Why do Victorian houses have so many chimneys?

While Colonial houses of the 18th century needed big chimneys to support multiple fireplaces, houses built in the later half of the 19th century only needed ventilation space for stove pipes. That translated into skinnier chimneys. Inside, mantlepieces sometimes remained as a backdrop for the stoves.

Why are there two chimney flues?

A flue is a venting system, each system needs its own so If you heat your home with oil or gas and have a fireplace you would have two flues. Often times they are in one chimney so if you were to look down the chimney it would be separated into two venting system inside one chimney.

Why do old houses have chimneys but no fireplace?

Chimneys are most common in houses built before 1900 when older furnaces needed chimneys to remove fumes from the house. As steam, gas, and electric heating became more popular, fireplaces were no longer necessary. They just became another place where heat could escape.

Why do old houses have two chimneys?

In these houses, cooking was often done on one side and heating (with a coal burner or gas heater) done on the other, with both components plugged into a double-barreled brick chimney stack.

When did UK houses stop having chimneys?

Chimneys were not widely used in domestic buildings until brick became available in the late medieval period. Before this, most dwellings used open hearths, with one large fire typically located in the centre of the building for both heating and cooking.

Why do British houses have so many chimneys?

They allow the smoke from solid fuel fires escape to the outside rather than circulate around the house.

Does rain go down a chimney?

Unless a chimney has a cowling, rain often comes down its relatively small aperture. But all chimneys have a bend built into them to prevent any downdraught. Any normal rain will be absorbed by the insides of the chimney and prevented from going all the way down by this ledge.

Can two fireplaces share the same flue?

Fireplaces can’t share the same flue but can be run in the same chimney with their own flue liners. It got that way as the fireplace sucked air from the interior of the house for combustion air for the fire and pulled heated air from the rooms to assist the draft of the flue gasses up and out the chimney.

Why do people brick up fireplace?

While it’s sad to think about why somebody would brick over a fireplace in the first place, it does make sense. In some cases, the fireplace flue gets sealed up and the firebox becomes purely decorative. In other cases, the whole thing gets bricked up and plastered over, erasing all trace of it.

Why would someone cover a fireplace?

Your chimney has a flue that exhausts air to keep a healthy circulation in your home. It makes sense, then, that during the summer and other times when your chimney is not in use that you should use something like a Chimney Balloon to prevent HVAC-treated air from escaping.

What were old chimneys used for?

Early American chimneys were well used for heating and cooking and, while not designed to meet any codes or safety standards, experience taught many what was safe and what was not.

Do you have the right cowl for your chimney flue?

As every chimney flue is unique, it is important to ensure you have the right cowl for your flue. So don’t hesitate to call us now for our expert and professional advice. Even if your pot is damaged or broken, we can supply and fit a brand new pot to prevent risks of blockage or downdraught due to a faulty pot.

How many flues can run through a chimney breast?

If we take as an example a five-storey, Georgian, terraced house with the chimney breasts on the party wall, we could potentially have ten flues running through the same chimney breast! You only have to look up at the roofs of some Georgian and Victorian terraces and count the pots on each stack.

Why choose a & C Morrow chimney sweeps for your chimney?

At A & C Morrow Chimney Sweeps, we are able to supply and fit a variety of cowls professionally and efficiently. As every chimney flue is unique, it is important to ensure you have the right cowl for your flue. So don’t hesitate to call us now for our expert and professional advice.

Why do we have chimneys in homes?

Although holes in the roof and walls of ancient homes is evidence that our ancestors knew it was important to get smoke out of their homes, chimneys were not really widely adopted until the Tudor times, and even then, only by the upper classes, with more common folk having to put up with smoke-filled rooms.