subject: A guide to fitting fireplaces [print this page] A guide to fitting fireplaces A guide to fitting fireplaces
Fireplace installation is often considered to be a fairly straight forward job - this is never usually the case! In older properties opening up a chimney breast that hasn't been touched for many years will cause considerable mess and may also reveal hidden structural faults that will need rectifying. Before purchasing a new fireplace, it is recommended that you have a survey carried out by a experienced fireplace installer. This will help determine whether the fireplace you have been looking at will be suitable in your chimney or flue and also give you an idea of fitting costs.
As with most forms of building work, careful preparation is vital to ensure that the job goes smoothly and will uncover any potential issues that may affect the installation. If the fireplace is going to be combined with a gas fire or real (solid fuel) fire, inspection of the chimney is required to confirm that there's no leaks and that the flue 'pulls' adequately. Inspection of the chimney stack will determine whether the correct pot/cowl is fitted. An open chimney pot adequate but will leave the new fireplace open to any debris entering the chimney such as rain, soot, birds etc. Most gas fire installations usually include installing a new cowl that have been designed to work with gas appliances. This type of cowl are usually made from aluminium and clamp to the chimney pot. They will prevent anything entering the chimney whilst allowing the poisonous fumes to escape.
A smoke test should be carried out at survey stage to determine that the flue is sound and free from any leaks. The installer will warm up the flue before lighting a smoke bomb in the flue catchment area. Checks are made all the way up including bedrooms, lofts and the chimney stack to see if any smoke is visible from anywhere apart from the final terminal (chimney pot). If there is any leaks which can't be fixed, a flue liner will need to be installed. The type of fireplace will determine what size diameter of flue liner will be needed - 5" & 7" flue liner diameters are most commonly used. In older properties, flue liners are often used even if the chimney is sound and free from any leaks. Installing a flue liner bypasses the chimney and prevent any soot particles and mortar dropping on to your new fire. It's also reassuring for homeowners to install a liner in case the chimney was to deteriorate after the installation. If a flue liner isn't going to be installed, the chimney should be swept prior to any new gas or solid fuel appliance is fitted.
Fireplace Installation
Once all checks have been carried out and you've purchased your new fireplace, you can commence installation. As an example, this guide will explain the basic installation steps of a wooden fire surround (mantel) with marble back panel & hearth and a living flame inset gas fire being fitted in to a Class 1 (real chimney).
First thing to do is to fit the hearth and ensure it's perfectly level. Place the hearth in position and mark off on the floor once you're happy that it's in the correct place. No floor is ever perfectly level so get some packers ready. Most fitters us bonding plaster to set the hearth on. Mix the bonding plaster to a fairly dry constituency and put 'blobs' of the mix (about 4" high) on the floor where the hearth will be situated. Lower the hearth in place and use a spirit level to get the hearth perfectly level. Once the hearth has set, place the back panel on the hearth and lean against the wall (a common mis-conception is that the back panel gets stuck to the wall) Then lift the wooden fire surround in place so it's stood on the hearth and over the back panel. The mantel can be fixed into place, usually by 2 brackets on each leg or by concealed brackets fixed to the back of the fire surround. The loose back panel can be slid into place by pulling it to meet the inside legs of the surround. Make sure that the cut-out in the back panel for the fire is central and use the remaining plaster mix to seal inside the opening to prevent any fumes from the gas fire spilling behind the mantel. The final part is the installation of the gas fire which will require the services of a Gas Safe registered engineer. Once the fire has been fitted, the engineer will need to carry out a final set of checks to confirm that the gas fire is performing safely in the flue.
If you plan to install a fireplace for solid fuel or a wood burning stove, a HETAS registered installer should be used.
Gas fires should be serviced annually to ensure they continue to operate safely and as condition of any extended warranty.
