tar deposits running down bedroom walls

Thick sticky tarry deposits have appeared running down the bedroom walls from the ceiling and coagulating on the floors. The affected walls are chimney walls, but the fireplaces were closed off years ago and we are left with an airbrick only. I presume the goo is from the chimney, but how do I stop it happening again. The unused chimneys have lead caps on them. Also does anyone have any ideas how to remove the sticky goo from a white carpet? Any ideas greatly appreciated.

I have had a similar experience although not as bad. In my case the chimney liner had broken and displaced, allowing the rain to flow through the block work into the bathroom wall. Although yours appears sealed the rain must be getting in somewhere and leaking through the bricks.

yeah its got to be soot,you will have to get in the experts im afraid,a chimney repair company or a restoration copany who deal with fire and water damage..

Thanks. I called in a chimney repairer and he's coming next week. He says the chimneys need venting, the lead capping is making them "sweat" and causing the deposits to run through cracks in the chimney. Once air can circulate the goo should dry out and stay in the chimney and not on the walls. He also suggested lighting the stoves in other rooms regularly to help with the drying out of the unused chimneys and flues.

Be extremely careful here. Soot on walls in bedrooms means that the products of combustion (CO and CO2) are getting in there. It sounds more like the integrity of the flue has deteriorated. I would inspect the flue, carry out a full "Flue Flow Test" with a smoke pellet and determine what action to take from there. You may need to install a new liner. Walls are porous and any failure of the flue will result in carbon monoxide passing through the walls and into the bedrooms where you sleep. You may never wake up!

Definitely install carbon monoxide alarms in all rooms that the chimney/flue passes through or adjoins.

I would certainly not light any combustion appliance anywhere in the dwelling unless the integrity of the flue being used by that appliance has been confirmed and deemed safe and fit for use.

Sorry, just read again & realised that the chimneys are no longer in use. Just make sure that the other chimneys are good condition and that they are not shared with any of the disused ones.