Hi all,
I bought a house in November 2024, which has two chimneys (in adjoining rooms, along one side of the house), both of which have seemingly been capped (the actual fireplaces downstairs have been essentially turned into storage spaces, and show no issues. However, I was advised from the property survey that I had done that the chimneys needed vents installing, as currently there is no through-draught through the chimney to ventilate it. I didn't get round to this last year (was doing lots of other DIY), but during the periods with lots of rain recently, both of my bedrooms have started to show signs of damp at the top. It's quite difficult to place exactly where this is in relation to the chimney, as both bedroom walls are completely flat, but I have taken a photo of my neighbours chimneys as they are the same layout.
Anyway, I was intending to have some air bricks installed in my chimneys, partway up so as to be well above the fireplaces/ storage spaces, but I have no idea what the inside of the chimney looks like (e.g. exactly how it has been blocked off above the fireplaces), and whether this would actually remedy the problem, as if the chimneys have been totally sealed at the top, and nothing is coming through at the bottom, I'm not sure how damp has gotten inside them. Maybe it's an issue with water leaking under the lead flashing, or I've also read that it can be the case that salts can leach into the plaster from when the fireplace was in use, and that these can pull water out of the air and into the plaster. The damp seems a bit too localised for this though, and I think I've done a reasonably good job at keeping the rooms ventilated. Will air bricks help? Any thoughts welcome!
Cheers!
I bought a house in November 2024, which has two chimneys (in adjoining rooms, along one side of the house), both of which have seemingly been capped (the actual fireplaces downstairs have been essentially turned into storage spaces, and show no issues. However, I was advised from the property survey that I had done that the chimneys needed vents installing, as currently there is no through-draught through the chimney to ventilate it. I didn't get round to this last year (was doing lots of other DIY), but during the periods with lots of rain recently, both of my bedrooms have started to show signs of damp at the top. It's quite difficult to place exactly where this is in relation to the chimney, as both bedroom walls are completely flat, but I have taken a photo of my neighbours chimneys as they are the same layout.
Anyway, I was intending to have some air bricks installed in my chimneys, partway up so as to be well above the fireplaces/ storage spaces, but I have no idea what the inside of the chimney looks like (e.g. exactly how it has been blocked off above the fireplaces), and whether this would actually remedy the problem, as if the chimneys have been totally sealed at the top, and nothing is coming through at the bottom, I'm not sure how damp has gotten inside them. Maybe it's an issue with water leaking under the lead flashing, or I've also read that it can be the case that salts can leach into the plaster from when the fireplace was in use, and that these can pull water out of the air and into the plaster. The damp seems a bit too localised for this though, and I think I've done a reasonably good job at keeping the rooms ventilated. Will air bricks help? Any thoughts welcome!
Cheers!
