Can you vent a cooking extractor up a chimney?

[kali43]

As simple as that - am worried about about nasties up the chimney, condensation (especially affecting the wall in the bedroom above) and grease build up/potential of chimney fire. Anyone with building regs knowledge alb to comment?

No you can't for all the reasons you give. We had to find another way to extract outside. I am no building regs expert though.

I think our neighbours did as they put a range cooker in their chimney breast.

thanks both - your answers are reflective of what i've found on the web so going to go with my gut and stay away from the chimney breast.

if it is an external wall, you can put a duct through the back wall and have your extractor blow out through there.

afraid that would be too simple Piglet John, it's an internal wall of a semi. Fortunately flat roof not too far from the run so hopefully we can vent that way.

if you find you have to make a hole in a roof, get a roofer to do it. There are various ways of weatherproofing used for pipes and mushrooms, and it needs to be sealed into the insulation and vapour barrier.

Otherwise, you might be able to run a duct inside or on top of wall units, and take it through a convenient external wall.

Hi Kali,
We're just about to start a renovation project on 1930s semi and are putting a range in the rear chimney breast. We've asked around alot and basically heard that's it's safer and much easier to just redirect the cooking fumes out of the rear wall. My uncle covered the tubing up in his period cottage so it was the same colour as the exposed beams and it looks fab. We're just going to Box ours in so it matches the wall I think. Can't wait to get to work. I believe the old back boiler is still in the fireplace too that will be our first job.

Oh thanks Pixie - my decision is definitely made now, however it makes me nervous about our fave potential builder as he said it would be no problem at all and didn't draw our attention to any issues. What work are you doing? Ours is 1930's project too!