Fireplace rip out- installation of a Dru 44 stove.

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Initial rip out revealed this original arch (keeper!) 

My plasterer did an excellent job of 'exposing the arch'

Jackdaws took advantage of this uncapped chimney, sweeps had failed to unblock the chimney as such a breakout was necessary (this is a common problem which we have to address).

Light Test...and we're clear.

Sealed up and we're ready for lining.

Here is a common problem we come across. This chimney was falling to pieces, very often we are the first people to touch the stack for 50 years. There is only one (responsible) way to deal with this....re-build it.

Bricks carefully removed and numbered. We took the brickwork down one course then proceeded to re-build it with galvanised brick reinforcement wire sections. This helps to hold the chimney together. We also removed the fluffy, weak dusty mortar from the courses below and re-pointed the stack...ready for the next 50 years!!

Re-built, re-pointed, new flaunch and neighbouring stack capped and vented with a ridge tile. P. Cottrell -1 Jackdaws -0. We take our mortar mixes very seriously, a lot of the problems we come across in relation to the tops of chimneys are to do with the original builders using weak cement/lime/sand mixes.

Ta-da, finished product (carpet is being replaced and decoration will follow) 

Charnwood Country 8 Twin Wall installation

After the original Chimney was ripped out of this property our task was to re-instate a flue so that the customer could have a wood burning stove in his lounge.

The Hearth is down, we are now trialling the flue for position (Dry run before we set the final position).

Ground Floor complete. The 45 degree angle is to ensure the flue will exit at exactly the right point in the roof.  

First floor: note ventilated firestop plate on floor, another will be added to the ceiling, this is essential to ensure fires can't spread from one level to another. It is essential that distance to combustibles is maintained.

There was a loft conversion on this particular property. (More work and more boxing in!!) Luckily my original trade was carpentry, all the work you see is completed by myself and my labourer (apart from the plastering).

Roof breakout: this is where the fun happens, first the rafters must be bridged: to maintain the structural integrity of the building: Then flashing and lead tags to keep everything watertight. (Great fun!!). 

Flashing complete.

New chimney!! 

More boxing in, quite a lot of space was stolen from the room in this install, we did offer to box more closely to the flue to allow for shelving/ cupboard but the customer was keen to go for clean lines in the room. 

Plastered: skirts went on after this picture. 

Plastered: note the vents, these allow any convection from the heat produced in the twin wall to be transferred to the room and prevents any condensation.

Job done: Here we are commissioning the stove with the customer: at P. Cottrell Building and stoves we ALWAYS run through lighting up sequence and safe operation with every customer as part of the commisioning process. 

Installation of Aarow Ecoburn7 inset and chimney modification.

This case study is a great example of problem solving: the existing open fire was suffering down draught problems and when the kitchen extractor was running there was a potential Carbon Monoxide problem (DANGER!!) .

The chimney was nowhere near tall enough and despite an anti down draught cowl the air rolling off of the roof was flowing down the chimney and causing the existing set up to run backwards.

So we extended the chimney. The existing chimney was crumbling anyway as the builders that originally built it made it from sand faced commons not proper facing bricks. (Ask us about bricks...we know all about bricks!!) 

Meanwhile inside we broke out the existing chimney ready to make a proper connection to the new inset stove and made a second hole to make sure we could make a good job of the vermiculite backfill.

The space available in the existing chamber was (almost) perfect for the Aarow Ecoburn stove we were installing, but we had to weld up a plate so that a proper seal could be achieved between the stove and the chimney breast. 

Plate sprayed and installed ready to receive the stove. Liner is in place. 

A positive connection has been made (it is essential to break the chimney out when installing an inset stove to do this).  The breakout holes have allowed us to make a proper job of the vermiculite backfill, this is particularly important when a chimney is on an outside wall.

Stove in and sealed to the bespoke install plate we made earlier. 

Now the scaffold has been removed you can see the different position of the new extended chimney, no more down draught issues!! 

Another commision, another proper run through of lighting up sequence and safe operation which we ALWAYS do.