Building Construction IV:

Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

Chapter 2: Fireplace and Chimney

Open fire burning coal/wood are traditional methods of heating domestics buildings, however because of
low efficiency, construction design have been made to improve the performance levels by way of effective
controls, through proper fireplaces/chimney (more modern equipment).

A good fireplace is not only architecturally pleasing, but also one in which the draw (the operation of
fireplace) is excellent. Fireplaces may be paneled or brick faced. The opening at the top may be with metal
head or motifs in masonry or concrete

Fireplace may have

. One side opening
. Two side opening, or
. Three side opening, or even be
. Free standing

Terminology
1. Fireplace
Area in which fuel combustion takes place, it may be a form of an open space with grate in which wood or
coal is burnt or free standing appliance –slow combustion stove, room heater, oil burning appliance, gas
fire or gas boiler.

Components:
a. Fire backs:
The functions of a fire-back
 to contain the burning fuel,
 to prevent the heat of the fire from damaging the wall behind it, and
 to radiate heat from the fire into the room.

The space behind a fire back should be a solid material though not a strong mix and not composed of loose
rubble.

The recommended mix is 1:2:4 lime, sand and broken brick, alternatively an insulation mix of 5 parts of
vermiculite to 1 part of cement could be used.

The temperature encountered by a fire-back will be high, therefore the problem of expansion and
subsequent contraction must be considered. The fire-back should preferably be in two or more parts since
the lower half will become hotter than the upper half.

Multi piece fire-backs also have the advantage of being easier to fit, it is also good practice to line the rear
of a fire-back with corrugated paper or a similar material which will eventually smolder away leaving a
small expansion gap at back of the fire-back.

A fireplace must have proper opening proportion and pleasing to look at (rectilinear better than square).
The firebox itself must be properly shaped, usually taping toward the rear and lined with high temperature
firebrick.

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Building Construction IV:
Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

b. Throat.
The size and shape of the throat above the fireplace opening is of the utmost importance. A fireplace with
an unrestricted outlet to the fire would create unpleasant draughts by drawing an unnecessary amount of
air through the flue and reduce the efficiency the fire by allowing too much heat to escape into the flue. A
throat restriction of 100mm will give reasonable efficiency without making chimney sweeping impossible.
Dampers regulate the draft of the fireplace.

c. Surrounds.
This is the façade of a fireplace and its main function is to give an attractive appearance. It can be of pre
cast concrete with a finish such as tiles or built in situ from small bricks or natural stones. If it is pre-cast, it
is usually supplied in two pieces the front and the hearth. The front is fixed by screw through lugs cast into
the edge of the surround and placed against a 25mm wide asbestos cord or rope around the fireplace
opening to allow for expansion and contraction the hearth should be bedded evenly on the constructional
hearth with at least 10mm of 1:1:8 (cement lime & sand mix).

d. Fireplace or appliance recess

The fireplace or appliance recess is an opening in the chimney into which an open fire, room heater or
stove is fitted between the jambs of the recess. The traditional recess was usually 575 wide and 625 high
to accommodate a domestic solid fuel open fire. It is in practice today to form larger recess; the
dimensions of opening are 800 wide by 1000 high.

2. Flue
 The void through which smoke passes.
 made of a suitable lining material to give protection to the chimney fabrics from products of
combustion as well as forming a fuel of the correct shape and size to suit the type of fuel and
appliance being used
 A flue that is too large is better than one that is too small.

A flue is a shaft or pipe above a fireplace to induce combustion air to flow and carry away the products of
combustion. For maximum efficiency the flue should be straight and vertical without offsets. As the heated
products of combustion pass up the flue they cool and tend to condense on the surface of the flue in the
form of small droplets. This combine with brick block or stonework surrounding the flue to form water-
soluble crystals which expand as they absorb water and may cause damage to the chimney and finishes
such as plaster and paint. To protect the chimney from possible damage from the condensation, to
encourage a free flow of air up the flue and to facilitate cleaning the flue, flue liners are built into flues.
The Building Regulations set the minimum inside dimension of these flue liners at 185 square or 200
diameters round

Flue liners are made of burnt clay or concrete. Clay flue liners are round or square with rounded corners in
section and have rebated ends. These liners are built in as the chimney is raised and the liners are
surrounded with mortar and set in place with the liner socket uppermost so that condensation cannot run
down through the joint into the surrounding chimney. Bends are made of the same cross section for use
where flues offset.

Concrete flue liners are made of Portland cement or high alumina cement and an aggregate of fired
diatomaceous brick cast in round section with square ends. The liners made with high alumina cement are
used in flues where the temperature is up to 850C and with Portland cement up to 850C.

Clay drain pipes with socket and spigot ends may be used instead of flue liners. The pipes are set in place
as the chimney is raised with the spigot ends of the pipes uppermost. Because of the appreciable
protection of the socket ends of these drain pipes a chimney built with them is larger than one with
purpose- made flue liners.

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Building Construction IV:
Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

A range of purpose-made pre-cast concrete flue blocks is made for building into block work walls and
partitions. The blocks are made of lightweight concrete around flue of dense aggregate and high alumina
cement. A range of blocks is made to bond to block work, for offsets ion flues and as a capping.

Where there are two or more fireplaces one above the other it is necessary to form offsets in the lower
flues so that the flues may run up at the sides of the fireplaces above then offsets above the highest
fireplaces to gather together as a chimney stack above roof levels. It will be seen that the flues from the
lower fireplaces run inside the jambs either sides of the top fireplaces. For the offsets in flues, bend or
offsets flue blocks are used.

The building regulations require that no part a flue in a chimney shall be at an angle of less than 45 with
the horizontal to maintain good up-draught to minimize collection of soot and for ease of sweeping.

Every flue in a chimney built of brick, block or stone must be surrounded by and separated from other
flues in the same chimney with solid material not less than 100 thick, excluding the thickness of a flue
lining.

3. Chimney
The fabric surrounding the flue and providing it with the necessary strength and protection. The chimney
should be extended at least 2 feet above the highest point of a roof.

a. A chimney should be built as vertical as it is practicable to give maximum flue gas flow.
b. If an appliance (eg. Ventilator) is connected to the chimney, the flue pipe should be as short as
possible and continuous with an access for cleaning included at the base of the main flue.
c. The chimney should be terminated above the roof according to the building regulations and
considering the local wind direction so that it complies with the Building Regulations and is unaffected
by adverse pressures which occur generally on the windward side of a roof and may cause down
draughts.
d. The use of chimney terminal or pot is for giving better flue flow properties or to provide a cover to
protect the flue from the entry of rain or birds. A terminal should be fixed so that it does not impede in
any way the flow of flue gasses.

A chimney constructed as part of an external wall may project either into or outside the building,
whichever is the most convenient. The gain in floor space inside with an externally projecting chimney is
balanced by a sight increase in external surface area from which heat maybe lost. The cavity of the
external wall and cavity insulation should be continued behind and around the fireplace and chimney to
exclude rain and conserve heat.

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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Chapter 2 – Fireplace & Chimney

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