Pulling off board covering fireplace

[Changebagsandgladrags]

What should we expect?

1930's house. The fireplace has been removed, we know this, because the board covering up the 'hole' is flat to the wall. The board is nearly the width of the chimney breast and just lower than where the mantle would have been.

In the middle of this board is an air vent (Ayou know, modern ones that you put over the air brick on a wall) So, took that off. Inside are all the 'innards' of a fireplace, metal..erm thing.

So, we tried pulling of the board (it's kind of like laminate). Because it comes off in bits, we've decided not to pull it off until we have an idea of what might be underneath. I mean in terms of dirt, dust, soot and gore. Not expecting anything lovely inside there. We did something similar upstairs, there were no innards, but a nice collection of bird skeletons.

Any thoughts on what to expect? Do this when no DC's around?

same as you found upstairs I should have thought - lots of mess and spiders! It will be filthy. Don't forget to block the chimney from the top IYSWIM if you are going to uncover the opening. That will prevent more stuff falling down in future.

No chance that this innards stuff has been preventing birds dropping down (knows nothing about chimney engineering).

Can we just leave the innards in and put a fireplace around? How do I seal the chimney? Should I even do that, is it 'ventilation'?

We are going to put an electric fire there eventually.

You see, I would just rip the thing off. But he wants to plan it and think about it.

Centuries ago in this part of the world (Suffolk), cats were sealed into the walls to ward off evil spirits. Hope you don't get a mummified cat tumbling out!

it will be very dirty. Put down dustsheets and buy or hire a canister vac. It must be ventilated or the chimney will get damp from internal condensation. The ventulation need to be the size of the whole flue. A letterbox size will do. You can (will want to) put a new non-flam board behind your electric fire for neatness and clealiness, unless you want to take out the back and have exposed bricks.

Firebacks are usually fireclay, not iron. Maybe you are looking at the remains of an old backboiler. An expensive older house may have a figured iron back if it used to have a large open fire (think logs, not coal)

My grandad used to put his money up the chimney

But yeah, dead cat, dead mice, etc prolly more realistic. Should we wear face masks?

Should I sneak down in the middle of the night and tear off the board?...

Yes to face masks! And cover your hair if at all possible.

sorry

ventilation need not be the size of the whole flue

Ah, you know what? I think now, after Googling (other search sites are available) I think it is a back boiler (from the 6 inches of what I've seen) and it would fit with the rest of the house.

I will get DH to Google back boiler as he saw it in more detail.

So, sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night with a crow bar is a no-go?...

sometimes the old pipes to a back-boiler are still connected to a water source.

OP I am usually very much in your "get the crow bar out and get on with it" camp, but with a fireplace if you take the time to at least put protective stuff down, you will be grateful later, I promise!

So, here we are, day 5 or whatever. Board is still in place. Dad came round today and he reckons, because it's modern (the board) it's covering a botch-job.

Fanbloodytastic