Issue with job carried out, need help

dobsdave

Hi Folks,

I'll make this short.
Fireback was in a very bad condition, got someone to supply and install a new one.
Problem is I'm not in the country at the moment.
My Wife was there during the work and rang me afterwards and said she was worried about the job done.
He fobbed her off, so she took some photos.

Please tell me this isn't normal:

1. 6cm gap between new fireback and existing work
2. 'Crack' across the middle of the new fireback that seems to have been cemented together.

Comments appreciated as I've never heard of this being done before and so dont know what to expect.

Thanks

RKQ

That doesn't look right!
The gap at the top shouldn't be there!

Is that a crack along the middle or was the conc fireback cut in half to ease installation?

gsxr1

that is a great example of a complete balls up

311

it looks like it was broken in half to get it into the fireplace.
+1 on the balls up comment ,rough to boot.

dobsdave

Apparently it was cut to ease installation, which I can just about take.
But the gap at the top.....
I was on to him this morning, he said he would take it out and raise it!!

He obviously wasn't up to the job.

Thanks to everyone who replied, its such an uncommon job, I just wanted a sanity check.

Sleipnir

You can't have a crack in the fireback, it'll just get worse. What's the point in replacing it with a broken one? Don't pay him a cent.

RKQ

Firebacks are made of solid concrete, to fit standard 16" & 18" fire opes.
Cutting it in have to install it defeats the purpose! It also led to the gap (unless your ope is abnormally high)

Take it out and replace with a full size fireback.

Great photo's by the way - really showed the problem - well done.

Heatherview

Hi dobsdave

I have seen fireplaces installed that were in two halves (can be bought)and joint filled with fire cement. Your job looks a bit crude(sorry).the proper installation of a fireback is as follows.

1. Wrap Insulation around rhe back and two sides of the back and tie it to hold in place.
2. put in the back and leave around 5mm away from fire surround later this will filled with asbetos rope and finished with fire cement.
3. Fill behind fireback with mixture of sand/lime/smaal part cement
4. compact to top of back
5. mix sand/cement 3/1 fill up from top of back at an angle so soot will not gather.
6. when lighting fires keep small for a few days to temper the fireback important saves cracking later.

Sketch attached

Good luck with job
Heatherview

sooty_soupy

• Break out the old fireback
• remove the old flaunching shown in the photos (appears to have been left in position)

• measure the height of the opening

• reduce the height of your fireback to 1" lower than this by cutting off the surplus from the bottom of the new back with grinder
• install this by sliding it in at one side then bringing to the other and centralising
• install the rope seals by themselves at the moment
• fill the back with vermiculite and flaunch to form a sloping ledge to the fireplace to reduce the collection area of soot.
• weak sand and cement mix seals in the vermiculite
• fire cement over the rope seals now when there is something solid to push against.

Just a wee tip for that professional look. Wet the fire cement with warm water and you get a really nice smooth finish. The vermiculite will help to allow for expansion and contraction and will throw a lot more heat into the room.

And that's how a registered chimney technician in the North would do it...because I train them.

I love the photos though.. a good laugh for a Sunday morning on the laptop.

God I need a life. ;-}

Best regards

David NIACS Chairman