Not sure if this is the right place to post this one, though I couldn't see a specific section for Fires etc. (I'm hoping someone is experienced on the subject!)....
...Anyhow, im trying to track down and eliminate any and all draughts contributing to a really cold extension i'm experiencing currently (i've made a separate thread about all aspects of the extension). One thing i've noticed is a bit of a breeze coming from inside the fake chimney breast that was made when we had a Dru Balanced flue gas fire installed in this room. As I understand it balanced flue type fires are sealed from the rest of the room and draw their air from outside. So I started to investigate as to why I could feel a breeze here.
I found from my old pictures during the install that the flue goes up and out the roof and the exit didn't appear to be insulated, so I asked the installer to come back and rectify, they did which was nice, but access was a pain as it meant cutting a section of the fake chimney breast out to give him access. He did his best job with it but couldnt get in there fully due to the nasty access... anyway i'd hoped it'd solved the problem but in still noticing a cold breeze coming from inside there I'm wondering if cold air is still frustratingly seeping through....
I've put some images/thermal video below and hoping to get some help on these questions:-
- Is this lack of airtightness common and/or expected for a balanced flue gas fire? or should it be air tight?
- If he needs to return again, could be possibly tackle this from above the roof rather than having to cut into the chimney breast again?
- Could the air leak be coming from a lack of tightness between the flue and fire ? Or would that demonstrate all sorts of other symtpoms too and I can rule this out and solely focus on the gap in the roof?
Images of original install (before he returned)
- Install1.JPEG (115.63 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- Install2.JPEG (112.38 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- Install3.JPEG (81.43 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- sideshot_pre.JPEG (123.96 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- chimney.JPEG (318.02 KiB) Viewed 169 times
Images and thermal imaging from inside the fake chimney breast after he returned to fix
- Low_shot1.JPEG (182.14 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- Low_shot2.JPEG (289.54 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- Low_Shot_thermal1.JPG (66.81 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- Side_Shot_normal.JPEG (147.32 KiB) Viewed 169 times
- Side_Shot_thermal.JPEG (510.67 KiB) Viewed 169 times
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What do you guys think? thanks for reading.
Ged