Fireplace damage

M

Maximus152

Registered User
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Hi all,
I have a question. My mums house, which was rented, has fireplace damage.The damge was found after I removed the ashes from the base and not only ash came out but a sizeable chunk of the base approx 3 inchs wide by 5 in lenght and at least 3 inchs deep. It came away as fine debry mixed with ash (not a solid chunk)So I was left with a hole in the base, with some sort of sand/gravel/crystaline mix falling from behind the fire place box wall as I cleared the hole of debri, I stopped removeng the debri it when I noticed it was be refilled by the sand/gravel/crystalaline mix, not the usual ash. Therefore my question is this: can I repair this using fire clay mortar mix? and what is this sand/gravel/crystaline mix...is it some sort of barrier. Anyone any experience on this, its just a domestic fire place house is maybe 7 years old. Thanks in advance.

Maximus
 
It sounds like you need to replace the fire-back and the base of the fire-place.

A competent general builder could do this work. It is completely unsuitable for a DIYer IMHO.
 
Sounds to me like a badly built fireplace seeing as it's so new but I'm not an expert on fire damage. I would try a builder. I would also be worried that there are further problems with the chimney breast as I had the same problem myself which an engineer checked for me. The flue got damaged and it was quite a big job.
 
Mathepac, Bronte thank you for replay. The back of the fire place is not cracked or damaged. There is just a hole in the base. I thought it would be possible to backfill with Fire clay (aka fire cement) and just level it out. It would take a builder minutes I am sure, almost waste of his time.

Max
 
Have you considered putting in a wood burning stove? Open fires lose app 75% of the heat generated up the chimney. Stoves use a fraction of the fuel needed for an open fire and loose only app 20% of the heat produced. They are simple to instal in an existing fireplace.
 
Thanks woodsman. No she has full heating system set up, this was just a small ...even decorative fire place. I just want to sort it out and move on :)

Max
 
The fire back just sits on the base and is usually separate. It should be easy to repair. Call into a fireplace shop or hardware shop and they will supply you with the proper cement.
 
It'll be easy to fix the hole in the base, but as you have lost some of the in-fill (most likely vermiculite) from behind the fireback, you really should get that sorted also. That in-fill is there to prevent a chimney fire starting in the void.
 
Leo said:
It'll be easy to fix the hole in the base, but as you have lost some of the in-fill (most likely vermiculite) from behind the fireback, you really should get that sorted also. That in-fill is there to prevent a chimney fire starting in the void.
Click to expand...

Thanks John. Yes Leo, you have it one, some " vermiculite" as you say came out, other than that I assume as you say just get some clay from the Hardware ...I doubt they would have some vermiculite. Thanks for the posts guys.


Max
 
The proper builders providers should stock it, larger B&Qs have it at times. I believe you mix it with cement (6:1). Make absolutely sure there are no gaps at the back of the fireplace above the fireback, and that the fireback itself is fully intact.

Use a standard sand/cement mix to repair the base.
 
Leo said:
The proper builders providers should stock it, larger B&Qs have it at times. I believe you mix it with cement (6:1). Make absolutely sure there are no gaps at the back of the fireplace above the fireback, and that the fireback itself is fully intact.

Use a standard sand/cement mix to repair the base.
Click to expand...

Hi Leo, I am about to start this repair. After looking at it again, and from what you say....re: base is standard cement mix. Are you saying the base is made of standard cement, because this is where the main issue is. About 3/4 of the base (place under the fire grill) is now missing. Do you think I can just use standard cement and sand for this?, is that the norm. The back of the fire place there is minimal damge, small gap due to missing base I can fill with the fire clay you menetioned. Any advice appreciated!!

Kind Rgds
Maximus
 
Standard cement will be fine for the base. It's the fireback and above need to handle the heat.
 
Leo, many thanks, you just made my life a lot easier, I was about to use fire cement for base, I will mix up some cement.

Much apprecited.
Max
 
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