Is this a bodge please?....your opinions valued!!!

[MisterKevster]

Here are some pics of one of the chimney stacks at my home in Leeds.
The property dates around 1890 I believe....and is owned by a Housing Association.
I have the top floor flat, and was able to take the pic from aan opening skylight which is adjacent to the stack.
I'm having a lot of damp problems to the plastered breast in the room below. The cowl that you can see...complete with necklace of cable ties, has just been 'installed' to prevent water from entering the flue.....but I can't help but think that it's too small, and may not be effective.
I can see that the pot design is unusual (?)....and might conceal the actual width of the throat of the pot???
What do you think.....will it suffice??

Thanks
Kev

 

[a twig]

Those cable ties are a dead giveaway that they got up there, realised the cowl was too small and yehaa’d it…

If fixing like that was required you’d expect to see a large stainless steel jubilee clamp arrangement

 

[a twig]

Assuming the chimney / flue isn’t actually being used - an “elephants foot” is the usual solution.

From the photos it looks like it would be possible for rain water to run off the cowl and drip down the sides back into the chimney. Plus given that it looks like it is plastic, I wouldn’t expect it to survive too many storms or high winds before the plastic hooks at the bottom or the cable ties running through them snap and it comes down

Could try contacting the Housing Association and acknowledging the expediency of their temporary repair and ask when the long term fix will be put in place?

 

[aockenden]

Lol’d at the zip-ties.

 

[MisterKevster]

Thanks for getting back....and soooo quickly!!
I'm emailing 'em right now as it happens.
That particular pot runs to the gound floor (of 3) and is unused. It appears that water is finding it's way through to the breast in the room below....and has caused all kind of problems for some time now.
Here's my view in the living room.....just for the 'fun' of it.

 

[Cubist]

What a bunch of..... best use for those cable ties should have been around the wrists of the bandits that did the job! Feckless pillocks couldn't even bother to cut the tails off.

 

[Cubist]

Thanks for getting back....and soooo quickly!!
I'm emailing 'em right now as it happens.
That particular pot runs to the gound floor (of 3) and is unused. It appears that water is finding it's way through to the breast in the room below....and has caused all kind of problems for some time now.
Here's my view in the living room.....just for the 'fun' of it.
View attachment 14730

Same crew doing this work too?

 

[MisterKevster]

What a bunch of..... best use for those cable ties should have been around the wrists of the bandits that did the job! Feckless pillocks couldn't even bother to cut the tails off.

That's typical of the level of job that's offerred by the favoured contractor used by the H.A. ......generally appalling!

 

[MisterKevster]

Same crew doing this work too?

Yes! The wet plaster was removed on Sept 30th....and the idea was to immediately apply a cement slurry/25mm insulated board to 'repair' the scene.
I refused that, and insisted the area be allowed to dry before doing anything internally. It's taken over 2 weeks to have the plastic cowl fitted.

 

[MisterKevster]

Received reply from the H.A.

"The Cowl fitted will be a Temporary measure until we find one that remains in keep with the property.
If we are unable to find a suitable cowl, then we may look at capping the Chimney pot off. "

A bit of Googling has shown me that there are almost countless cowls available....doubtless, they'll all be unsuitable!!

 

[MisterKevster]

Thought I'd update on this.....The H.A. has fitted a new cowl.
My initial thoughts are....that this is yet another bodge, and cowl is too small for the pot.
Any thoughts please??

 

[MisterKevster]

Update on the Cowl.
The H.A. have agreed it's too small.....well I never!!
The cowl in the picure (above) is meant to fit up to 300mm diameter....so I'm thinking I'd need something to fit, say, 350mm+.
So....looking for a supplier of Large (is it 'Senior'?) cowls for a Victorian property like this???
Any suggestions please???
Thanks

 

[a twig]

Adaptor plates are available:

Chimney Cowl Adapter Plate for Oversized Chimney Pots

If you have an oversized, large Chimney Pot then this is the Product and Solution for you. - Our Oversize Adaptor for use with Large Chimney Pots and Flues. • Can fit Chimney Pots with an outside diameter of 390mm • Can be used in conjunction with Colt Top, High Top and Rotorvent range •...

www.chimneycowlproducts.co.uk

 

[a twig]

Or a cowl like this:

Large Base Senior Cowl - MAD Cowls

This cowl is designed to cater for oversized chimney pots. Fits diameter above 290mm up to 400mm. Every bit as effective as the standard sized Mad Senior Cowl. This cowl has all the same features as the standard senior cowl, all be it designed to fit larger type chimney pots only The Large Base...

www.madcowls.co.uk