105:. Removing a chimney breast can create more floor space and a more regular-shaped room, but since chimney breasts often have a structural function, removal requires careful planning. It’s essential to consult a structural engineer and follow building regulations. Use appropriate PPE, especially dust masks (FFP3) to avoid inhaling fine particles, such as silica and asbestos, which can be smaller than 2.5 microns. These particles can be harmful if inhaled, so professional advice and asbestos testing are recommended. The removal of part (especially the lower part) of a breast can cause uneven loading on a wall, especially if the upper part is not suitably supported, ideally on an
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The construction and appearance of a chimney breast can vary according to function and style. English and
American builders more often treat the chimney breast and fireplace as distinct architectural features, whereas French buildings have gradually trended towards concealed construction.
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or against a wall pierced by a flue for purely cosmetic purposes. Typically they will consist of a timber frame or stud work covered with plaster board and a plaster skim. If the false breast contains a flue, it may be necessary to line it with a
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similarly project from the wall, but they do so on either side of the fireplace and serve to support the chimney breast. The interior of a chimney breast is commonly filled with
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may be acceptable with party wall agreement. A gallows bracket cannot be used on both sides of the party wall without removing the chimney stack.
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Chimney breasts often become redundant with respect to their function as a chimney after the installation of alternative heating methods, such as
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Other factors that need to be considered when removing a chimney breast are:
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Stephen Emmitt; Christopher A. Gorse; Robin Barry (2005).
109:. In some cases, support on a steel beam and post, or by
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False chimney breasts are sometimes constructed around a
299:"Chimney stack removal and the Building Regulations"
36:. Typically on the ground floor of a structure, the
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which projects forward from a wall to accommodate a
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263:. W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 149–152.
120:Fire safety, in particular for party walls.
260:The Architecture of the Classical Interior
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181:Burkinshaw, Ralph; Parrett, Mike (2003).
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150:Jack Stroud Foster; Roger Greeno (2007).
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285:"Am I safe without a chimney breast?"
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316:How to wallpaper a chimney breast
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48:out of the building through a
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126:Effect on neighbour's chimney
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246:(11 ed.). p. 527.
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185:. RICS Books. p. 55.
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257:Semes, Steven W. (2004).
93:or fireplace surrounds.
243:Encyclopædia Britannica
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20:A brick chimney breast
72:False chimney breasts
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153:Structure and Fabric
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137:References
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52:. Chimney
58:brickwork
34:fireplace
331:Chimneys
325:Category
62:concrete
240:(ed.).
97:Removal
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