Chimney breast removal advise

[Jack Brightmore]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to the forum so I hope this is in the right category.
I have just moved into an ex military house and it has this chimney stack right through the middle of the living room right through to the roof. I’m wanting to knock it out. Only half of the stack is for the chimney (in green) and on the first floor half houses the old copper hot water tank/ airing cupboard. This is also a stud wall. I’m wondering if this could be structural at all? I’m going to get a structural engineer but it would be handy to know so I can budget for this. Once knocked out to roof level it will make the living room bigger and 2 bedrooms bigger by a little by getting rid of the water tank.(new combi boiler is getting installed.)
Any advise or if anyone has done this would be helpful. Thanks in advance

 

[Jack Brightmore]

 

[tell80]

The timber (eg joist trimming) around a chimney breast should stay 40mm - 50mm away from the c/breast masonry.
So chimney breasts are not supposed to support floor joists.
Some chimney breasts are occasionally tied-into the surrounding joists by metal straps.

So, yes the chimney breast can be removed but you must start by removing the the roof stack, & then work down.
You suggest that there is a shoulder in the c/breast but I doubt it given you have three flues from the first floor up inside the c/breast.

You could remove everything but the stud framing in the airing cupboard partition, & then wait for the SE's advice.

 

[Jack Brightmore]

The timber (eg joist trimming) around a chimney breast should stay 40mm - 50mm away from the c/breast masonry.
So chimney breasts are not supposed to support floor joists.
Some chimney breasts are occasionally tied-into the surrounding joists by metal straps.

So, yes the chimney breast can be removed but you must start by removing the the roof stack, & then work down.
You suggest that there is a shoulder in the c/breast but I doubt it given you have three flues from the first floor up inside the c/breast.

You could remove everything but the stud framing in the airing cupboard partition, & then wait for the SE's advice.

Thank you for your reply.
I will be able to tell more once the water tank has been removed but that was the plan, to remove from the top downwards. On ground level, it’s partly built into a solid wall (It’s most likely a supporting wall) that partitions the kitchen.
Hope that makes sense.
Regarding the upstairs. There are no fireplaces (and never was) just the stack running through the bedrooms. So yes, there is no shoulder.

 

[tell80]

Good call, I was wrong. I quickly read through and misread "two bedrooms ... bigger" for two bedroom chimney breasts.

Where the c/breast is tied into the kitchen wall you will be able to cut/snap all the tie-in bricks as you work down. You wont weaken the kitchen wall.

 

[Jack Brightmore]

Good call, I was wrong. I quickly read through and misread "two bedrooms ... bigger" for two bedroom chimney breasts.

Where the c/breast is tied into the kitchen wall you will be able to cut/snap all the tie-in bricks as you work down. You wont weaken the kitchen wall.

No problem. That’s great. Thanks for taking the time to reply!