Looking for any help or advice on repairing a fireplace...

[Cobra]

Hi folks,

I'm just wondering if anyone has encountered this issue before... It surely must be a fairly common problem!

I have a closed-in fire in my house (a Trianco TRH 35) which is getting a bit old. I've got various new parts on order for it, but there is one part that's gone and which I can't seem to find a solution for. The firebar (the grate at the front of the fire) is (well, was) held in by two thin metal strips which formed a groove to hold it up. They have slowly but surely become thinner and thinner to the point that the rear bits have turned to dust, and they no longer hold the grate in properly. I've attached photos so you can see what I'm on about.

I've asked the Heat Centre in Wick, but they don't have any solution. Apparently, you can't weld on to these fires. I was just hoping someone here might have seen this before, or know how to repair it.

Any advice at all, as always, would be really appreciated!

Cheers!

[Heisenberg]

The Trianco TRH35 was a favourite of the council for fitting in council houses. I had trouble finding a bafflke plate for one of these fires. You could try getting in touch with the maintenance team at the highland council.

[susie]

Can you get at the external part of the sides with the burnt away bits? If so you could drill and bolt on a couple of pieces of angle iron at each side so that the front bar can slot in again. You can fill holes with fire cement to prevent leaks etc and can renew again in the future.

[sam09]

susie you can obtain parts here: fireparts.com

[Heisenberg]

susie you can obtain parts here: fireparts.com

thanks for that sam09 I've just found the baffle plate I was looking for cheers

[Cobra]

Hi folks,

Thanks very much for the advice so far! Heisenberg - that is a good site - fast delivery too.

Susie - your post got me thinking, so I took the door off my fire and guess what? The exterior side of the fire "wall" is accessible. However, on closer inspection, it looks like someone has used something a bit like fire cement to glue in two long "U" shaped bits of metal in which have served for at least 10 years before getting in to the state that they are just now.

So, why don't I try chipping/grinding off the old bits and put in two new bits of metal of the same type with fire cement? I have a heat gun which I could use to start the setting process off (although I haven't ever used fire cement before so I'm not sure if this is a viable option or not).

If this is a possibility, would anyone happen to know anywhere local I could procure two bits of stainless steel to fit? I was thinking Birons in Wick might be able to help.

Just thinking aloud here really, so any views or ideas would be brilliant!

Cheers!

[susie]

" would anyone happen to know anywhere local I could procure two bits of stainless steel to fit? I was thinking Birons in Wick might be able to help.

Just thinking aloud here really, so any views or ideas would be brilliant"


You could also try at Charlie Angus, Oldfield,Thurso. Ther are tons of short bits of metal that get cut off in the workshop. Reasonable too.

Fire cement is usually set by lighting a small, slow fire and then increasing the heat to what you would normally have it. I've never used a heat gun to set it but I think if you stick your bits in and put the front grate on and prop it up securely then it will be OK. If you go ahead with cementing on the s/s channel you will need to make sure that the cement has something to get hold of. Fire cement isn't as good as it used to be and doesn't have as much stickability as it should. Metal to metal is always a bad scenario buf it won't cost you much to try and you will learn from it.

There are other adhesives that are better in this instance but they are too dear and wasteful as you have to buy a whole cartridge and you only need a spoonful.

Good luck with your task.

[Kevin Milkins]

Hi Cobra

Milliput Putty is a good product for sticking and moulding and when it goes off you can drill, sand it, etc. Its a two part putty that you work equal amounts together and use it in the same way that you would use putty, it has tremendous heat and waterproof properties and only cost £3.00 a tube.
Good luck with your project.

[Treud na Mara]

Allan's of Gillock also have a range of replacement bits for fireplaces.