Chimney stack problem, leaking smoke

[smuudge]

Hello, not sure if this is the right forum section to post in?

We have just had a lovely open fire fitted for the winter months.

Our house is a semi detached house circa 1900.

I have had a sweep round who gave it a clean and smoke pellet etc and all was fine according to him, he said to change the pot for a fully open one (it had partially open pot) but no urgency as it was 'drawing' well.

So...tested fire all ok...tested fire again...smoke in our loft!......re-pointed stack in loft....no smoke in our loft, but smoke in next doors loft!

Next door has had their chimney breast removed from the loft down when we both extended last year.

I have since got a roofer to come round who replaced the pot and repaired our roof stack as the (shared) stack has had some bricks removed bizarely from the party wall in between, so smoke could get into next doors stack. Nothing to do with our neighbours removing their stack, more a historical bodge.

I thought this would solve the problem as the smoke would have clean access to their loft via these missing bricks...

Tested again and STILL smoke next door.

Neighbours are willing to try and solve but would appreciate any advice on solving this problem without going round the houses (excuse the pun).

Many thanks.
Smuudge

 

[kevplumb]

easiest way is

get the stack lined

have seen these before and you can faff on for months

 

[smuudge]

Cheers Kev, is there a benchmark cost for this sort of thing? Seem to be varying costs about, and please tell me the fire doesnt need to come out again?!

 

[kevplumb]

dunno fella

off the top of my head £800

they put a bladder down the stack and concrete the gap

so every one is different

still cheaper than having it rebuilt

and other than a twinwall stainless liner its your only other option

and tbh i'm not sure if you can do that

 

[smuudge]

so a flexible metal liner is not a option? how does the concrete and bladder work? cheers.

 

[kevplumb]

woah
i never said a steel liner was not an option i said im not sure

dunno how they do it

but i know it works

 

[Homesafe]

metal liner fitting is roundabout 500/600 £'s in my area.

depending on who you find, some will be more expesive than other's but depends on the quality etc.

i can't understand why you cant sort out the chimney . get a gas fitter's opinion on site, or a good builder.

 

[Agile]

The impression I get is that the ladder installers charge about £300 for a stainless liner installed.

With scaffolding that would be about £800.

I have not understood where this smoke is coming from in your neighbours.

If its within the loft then why can that not be pointed/rendered from the neighbours loft?

Or do you mean the stack is still intact on your neighbours side above ceiling level and its leaking across the deviding web? That would be more difficult to fix but I expect there is a way.

Tony

 

[namsag]

Ignore last 2 posts they are talking about gas liners,you i take it have solid fuel ,
Depending on grade of liner they average from £25 a metre to £45 . Minimum 6 inch dia req. Then you need sealing plates /cowls etc.
Depending on bends in chimney it might not go down,
Concrete liners your probably up around the £2000 plus mark and even then that is not suitable for all chimneys.
So worth investigating the fault a bit further
Obviously you wont be using it till fixed .

 

[smuudge]

I have re rendered my chimney stack and that has stopped the smoke coming through my side.

Smoke is still coming through their side. As the stack has been removed from their loft floor down, there is a gap into the stack, so the party wall in between our chimneys are exposed. Obviously when they have had their structural work done it has compromised the structure,,,,,,the quesitons is where...

 

[kevplumb]

throw a red smoke pellet into the flue

you will soon see where its leaking from

 

[doitall]

You can line the flue with cement mixture.

They use a spinning sprayer gadget, a bit like a garden sprinkler, that's connected to a hose and the cement is pumped through.

Normal entails a camera.

Don't think it's cheap though.

 

[kevplumb]

last one i seen they put a bladder down

it was a while back

 

[glasgowgas]

throw a red smoke pellet into the flue

you will soon see where its leaking from

View media item 15681

 

[kevplumb]

1/2 day glasgow