Fireplace Floor in bits!

sillysausage

The other day my wife was cleaning out the fire and notice a lot of "bits" coming up with the ashes. When I cleared it all out I found the fireplace floor had pretty much dissappeared, there was a large hole at the back of the fireback which I could easily fit my hand through and touch (and remove) the insulation on the wall. I have attached some images of how it looks.

My problem is this: The house is only 4 years old and should still be under the builders warranty, does anyone think this looks like dodgy craftmansship, or does this happen at a lot? Also, is it easy to repair myself? Fire cement do the trick?

Thanks

ttm

I've used more than my far share of old chimenys and dodgy fire places but never had one do anything like this.

It would be interesting to know how you use the fire and what you burn. If you use a grate with an ash pan then most of the base of the fire has a bit of protection from direct heat. But if you were to burn logs with no grate then you'll burn out anything that isn't a refectory type material ie fire brick. You'll notice that the fireback is make of firebrick material and is not damaged so best guess is that to make it fit the bottom at the back was filled up with an ordinary cement mix and has since burnt out.

Simplest fix would be to put to use firebricks in the back of the fire and fill the joints with fire cement. The gaps are too big to use fire cement alone. Firebricks are easy enough to come by from most builders merchants and can be cut with an stone cutting disk in an angle grinder.

A concrete base for the fire would be normal but perhaps if it was damaged by frost during installation or a weak mix then it could fall to bits. I have seen plenty of of old hearths that are split and damaged but none that have fallen to bits like that.

Assuming you have been having a normal fire then the problem is with the workmanship and materials used.

bertie1

That smokeless coal eats through fire grates , and everything else , I bet that is what they were burning

northdublin

why all of a sudden are builders not concerned or bothered with building propper fireplaces.the ammount of ppl who have come into my house in envy of my fireplace solely on the fact that i have one.a lot of ppl of my generation are buying houses, usually affordable houses and have no fireplace at all. when reovating one of my fireplaces to accomadate a stove i dug out the hearth......it took half a day:eek: 8 inches deep and made of the hardest concrete ive ever come across. when i asked a neighbour why they were so deep he said they used to use the hearth for splitting logs and sticks for the fire. i know ppl that are afraid to light there fire cause they dont know if the hearth and flue will take it and looking at those pics i can see why.

donalfm

I had the same problem here .

It just got worse and worse in the space of a few months, as did a similar crack to the one on your hearth.

the GALL

there's ten houses in my delevopment and the ten houses have to have the fire places replaced ...... shi*** work , done by sh*** heads..... builders me bo***x