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mains voltage cable through a 'blocked up' chimney space (flue)

psychicwarrior

hello good day

There have been many questions over time on this subject and surprisingly [to me] it seems that more often than not there is little/no objection to doing so... even suggesting in some cases that it is no different to running cables in/through/down wall cavities. There is no specific regulatory reason ever presented either to suggest not.

My take has always been that the/a fire place and chimney , even if blocked up,  (and similar to a wall cavity) has a specific purpose and is not expected to carry cables within/though it; is/can be subject to environmental factors [arguably] difficult to mitigate; might get repurposed again (in case of blocked up fireplace). Based on that, despite being asked, I've not ever run cables within/through such.

The other day I was questioned and considered as being over-cautious  regarding [yet another] request for a socket behind a tv on a chimney breast, with a blocked up fireplace below (complete with air vent grille) of course.  "Cant you just drill into it and take a wire through from a socket on the side to the socket behind the TV position, as it would be the easiest option".  No I said again leaving out he fishing of cable etc.

Well, always willing to review being over cautious and take correction,   so what's the view from folks on this forum ...  have 'you' done such  ,  or think it similarly inappropriate  ?  

  • 0

    a pipe that happens to be full of soot. 

    Indeed - my worry would be the chemical composition of the soot - often it's a cocktail of all sorts of nasties, especially if it was a coal fire, including stuff like creosote, which is known to be unkind to PVC cables....

    Maybe if the cable was run through a bit of flexible conduit - both to protect it from the soot and provide a little support/protection where it emerges from the drilled holes through brickwork.

    As for signage, as I understand it, to comply with building regs, flue data ("notice plate") is meant to be located if not at the flue itself, then at the CU or water stop cock ... so a suitable sign there drawing attention to the to the cable inside the flue should be seen by anyone properly installing a new a fire/stove etc.

       - Andy.

  • 0 in reply to mapj1
    mapj1 said:
    it will probably end up being lined as well

    Don't get me started! Of course, most people pay up because they do not know any better. For a stove, as opposed to an open hearth, what is wrong with a register plate where the (steel) flue goes up the chimbley?

  • 0 in reply to mapj1

    That looks to me like a Swiss socket on the wall.

  • 0 in reply to Roger B

    it does doesn't it, but sadly the wrong continent, as that one is marked as 120V at 20A. In other regions of the same country it would be 220v 16A. Brazil, you've got to like it...
    Mike.

  • 0 in reply to Chris Pearson

    Having once stayed in a place where the chimney was leaking smoke into an upstairs room I see their logic, perhaps there's a nice analogy between the function of a chimney to contain harmful flue gas and the function of electrical insulation surrounding a cable, containing harmful electricity. Safety depends on them being in sufficiently good and robust condition to fulfil their purpose.

    For example, I doubt any electrician would bring a piece of 100 year old Vulcanised Indian Rubber (VIR) cable back into service even if it passed an insulation resistance test because of concerns about the physical robustness and condition, or even 50+ year old PVC cable, the electrician is responsible if the cable they've recommissioned fails and injures or kills someone.

    Likewise, a HETAS engineer would probably have similar concerns about the integrity of the lime mortar in an old chimney or the tightness of mortar in an old chimney or flue more than several decades old, even if it passes a smoke test. If it leaks flue gas into the household, potentially injuring or killing an occupant then they are likely to be held responsible.

  • 0 in reply to TurboGen
    TurboGen said:
    If it leaks flue gas into the household, potentially injuring or killing an occupant then they are likely to be held responsible.

    Then your CO alarm will go off!

    Chimneys suck, they do not blow. So if the top is blocked, and if there is an alternative route, the hot smoke will take it.

    I have to say that in my experience, if a chimney is not functioning properly, the fire below will not burn properly either.

    My cables are 40-odd years old. Should they be replaced soon? What about my 50 (may-be 60) year old toaster?

    Nothing wrong with lime mortar!

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