We have an unused gas fire chimney, single elevation, with a clay pot and and gas cowl with slots in it. Chimney breast is all brick and we’ve been having a wet bricks where the breast comes through the roof (no loft space) into a mezzanined room. The lead flashings have been checked, the chimney has been repointed and had that waterproofing cream applied. Still water coming in, the starting point of the water is immediately where it comes through the roof and permeates about 5 courses of brick down from the ceiling plasterboard. We’ve had 3 roofers try to fix it, but failed. I put a garden bucket over the top of the gas cowl and the water has now stopped. Can it really be that sufficient rain can get through a gas cowl and cause this problem? I cant decide if I’m better taking the gas cowl off to leave an open chimney pot (more ventilation) or adding one of these cowl covers instead. Do you have any advice please?
@@yp77738yp77739 hello, I had to repair a chimney few years ago and had to go back to do more couple tiles, eventually turned out to be the clay terminal sitting in the pot, so I have experienced this too. I assumed they were water tight prior to that but they can let water in. On that job i just removed a the pot as it wasn’t in use, and concreted the top, problem was solved. If it’s use don’t use the fire with a bucket over the top as it could cause dangerous fumes to divert into the house possibly. I’d get a different cowl for use on gas fire that won’t let water in.
@ Thanks for the advice and the safety warning, but yes the gas fire hasn’t been used for 20 years. If we remove the top and fit a concrete cap, does there still need to be a little ventilation for it to sweat (the roofer previously put waterproofing “cream” over all the brickwork) or can you hermetically seal it off completely. Thanks, we’ve been trying to solve this for about 15 years, luckily because it is open brick it doesn’t go mouldy or need constant redecoration, all it does is cause some white efflorescence which I periodically clear with lemon juice!
@ yea needs 2 air bricks fitted on top course of bricks to create air flow and ventilation in the cavity. Otherwise will create damp from condensation. Air bricks on opposite sides of chimney.
Hard to say as depends on accessibility to the chimney, is scaffolding needed, etc. But if the chimney is easily accessible from a ladder and cat ladder and the chimney top isn’t very high I’d say £120-180 range is fair.
We have an unused gas fire chimney, single elevation, with a clay pot and and gas cowl with slots in it. Chimney breast is all brick and we’ve been having a wet bricks where the breast comes through the roof (no loft space) into a mezzanined room.
The lead flashings have been checked, the chimney has been repointed and had that waterproofing cream applied. Still water coming in, the starting point of the water is immediately where it comes through the roof and permeates about 5 courses of brick down from the ceiling plasterboard.
We’ve had 3 roofers try to fix it, but failed.
I put a garden bucket over the top of the gas cowl and the water has now stopped. Can it really be that sufficient rain can get through a gas cowl and cause this problem? I cant decide if I’m better taking the gas cowl off to leave an open chimney pot (more ventilation) or adding one of these cowl covers instead. Do you have any advice please?
@@yp77738yp77739 hello, I had to repair a chimney few years ago and had to go back to do more couple tiles, eventually turned out to be the clay terminal sitting in the pot, so I have experienced this too. I assumed they were water tight prior to that but they can let water in. On that job i just removed a the pot as it wasn’t in use, and concreted the top, problem was solved.
If it’s use don’t use the fire with a bucket over the top as it could cause dangerous fumes to divert into the house possibly.
I’d get a different cowl for use on gas fire that won’t let water in.
@ Thanks for the advice and the safety warning, but yes the gas fire hasn’t been used for 20 years. If we remove the top and fit a concrete cap, does there still need to be a little ventilation for it to sweat (the roofer previously put waterproofing “cream” over all the brickwork) or can you hermetically seal it off completely. Thanks, we’ve been trying to solve this for about 15 years, luckily because it is open brick it doesn’t go mouldy or need constant redecoration, all it does is cause some white efflorescence which I periodically clear with lemon juice!
@ yea needs 2 air bricks fitted on top course of bricks to create air flow and ventilation in the cavity. Otherwise will create damp from condensation. Air bricks on opposite sides of chimney.
Thanks a lot!
What would be a fair price to pay for just the cowls to be fitted ?
Hard to say as depends on accessibility to the chimney, is scaffolding needed, etc. But if the chimney is easily accessible from a ladder and cat ladder and the chimney top isn’t very high I’d say £120-180 range is fair.
Was there not a cowl on there before? You haven't shown removal
th-cam.com/video/BreCDv6J4DE/w-d-xo.html
Watch video of earlier work on these pots …