No chimney available
Do I have to do without a fireplace?
You have bought your own home, but there is no chimney in the house. Does that mean you have to do without a cosy fireplace? We come with solutions that still allow you to enjoy a beautiful fire.
Why is a chimney needed?
A basic connection to a chimney is necessary for all fireplaces and stoves that are heated with wood. It serves to conduct the combustion gases into the open air and is also needed to create the negative pressure required for firing. A chimney cannot be dispensed with, as the exhaust gases must be safely discharged.
Gas fireplaces without a chimney
Modern gas fireplaces are a solution that does not require a masonry chimney, but does require a LAS (air-flue system). The flue gas pipe can be laid through the outer wall in the form of stainless steel or plastic pipes (see illustration below). The smoke is transported through the pipe to the outside and at the same time fresh air reaches the inside. The only thing to bear in mind is not to place the flue outlet too close to windows, as this could allow the gases to enter the house.
This version, however, is not approved in all countries and is not permitted for new buildings. Chimney sweeps are also rather critical of this concept. Therefore, appropriate advice (preferably from the chimney sweep) is necessary in individual cases. If you want to be on the safe side, choose an air flue system inside the building through the roof (Fig. left) or one that leads through the roof on the outside of the façade (Fig. right):
Retrofit chimney
If wood firing is desired, there is no way around a chimney. In this case, however, retrofitting a chimney is possible. This does not always have to be associated with great expense. Accordingly, the flue pipe can also be attached to the outside of the façade and lead from there to the roof. The only prerequisite: the stove or fireplace must be installed on the inside of the outer wall.
If this is not possible, a chimney must be bricked into the house. However, this method is more complicated and therefore more expensive, as ceilings and the roof have to be broken through.
It is considerably cheaper if a chimney is already planned when the house is built. In order to secure one's basic need for warmth, one should therefore learn more about the "co-construction" of a chimney when planning one's own home.
Whether with the use of a gas fireplace or the retrofitting of a chimney - home-owners without a chimney by no means have to do without the cosiness of a fire in their own four walls. After all, what could be nicer than spending an evening romantically in front of the fireplace?
Conclusion
There are various ways to enjoy a wood fire in the aftermath. The cheaper option with less structural effort is a gas fireplace with an air flue system. More complex and with a higher structural input is the retrofitting of a chimney.
Consult a chimney sweep at the beginning of your planning, so that he can explain which version is feasible and also sensible for a customised solution.
