CannyCat Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Hia We have a huge damp problem in our Victorian terrace, caused by condensation. It used to be that we would spill a glass of water, and it would take 3 days to dry (and honk to high heaven). We've since got a dehumidifier and added air bricks to all the rooms, and it's improved but is still an issue - we decorated our living room 6 weeks ago, and we're already getting mould spots under our bay window Local Damp Proofers have advised us to reinstate the fireplaces for ventilation, but they're shockingly expensive new, and having just bought the place we're working on a bit of a shoestring! So I thought I'd make a cheeky request: if anyone has an old victorian-type fireplace they're getting rid of, we'd love to give it a good home (I'm not sure our chimney breasts would take anything newer than the iron victorian type; I dont think our chimneys are as wide as modern ones). Any condition at all would be very welcome - we dont mind a bit of hard work stripping old paint etc! I'm in swindon, and would be happy to collect within a 2 hour drive of swindon. I'd also be terribly grateful if you could keep an eye out on your local Freecycle, and think of me if anything comes up? We're trawling ebay, too, of course...! Thanks, Catherine xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 If you are planning on using the fireplaces you need to get the chimney checked and may need to get planning permission to do this work depending on where you are in the country Also check if the chimney was capped off when they took the fires out as this would also need to be changed I would like to put the firepace back into my dining room but my sweep says there is no way I would get permission to actualy use it Decoration only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 If you are planning on using the fireplaces you need to get the chimney checked and may need to get planning permission to do this work depending on where you are in the country Also check if the chimney was capped off when they took the fires out as this would also need to be changed I would like to put the firepace back into my dining room but my sweep says there is no way I would get permission to actualy use it Decoration only Thanks Louise, I will ring our local council and check. It would be nice to use them, but would depend on the cost quoted once we get a fireplace to install - we'd be happy even if they were inactive, just for the ventilation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 You could ask on your local freecycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 If you can't find an authentic victorian one with tiles etc, you could just open up the fireplace itself, get the chimney opened up, then you only need a nice oak plank to make a surround. It really is very simple, and a shelf over. Then just look out for a grate to put in it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 AnnieP's suggestion is just crying out to have one of those pot bellied stoves put in it. My pal did just this and it looks lovely......and is sooo warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 My stove is fantastically warm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-6656454.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy You should be able to open up the fireplace with just a bit of manual labour.... This is what I did at my old house (I hope the link works, it just happens to be on the market again). There used to be a horrible gas fire there. We could see that there was an arch shape so we got the fire out, knocked all the plaster off the chimney breast and sealed the brickwork. We found some quarry tiles from somewhere to make a base. I could not afford to have a stove at first so it just stayed like that for a while. We then did a similar thing at the next house but the hole was lower and squarer and we had slate to sit the stove on. We are now in a 1950s place but have not got round to investigating opening up the chimney yet as the boiler is vented into it and we can't afford to sort that out yet. Anyway the point is you will get the ventilation you need. You would still need to get the chimney checked out but that could come later. and if you decide to do it - be prepared for a bit of soot to come down..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 And depending on the age of the chimney to get used to 'a bit of soot coming down' My chimney has an avalanche of soot when it is windy no matter how often I get it swept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 If you put a stove in, then you have a register plate just where the flue goes into the chimney at the top of the fireplace - this stops any soot from coming down, and has a sliding plate so that the sweep can get the brush in to clean it. I find that a stove is more effective in heating a room - the cast iron absorbs the heat and radiates it into the room, whereas an open fire sends most of it up the chimney. I am lucky to get free wood, and use only a few 'stove bricks' (type of coal) to keep the fire 'in' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Gorgeous house Tina C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 That's what I thought after I sneaked a look when I saw it back on the market again Paola! Unfortunately I can't claim responsibilty for the kitchen and bathroom. It was nice to see that my hard work on both fireplaces (the pine one and the cupboard next to it were covered in layers of chocolate brown, blue and red paint - including the cast iron bit....) has been appreciated . Its scary though - I bought the house as a first-time buyer, on my own. Wouldn't be able to do that now at that price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted March 16, 2007 Author Share Posted March 16, 2007 There are some great fireplaces in your house! Thats a great idea, I'd not thought of just opening the fireplace up (doh!). I think I'd have to get someone to do it, my partner and I are not very Practical (he glues shelves up... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 And what's wrong with glueing shelves up?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 And what's wrong with glueing shelves up?? ...you can't take them down when you want to paint! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 And what's wrong with glueing shelves up?? ...you can't take them down when you want to paint! Thats right - in our house you just paint round them. And not necessarily very carefully! At least you have an idea of what colours have been on the walls in the past! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
