Crack in chimney.

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Flanders.

Original Poster:

6,365 posts

207 months

Saturday 20th January 2018
quotequote all
Hi all.

Whilst stripping out a built in Wardrobe upstairs in the Bedroom I found a crack in the Chimney.

I’ve stripped back the Plaster to get a better look at it. As you can see in the image below it’s a very narrow crack and it runs almost perfectly vertically. I’ve gone into the loft and there isn’t any cracks in the stack up there.

Do you think I need to worry about it or shall I fill it with some cement before skimming it? Thanks in advanced for any replies [url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/ohWDDihY[/url]

Ricky146a

307 posts

75 months

Saturday 20th January 2018
quotequote all
Difficult to tell from that photo.
You need to remove the plaster about an inch either side of the crack for as long as the crack is.
The bit of crack that does show though looks quite thin.
It may be nothing to worry about but having found it you should definitely investigate it properly.
Has the chimney breast been removed downstairs??
Is it on an outside wall or a party wall?

When I bought my house (detached stone cottage 1860's) there was a huge crack down the gable end wall. Other builders would not touch it as they all said subsidence. I found (as I knew really) that it was as a result of the internal breast and inglenook being removed wrongly.
Fixed with helifix rod and now all good.
https://www.helifix.co.uk/products/remedial-produc...

Even with a 1 inch wide crack the job was fixed easily.

Flanders.

Original Poster:

6,365 posts

207 months

Monday 22nd January 2018
quotequote all
Ricky146a said:
Difficult to tell from that photo.
You need to remove the plaster about an inch either side of the crack for as long as the crack is.
The bit of crack that does show though looks quite thin.
It may be nothing to worry about but having found it you should definitely investigate it properly.
Has the chimney breast been removed downstairs??
Is it on an outside wall or a party wall?

When I bought my house (detached stone cottage 1860's) there was a huge crack down the gable end wall. Other builders would not touch it as they all said subsidence. I found (as I knew really) that it was as a result of the internal breast and inglenook being removed wrongly.
Fixed with helifix rod and now all good.
https://www.helifix.co.uk/products/remedial-produc...

Even with a 1 inch wide crack the job was fixed easily.
Ricky, Many thanks for your response. To answer some of your questions the Chimney is on a Party Wall and the Chimney is complete all the way through the house as it still has a functioning fire in the Living Room.

Having done some research online it would suggest the crack might not be an issue as it does not go through any Bricks only through a Mortar Joint.

If I could rotate the image I would as it might make it easier to see the crack.

How easy was the Helifix kit do use?

CambsBill

1,909 posts

177 months

Monday 22nd January 2018
quotequote all
Agreed that the crack doesn't look too serious. However, if you have a functioning fire below is the chimney lined or is there a risk of CO leaking through?

Do you have a CO monitor you could put in that room when the fire's burning?