What to Do About Splitting or Collapsing Brick Chimneys

Collapsing chimney diagnosis, evaluation & repair guide.

Beginning here we discuss how to spot very serious and unsafe brick chimneys indoors; Chimney splits or cracks may threaten a dangerous collapse, fire hazard or a fatal carbon monoxide CO hazard;

Advice for immediate safety actions needed when a chimney is in immediate danger of collapse, fire, and flue gas leakage.

This article describes a collapsing brick chimney and gives simple advice for immediate life-safety measures to be taken in the building.

Split Openings in Brick Chimneys & Chimney Collapse Risk

Watch out: Chimneys with splitting or movement such as that shown in our photographs below should not be patched, repaired, or re-lined. Nor can this chimney be used safely, not even for a moment.

The chimney structure, material, and probably its footings are or were inadequate and unsafe. A chimney tear-down and replacement are in order. In some cases by converting a heating system to a direct-vent flue it may be possible to cut the costs of this repair in half.

Photo: a seriously-split and completely unsafe brick chimney, detail from the page-top photo.

Inspect chimneys carefully throughout the building for evidence of holes, cracks, or damage, but pay special attention to brick chimneys that may split and actually break apart in their lowest sections.

We suspect that the combination of the heavy weight of a very tall brick masonry flue combined with the use of soft bricks and construction that used only a single brick width to form the thickness of the chimney caused the severe splitting of the brick masonry flue shown in these two basement photos.

This damage pattern is more likely to be found on single-wythe thick brick chimneys than on chimneys built with multiple thickness of bricks forming the chimney wall.

This chimney was in use and was very dangerous. The hazards of a split brick chimney include at least these:

• Risk of sudden catastrophic collapse 
  
  of the whole chimney, injuring occupants and damaging the building.
  
  See details at CHIMNEY COLLAPSE RISKS, REPAIRS
  
• Potentially fatal carbon monoxide
  
   gas leakage in the building
• A fire 
  
  risk from sparks that could fly out of the chimney split
• Inadequate chimney draft
  
   (due to the split which admits excess air into the chimney base) which in turn causes improper and unsafe operating of heating equipment venting through this chimney, including the production of carbon monoxide.

...

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Council house brick chimney collapse

Really appreciate any input having phone the council several times about minor changes now we are having drastic changes don't know who to call or how bad it is. On 2021-09-23 by Wesley Aspinall

by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) - Council House Brick Chimney Collapse Hazards

@Wesley Aspinall,

Watch out: your photo shows a dangerous brick masonry collapse that can mean

1. risk of falling building materials injuring building occupants or worse, killing someone.

2. risk of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning or a building fire if the damage includes a building chimney

It is possible that your building is unsafe to occupy.

Be sure that the building has working fire and smoke and CO detectors.

Turn OFF any heating equipment that is venting into the chimney that is damaged/collapsing/cracked, etc.

Immediate inspection by a fire or masonry expert or chimney expert is needed.

If you are in the U.K.,

Fire safety law is enforced by Fire Safety Enforcement Officers from the local Fire and Rescue Service. They have the right and legal authority to enter any workplace at any reasonable hour, without giving notice, though notice may be given where the inspector thinks it is appropriate.

The RP should establish if the EO has the authorisation to conduct an inspection before allowing him on the premises.

The EO will then conduct an inspection to check out the workplace, the work activities, your management of fire safety, and audit your fire risk assessment to ensure you are complying with fire safety law.

The EO may offer guidance or advice to help you. He/she may also talk to employees or their representatives, take photographs, serve notices, and take action if there is a risk to fire safety that needs to be dealt with immediately. - in "What to Expect if a Fire Safety Inspector Calls", Fire Safety Advice Centre, retrieved 2021/09/23 original source: https://www.firesafe.org.uk/what-to-expect-if-a-fire-safety-inspector-calls/ Safelincs Ltd., 33 West Street, Alford, LN13 9FX U.K..

Website excerpt: The Fire Safety Advice Centre provides free fire safety and fire prevention advice in the United Kingdom. Its resource library offers fire safety information for homes and businesses.

The principal fire safety legislation in England and Wales is The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and there are other fire safety legislations that cover specific situations. In addition British Standards, Codes of Practice and other documents offer guidance.

Depending on where you live you can ask for a fire safety check from local officials. For example,

In London call 0800 028 4428 or [for less-immediate concerns] email smokealarms@london-fire.gov.uk.

...

Continue reading at CHIMNEY CRACK DETECTION & DIAGNOSIS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ABANDONED CHIMNEYS
• BRICK CHIMNEY CRACKS & COLLAPSE
• CHIMNEY COLLAPSE RISKS, REPAIRS
• CHIMNEY CRACK DETECTION & DIAGNOSIS
• CHIMNEY DAMAGE by LEAKS & FROST
• CHIMNEY FLUE INSPECTION CAMERA
• CHIMNEY HEIGHT & CLEARANCE CODE for details about the required height of a chimney above the building roof.
• CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR - home
• CHIMNEY LEANING, SEPARATION, MOVEMENT
  • CHIMNEY LEANING, REPAIR OPTIONS
  • CHIMNEY MOVEMENT CAUSES
  • CHIMNEY MOVEMENT CLUES, INDOORS
  • CHIMNEY MOVEMENT, ONGOING vs STATIC
  • CHIMNEY FOOTING DEFECTIVE / MISSING
  • FOUNDATION SUPPORT for CHIMNEYS
• CHIMNEY REPAIR METHODS - home
• CONCRETE BLOCK CHIMNEY CRACKS
• CURVED BRICK CHIMNEYS, SULPHATION
• EARTHQUAKE CHIMNEY COLLAPSE DANGERS
• FIREPLACE DAMAGE & UNSAFE HEARTHS
• SOIL PROPERTIES & BUILDING FAILURES

Suggested citation for this web page

BRICK CHIMNEY CRACKS & COLLAPSE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to CHIMNEYS & FLUES

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