Chimney & Fireplace

Redundant single exterior chimney & water penetration..help please.

Anonymous user 15/03/2024 - 2.35 PM

I have a redundant single brick chimney breast/stack that goes the up entire rear of my 1930’s semi, rear of house. At some point the top has been taken down to under the roof tiles. Straight down the corner there is wet/damp area in the bathroom and surrounding floor, wall tiles. This is where the stack backs onto. Problem starts about 1 metre down from the ceiling. The penetration is fast when rains. Upon looking up in the loft the top of the stack is open (below roof tiles interior but not touching felt etc) and still has the metal flue in. Originally would have been used for kitchen heater/boiler I believe. The stack goes from under the roof tiles down to main house ground floor as originally the .old kitchen boiler/burner for water believe. No idea how low on the ground floor it goes. A door frame next to seems to be going soft too… is water travelling? There is vent bricks to the outside stack up high only. I may be being paranoid but swear the first floor board flooring feels spongey and bumpy and ground floor wood floor a little damp/ slightly green and creaky (solid wood over concrete extension and original wood boards, been down years). Also found moisture in loft, dealing with separately. Recent history… wall tie work causing house vibration, extreme weather alternating 32 + degree summer days (south facing area), days of very high winds, heavy rain between. Can anyone shed some light please? UPDATE!! This exterior single chimney wall also has a good size double pitched roof extension to it. Just discovered the beams to one pitch look wet, yet no damp ceiling inside. Very worried as can't seem to realise root cause. Definitely water getting in.