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I want to add ducting to my existing cooker hood - currently just carbon filter and straight into kitchen.

Problem is the only reasonable route is along cabinet tops and then through external wall. I would be confident to attempt this if it were not that the external wall is a chimney (1906 terraced house with disused chimney on rear wall).

Stack (shared with neighbour) is still present but closed off at top (no chimney pots etc). I don't know how/if this is ventilated - fireplaces already closed off when I bought house.

Can I pierce both internal and external walls of chimney to run ducting through? What other possibilities could I try?

Thanks.

Frank.

Hi Frank
The problem I see here, is that a chimney breast is not just an inner and outer wall. The flue used by the fire would only be about 9 inches, the rest will be other voids and solid brick.
In practice, this could be done with a diamond core drill, but what if your neighbour decides to open up his side and install something like a wood burner.

John,

Thanks for your reply.

I had assumed that there was a larger cavity inside the chimney breast but your reply makes more sense when I think about it.

I got the idea of ducting having seen the Screwfix low profile ducts recently on this site - larger, sheet-metal ducting would be impossible in my situation.

Unfortunately, to reach a true external wall, any sort of duct would have to pass through an area where it could not be hidden from view.

I don't think any present or future neighbour would wish to open the chimney as it just serves the kitchen and the bathroom above, but you never know.

Frank.