Chimney leak

[Collision]

Hi guys,
I have had a leak from the chimney Breast,

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• Collision
• 10 Mar 2013
• 1

When I was in the loft I noticed that all the mortar was crumbling away so have been racking out and pointing it, when I find time! What I was wondering is why these 3 bricks in the picture were like this resting on the joists?

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• Collision
• 10 Mar 2013
• 1

They did not have mortar on them, just black muck keeping them in so they just came out easy,

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• Collision
• 10 Mar 2013
• 1

Should I point them flush with the wall or they way they were?

Also a roofer is coming out to concrete around the 4 chimney pots on the stack and properly take one pot off as it is cracked down it. [/img]

 

[pinenot]

As none of the surrounding bricks are out of bond, so to speak, You could do with an old sweep/brikie's help on this. Looks very much like it's meant, but the why's and wherefores escape me.
Could it be they are in some way connected to the leak, is there any tell tale signs?...pinenot

 

[Collision]

Hi, I got me camera phone into the the area of the three holes, it is just a void area, if you look at the first picture above the teddys that is the void area, same as the other bedroom, does the area need ventilation? Is that why the bricks were like that?

 

[pinenot]

Are where these bricks are part of the chimney stack?

 

[Collision]

Yeah they are part of it but not where the smoke goes up

 

[pinenot]

I'm thinking that the void is open to rain penetration at the chimney pots, which if so will soon be resolved when the cracked pot and cement haunching are replaced.
Seeing the loose bricks in there surroundings, have you been able to form any opinions as to there use/reason??

 

[Collision]

Hi, I drew a picture of the set up, think they left the bricks out for ventilation but still not to sure.

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• Collision
• 11 Mar 2013
• 1

Hope this helps

 

[pinenot]

Two identified chimneys, four chimney pots, are two serving two old downstairs fireplaces, and if so could these bricks some form of ventilation to the blocked up fireplaces?
I still think the rain is gaining entry into the void via the old external chimney head. Could you smoke bomb the two identified chimneys and establish their pots, then plumb the two remaining, to establish if there are two more, say on the ground floor. If this is so these would require to be capped at the head (slate cemented under the chimney pots) and then the stacks must be positively vented top and bottom. You could get the chap that's coming to fix the chimney head to help establish this theory.
I hope I'm on the right track...pinenot

 

[Collision]

I cannot smoke bomb any of them as the 4 of them are not in use. The two upstairs are plastered over completely. The two downstairs are plastered but they have a down light in each of them. The 4 chimney pots on the roof have all got flat caps on with vent holes going around the edges. I am sure the water must be coming down or seeping around and down the pots into the flue.

 

[pinenot]

Yes, as time will tell