I'm looking to remove a coal fire which has a back boiler and has recently been in use. Pipes now disconnected etc but finding it very difficult to even attempt to remove... it seems there is a lintel about a meter up from ground but below is all bricks with a small opening for the recent coal fire. I'm unsure whether it is safe to remove the bricks from the inner part as oppose to what seems to of been a larger opening back many years ago. I tried to remove 2 bricks but found it very difficult and not sure what is stopping the while thing just sliding out apart from a pipe or 2 connected behind. Is it safe to do so looking at the image as the chimney is the support to the house
I would be wanting to put a couple of acrows & strongboys under that lot, before removing boiler. The lintel support, especially right hand side,looks iffy, lintel should have 150mm minmum bearing each end.
Thanks so you think I can rip it all out and then brick it up but with extra support during... any chance you know if there is a reason why it won't slide out
The problem you have is that the area in red is all made up of bits and should sit on a good sound piece of brick/block for 150mm. The area in red doesn't look like it has the best "bond". It may be easier and cheaper to get a builder in to sort it out for you and then plaster it afterwards. A builder will have a look at the chimney end and decide whether it should be capped and what ventilation you need
Yep, It is one of those tricky ones - knocking out the bricks may cause more instability. And also the plaster above the lintel is showing movement cracks as are some of the bricks.