I have an issue with my gas fire which means it is effectively unusable & I’m hoping someone can suggest how best to resolve it 🙂

Here’s the fire – note there is a chimney breast

Now if I use the fire then the wall in the bedroom directly above heats up (it is noticably hot to the touch) & a crack opens up – this is now shown below (note there is no continuation of the chimney breast)

And finally once you get up in to the loft the flue goes up to the top of the roof at an angle, shown partly by this picture

I don’t think the chimney is blocked as I have spoken with my next door neighbour & he has exactly the same problem

So does anyone have any ideas on how best to resolve this?

Proceed with caution! Certainly don’t use the gas fire as there is a very real possibility of CO poisoning. It looks like the ‘flue’ from the appliance through to its outlet to the metal flue in the loft is an integral flue block, which would have been built in as the wall was built up. Saw this system a lot on new builds in the 90’s. You should definitely get a smoke test on the flue – the fact that your bedroom wall has cracked suggests a serious fault in the flue block. As to remedy I very much doubt if you could line what is likely to be quite a small aperture. How old is the house?
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You do need to get that checked. It is a flue block system and there is a special way of putting the plasterboard over them which I can’t remember of the top of my head.

Thanks for the advice

pedropete – the house was built in 1985

I haven’t used the fire since I noticed the heat build up issue

Hate precast flues. They can be blocked easily with the likes of cob webs can be enough to stop the flue pulling.

Have seen dot and dab used and never had an issue, In my own house I’ve removed the fire now and bricked up the flue however they way the builders original plastered it was to put wire mesh in the plaster, I think this helps hold it together and maybe disappate the heat a little, Even so the plaster still cracked due to not being able to take the heat.

Get an RGI to check the fire out.

ok.. well if i came to your property i d be wanting to check a couple of things. firstly the type of flue and is it fitted correctly. this would invole removing the fire but from what i can see it is constructed in flue block at the top if it were at the fire opening as well then i d assume it to be complete especially having laid on my back with a powerful torch and looked up the flue this would give an understanding of its integrity as far as you can see up it.. i have used selfie sticks in the past to see that bit further.

the flues integrity is vital so i d conduct several smoke tests with the flue hot and cold id be especially keen to understand its integrity when the ‘crack’ is open.. lights off curtains closed in the bedroom with a torch will soon reveal any escaping smoke. id then repeat in the loft to ensure the flue there is sound as well..

£65 all in for the tests in Rochdale with a certificate.

Thanks for all the replies – certainly helps with giving some direction on how best to proceed

totalshell – if you were nearer I’d be taking up the offer – I’m in Milton Keynes

Good advice from totalshell. Get someone who is a member of the national association of chimney sweeps to carry out a thorough test & get advice once you know the extent of the problem.
http://nacs.org.uk
Also fit a CO detector in the rooms affected.

We have a flue like that and so does our neighbour (semi detached ). My neighbour wanted to fit a gas fire and had a smoke test. All appeared ok on his side but our living room filled with smoke! Luckily my wife was in otherwise he would have had the fire fitted.

Good advice from totalshell. Get someone who is a member of the national association of chimney sweeps to carry out a thorough test & get advice once you know the extent of the problem.
http://nacs.org.uk
Also fit a CO detector in the rooms affected

Or Guild of master Sweeps. Saying that, as a member of it, all a chimney sweep would be able to do is sweep the chimney as usual, and a do a basic smoke draw test.

Meaning, that a check of the draw was done, that gives no guarantees to that there isn’t any leaks anywhere. Even with a certificate of sweeping it states “Result of Smoke Evacuation Test”. Meaning does the smoke go up and out of the chimney. Nothing more.

A full pressure integrity test would need to be done for me to be satisfied there wasn’t any leaks. Anyone giving any assurances of no leaks based on a smoke draw test would be fairly foolish in my opinion.