it has no airbrick and we haven't experienced any damp problem.
  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,989 Forumite
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    Keeping heat in winter is a good idea but you only have to look at this forum in winter to see countless threads from people with condensation, damp patches, mould, etc. In nearly every case the problem arises from the "must seal my house for thermal efficiency" approach. The reason these problems didn't exist years ago was that houses had chimneys, draughts and were poorly insulated. Too many people go to the other extreme now and practically make their houses airtight. There's a sweet spot.

    You may not have a problem with your plans but if you do, it might take a long time to manifest itself and then you'd have to be clearing up damp patches, redecorating and putting in extraction or ventilation. Personally, I think the small loss in thermal efficiency is a better way forward to achieve some natural ventilation.
  • edgex
    edgex Posts: 4,177 Forumite
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    Has the chimney stack outside/above the roof been capped?
  • Mun.Rassul
    Mun.Rassul Posts: 33 Forumite
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    edited 21 August 2019 at 12:32PM
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    Hi, the chimney outside has not been capped off , it is still open at the top. I was originally going to cap it off but now that im thinking about ceiling the bottom , would it not be best to leave the top open as it is?
  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,989 Forumite
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    Don't seal the top but it's a good idea to fit a cowl to stop bird mess, leaves and precipitation entering the chimney but still allows airflow.
  • Mun.Rassul
    Mun.Rassul Posts: 33 Forumite
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    I found this on toolstation which seems like it will do the job, close the top whilst still allowing air to flow.


    https://www.toolstation.com/top-lid/p96165


    Im not sure if this image will show but this is the situation so far

    https://imgur.com/wKpgB57


    Im thinking if i plasterboard the inside all sides including blocking up hole where you would stuff the chimney sheep and then drill a few holes and cover it with a vent cover, would this suffice for ventilation ?


    Vent cover like this


    https://www.toolstation.com/louvre-vent-plastic/p47334


    or like this


    https://www.toolstation.com/adjustable-vent/p37571
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