stinking chimney

[richardbrown]

I am on a re furb job atm as part of the job the chimney breast and chimney etc was removed from the house to make he rooms bigger etc.

Where the breast used to be we have hardwalled the section of exposed brick that was at the back of the breast then skimmed the entire wall but since doing so the wall has been giving off this real amonia stink, so bad you cant go in the room.

What has reacted to cause this.

There was no carbon etc etc on the brick

 

[Chris W]

no soot on the bricks after a breast removal? im gobsmacked...
that said, and allowed for, nothing to say it hasnt soaked into the brickwork...
soot is absolutely chock full of ammonia so theres your problem...
you could try a bit of salt neutraliser and see if that kills it off?

 

[Chris W]

p.s. salt neutraliser (or just plain old vinegar and water) does work real well on catp'ss...

 

[Chris W]

just another thought rich...
not sure hardwall was a good idea if its a downstairs outside wall... damp probs etc?
owt like that always gets rendered for me...

 

[beddy]

just another thought rich...
not sure hardwall was a good idea if its a downstairs outside wall... damp probs etc?
owt like that always gets rendered for me...

where does it say its external mate?

 

[richardbrown]

it is an outside wall but there is a cavity and also we have just finished the insulated thin coat system on the building so no chance of damp ....

The chimney had a liner so the soot etc was a good 6 inchs or so off what we have hardwalled.

also the hard wall has large jet black patches on it .... looks bloody awful lol

 

[warriorupnorth]

It's the sulphates and or phosphates reacting with the hardwall mate , alway's treat with anti-sulphate and render them, using a good waterproofer/salt inhibitor or modify render with sbr

 

[richardbrown]

cheers paul .... you wont believe the stink .... makes your eyes water

 

[Chris W]

just another thought rich...
not sure hardwall was a good idea if its a downstairs outside wall... damp probs etc?
owt like that always gets rendered for me...

where does it say its external mate?

just an assumption... even then, if its on a party wall, chances are theres no dpc.... never was in them days, damp companies dont inject chimney breasts as a general rule either, just an upstand either side - wont guarantee em...

ive done quite a few but always rendered em, as warrior says with proper waterproofer with added salt inhibitor... theyre a right pain when you got soot on the walls, sbr slurry usually sorts any adhesion probs...
half the time we'd just knock up some tanking in place of sbr slurry...

 

[richardbrown]

there was NOOOOOOOOOOOOO soot on the walls as the chimney had a liner

 

[Chris W]

yes rich, you did say...
all the same, the place stinks of catp'ss so somethings got through it...
dunno how old the house was but im guessing if its cavity wall then the liner was fitted when it was built...
or maybe it wasnt? maybe it was retro fitted?
either way, hardwall stinks at the best of times, im betting a 50/50 vinegar/water with a dash of washing up liquid will cure it....
cant see you getting any other probs anyway, just blame the cats.. ;D

 

[richardbrown]

the house is 1930 and I have another to do in the other room.

bloody cats everywhere on this job .... gulp