We have 2 open fireplaces which are no longer used (two different rooms).
Both are suffering from damp. Both have the breast only going up in to the loft but not up to the roof. They've both been covered over.
Doesn't look like the roof is leaking but the problem is persistent. I'm thinking it's moisture in the air going up the chimney getting as far as the 'cap' and then forming condensation, but, seems very wet in one room, which we hardly use.
Heres a picture.
Any idea's - need to get it sorted and then decorated!
any job like this should be vented top and bottom, on all flues...
if yours is capped without a vent at the top and sealed at the bottom then condensation is the result.
if theres nothing penetrating the roof any longer and its not on a gable (doesnt look like it) then you could use some flexi duct to a vent tile for the top and knock a brick out where the fire used to be for the bottom.
good way to check for roof leaks is get in the loft and turn the light off...
youll soon spot any daylight..
thats not the only way but its a good start point. If it gets worse when its rained youve got water ingress to contend with as well..
if the roof over job was a bit of a bodge thats perfectly possible..
it'll take a while to dry properly when youve fixed the problem, you might want to think about hacking off the damaged plaster back to brick, letting it dry a bit longer and patching it up with some s+c containing waterproofing additive, then skim finish.
dont assume render containing waterproof additive is waterproof, its not, it just slows down the passage of moisture. if you can get waterproofer with a salt neutraliser youll be doing yourself a favour too..
looks like youve got more problems than the chimney anyway looking at the door... thats condesation btw.. bleach it and vent the room..
dont forget that if the room has no ventilation condensation will form on any cold surface, take bathroom tiles as a good example. A shiny painted cold chimney breast will attract moisture just the same but the difference is plaster is a lot more porous than tiles.. so is wallpaper..
ive seen condensation form along the tops of skirting boards, 'reputable' damp companies have been and sworn its rising damp when the problem is the wall above the skirting has been glossed onto when the skirts got painted, then the wall papered, result - wallpaper peeling along tops of skirting, black mould...
solution - bleach mould, remove gloss, move furniture away from wall to provide airflow and introduce a passive air vent into the room..
The area by the door is actually dry, seems like has been a while.
As for the chimney. Well top is certainly closed off. The fire opening was sealed up but we opened it up.
We had a surveyor look in the roof but could not see any obviouse leaks (survey was done by the management company which is a housing association last year) we've not seen the report, but to me it is obvious something is wrong from the discolouring of the wall just above the picture rail.
Well I'll get back to the housing association and ask why nothings been done in the past year!
Chimney breasts often suffer from hygroscopic salts leaching into the plaster from the flue. These can attract condensation from the air with even a relatively low R/H.
you dont mention if the 'open' fireplace is upstairs or downstairs...
each fireplace will have its own flue within the chimney breast...
each flue requires venting at fireplace level and again at the top of the flue.. in your case this has been blocked off and roofed over which makes it difficult because you will be venting into the roofspace...
assuming the roofspace is adequately vented ill stick my neck out and say it'll be ok to remove the cap off the chimney structure within the roofspace..
that will allow air flow and should help to dry the damp from the inside of the flue(s)
leave the room door open and the window open, again air flow is what your after..
this is the reason timber floors need vents at the front AND back of the house.... so air can flow through..
i wouldnt worry about getting a dehumidifier but if the plaster is excessively damaged (spongy, comes off on your finger when you scrape it) then you way wish to have it removed and replastered, first letting the bricks dry out...
The roof space is quite large and there is dayight from under the eaves so looks like it can breath up there.
We are on the first floor.
I'll see what's involved decapping the stack. The problem is of course being a flat technically I don't own the bit in the loft. As the roof is being replaced soon it will more than likely be noticed there's no cap.
o...
you have an issue with the owner of the bulding then...
if the fireplace downstairs is blocked off it may be causing you problems too..
i'd have a word with downstairs and see if you can have a look at what theyve got in place...
whatever happens it needs sorting and isnt too much of a job, even if the fireplaces are blocked all you need to do is knock a brick out in the right place and stick a louved grill over the top...
you may not need to remove the cap in the loft.... knocking the correct brick out of the side of the stack will do.. use of an sds type drill helps enormously before you go at it with a lump hammer and bolster, saves destroying the stack and sending large amounts of rubble cascading down the flue into somebodys living room..
might be an idea to get a friendly builder in..
just remember which flue is which.. if the upstairs fireplace is offset to one side thats a good telltale as to which is the correct flue.. not that it matters in this instance, they all need venting...
it only becomes an issue when one of them is used as a gas flue, knocking the wrong brick out of an upstairs fireplace when the downstairs has a gas fire can cause carbon monoxide to seep into the upstairs room causing death...
We are planning on puting a new fire place in the opening, we know it won't function but should be a nice feature.
If memory serves me they do have a fireplace downstairs and I'm pretty sure it too is blocked up.
I can't get in the loft at the moemnt as the ceilings are so tall I need to buy a new ladder! Again if memory serves me correctly there are only 2-3 rows of bricks remaining of the stack in the loft space so should be possible to get a couple taken out.
