Smoking Fireplace, Gloucestershire

Property Description

The property is a modern property constructed using Cotswold stone. The property was constructed with one open fire in the sitting room that had always spilled and smoked.

The client had fitted dogs and a basket in an attempt to raise the fire, and reduce the smoking. However no alterations had worked with the smoking fireplace.

Problem

Turner Baker Ltd were asked to make an inspection of the fireplace and undertake some tests to ascertain the cause of the problem.

An inspection showed that the flue for the fireplace was lined with 200mm dia clay liners, and these were too small for the existing fireplace.

Solution

There were two possible solutions if the open fire was to be maintained:

1. To maintain the existing opening size and fit an Exodraft chimney fan to the head of the chimney stack to increase the velocity of the flue gasses within the existing flue.

2. Reduce the existing opening size either by fitting a glass screen to the top of the opening or by building a new, smaller,  opening within the existing.

Methodology

The client preferred the option of reducing the fireplace by building a new opening within the existing, as this would maintain the existing proportions.

Turner Baker Ltd therefore returned with a temporary template cut to the new size that could be fitted to the fireplace to ensure both the dynamics and aesthetics worked. Once the client had agreed to the proposed size a new opening was constructed and faced with stone to match the existing surround.