Fire place

[jaylockwood1978]

Hi, we’re in the process of decorating our living room and planning to replace the existing fire place and fire. The new one it slightly higher than the old one and so we need to make the opening slightly bigger.
One row of horizontal bricks will plenty.
Just after advice as to whether it would be safe to remove the first layer of brick in this photo please?
Any help would be amazing.
The fire in the photo will be removed by a gas safe engineer.
Thank you
Jay

 

[tell80]

OP,
Check if the single row of bricks is loose or feels secure?

If you remove plaster a few courses higher up the chimney breast you will probably find some kind of lintel.
How the brick course you circle is supported I cant tell but it maybe that the actual fire is supporting the bricks (a bad safety issue) or perhaps a metal bar?
You must support any fireplace opening with a lintel or a brick arch.

What you need are the manufacturer's installation dimensions for your new fire H x W x D.
Then you should work to the given dimensions.

 

[jaylockwood1978]

The brick on the left in the circled area is loose already.
None of them are touching the actual fire (although probably only a 5mm gap) but they aren’t touching.

 

[jaylockwood1978]

The height of the new fire would require that circled layer of brick removed as it’s taller than the one existing one

 

[tell80]

You should work to makers dimensions not just guessing on your part. What seems to be OK can turn out to be well wrong.

Given you already have loose brickwork then you could remove that loose course and the course above it ie two courses at the same time.
Or, while leaving the loose course in position, remove the course above, and fit a lintel in - then remove the course above the fire?

If you feel uneasy doing any of what i've suggested then you could use an Acrow Strongboy inserted just above the two courses?

 

[jaylockwood1978]

Thank you for the advice that is really helpful. The measurement we are working for are what the fire company says for the the fire. Depth, width are fine, height is less than that one course of bricks

 

[jaylockwood1978]

Update:
Finally got the fire taken out and can seeninsideZ seems the first two rows have been added afterwards but I’m struggling to see a lintel? Unless I’m missing it? Any advice or opinion please?

 

[tell80]

It looks safe to remove both courses of the newish, infill bricks, & to then install a lintel tight below the old brickwork.
Your new fire will require a SS flex flue and a register plate.

 

[jaylockwood1978]

Thank you. Would I need a flue for a gas fire, which is what we intend to install?

 

[tell80]

Yes

 

[jaylockwood1978]

Cheers for the advice. As I’ve said a few times, not speculating regarding the dimensions. Wouldn’t look at taking rows of bricks out of the new fire would fit. All been measured prior to posting here

 

[tell80]

Ignore the troll trolling - you are attempting serious and potentially risky work ie gas & gas fumes so dont get distracted.

 

[jaylockwood1978]

Thank you @tell80 i will definitely get a gas safe fire fitter in. Had a gas safe engineer to remove the old one but sadly he doesn’t fit fireplaces.

 

[jaylockwood1978]

Sorry for another update but value people’s expertise and opinion. Took the second course of newer bricks out. They fell out with minimal effort and seem to have just been hole fillers. There is a metal beam now visible which looking at it would be the original lintel I’m guessing.
Hopefully the fire fitter will let us know if this needs replacing or whether it’s ok