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How to remedy damp from a chimney having been bricked up
Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 2.49 PM
Hi I moved into my 1930s flat which has an external chimney breasts 6 years ago. I took off a gas fire in the living room, leaving the open fire and put a balloon in it which has worked well. I'm left with an entirely bricked up fireplace in my bedroom which has just started to show damp on the walls. What is the best course of action? I know it needs ventilation and I think there's a cowl on the chimney stack, but where I am looking to sell next year I need to get rid of this damp look. I'm thinking I can scrape away the plaster to expose a central brick, remove it and replace it with a vent brick. The concern with this for me is there will be a load of damp detritus left behind, so do I need to open it completely to clean it out all of the rubbish and rebrick? And if this is the case, is it safe for a DIYer to do this? There's a piece of angle as a lintel in the living room fireplace, so I assume that'll hold the wall above it?! Thanks in advance
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1 Answer
GRZEGORZ ZWOLSKI