Tiny go Lightly

Living sustainably and designing my lifestyle to be meaningful and low impact. My story of building and living in a tiny house, in Gippsland, Victoria

  • About
  • Book a visit
  • Events & Media
  • Gallery
Construction, Plumbing  /  April 21, 2019

Taking down the flue

by tinygolightly

With only two days left before the tiny house move, we’ve got quite a to-do list going on. First thing on the list for this morning was to take down the part of the flue from the fire that sits above the roofline.

Removing a flue from the roof

The main reason for removing the flue is height restrictions. In Victoria, the height limit for loads on the road is 4.3 metres. The tiny house measures (from the ground) 4.2 metres approximately, at the peak of the gable of the roof. The flue and the solar panels are in addition to this. Our flue is actually quite tall, in order to meet the safety standards and to avoid smoke pollution on both our roof and for our neighbours. Although it’s unlikely that someone will have a measuring tape handy and will make a huge fuss about an extra couple of hundred millimetres once we’re on the road, it’s hardly worth the risk. Secondly, it would be a shame if either the flue or the solar panels were damaged in the move.

So, here’s a quick run down of how I got the flue off the roof this morning. Thankfully, it was actually pretty simple.

Step by step

Firstly, remove the silicone holding the rubber flashing to the flue. I started with a stanley knife and then was able to get my fingers in and run them the whole way around.

Next, remove the screws that hold the flashing to the roof. Silicone does make this slightly more difficult, but the drill made short work of it in the end.

Once the screws were out, I used a screwdriver to prise the whole thing up, as there was a healthy dose of glue under the flashing as well.

Under this are more screws that hold the flue steady and attach it to the roof. Remove these, and the whole flue is now basically free standing!

This was the only bit that really caught me by surprise. Without the roof attachments, there’s nothing else to hold the flue up. Once you pull the top piece off/out, the parts inside the house really have to come apart as well. There wasn’t much to this, we just had to get some of the outer guard off the flue so the final few screws could be removed and the whole thing taken apart. This definitely required two pairs of hands – one outside to pull the top piece through the roof and one inside to catch the rest!

Safety first

Another piece of vital information: on a sunny morning, a tin roof will get hot. REALLY hot. If you’re planning any work on your roof and your tin roof is a dark colour like mine, I recommend getting up there nice and early. Avoid any work on your roof if there’s dew or rain or any chance of moisture. Also, consult (or consider hiring) a professional! This post is in no way a substitute for someone who actually knows what they’re doing. If you are going to get on the roof and do your own work, be safe. People get hurt all the time on ladders and climbing on roofs.

We were careful and thankfully it all came off without a hitch. I taped up the hole in the roof with some left over plastic and sarking tape. Fingers crossed it’ll hold properly while we’re on the road. Also, having the flue down is a good (albeit extreme) way to clean out the build up from our fire, and an insight into life with a sky light!

    

One job down, plenty more still to come. And only 2 days to go!

Tags

  • DIY
  • fireplace
  • flue
  • ladder
  • roof
  • step by step

Post navigation

Ravenscroft Farm and the road ahead
Moving Day – part one

Related posts

Going off grid part 1: Water
Plumbing, Uncategorized  /  October 24, 2016
by tinygolightly  /  3 Comments

Going off grid part 1: Water

That time my toilet overflowed
Plumbing  /  May 5, 2017
by tinygolightly  /  2 Comments

That time my toilet overflowed

Stairway to tiny heaven
Construction, Uncategorized  /  March 20, 2017
by tinygolightly  /  2 Comments

Stairway to tiny heaven

Share your thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook feed

1 year ago
Timeline Photos

I don’t know what feels more luxurious, having a towel rail in the tiny house or owning more than two towels!

What amazes me more than how much stuff you can live without, is how much stuff you need to live in a regular house. This was put into perspective doubly when family came to stay from interstate recently. With 6 adults and a toddler in the house, suddenly our two sets of sheets and 4 towels (already double what we had in the tiny!) was far from adequate. We ran out of cutlery, crockery and pillows. I forget the things people expect in a house, like a washing basket or a rubbish bin. Or a stash of kid’s toys. I feel like we’ve spent the last 8 months collecting things to try and make this house functional and comfortable, but we’re definitely trying to walk the line between those things and falling into the trap of needing ‘stuff’. We have brought a lot of the tiny house lessons into this house and it works for us. But having a space that is welcoming and comfortable for other people is sometimes a different task again - it’s not all about us. And it’s often not until your partner’s mother asks where the laundry basket is and you hand her a shopping bag that you reflect on these things 😬

Finishing the tiny also means thinking of other people. Sure, we didn’t mind hanging our towels in the shower or over the clothes drawers, but probably some people will. Sure, we managed just fine on one towel each most of the time, but that is also a personal choice. As we ready the tiny for its new stage in life, I am trying to look at things from different perspectives. And rather than marvelling at how little we needed, I am instead marvelling at how much it seems we can’t do without!

#minimalism #tinyhouse #bathroom #stuff #freshtowels #diy #airbnb #towelrail #progress #details
... See more

LIKE
LOVE
HAHA
WOW
SAD
ANGRY
View on facebook
1 year ago
Timeline Photos

My weekend fashion soars to new heights at the tiny. Rocking my Michael Long foundation jumper, toolbelt from the hardware corporation that shall not be named, boots from a local plumbing shop and my well loved hiking pants that are now marked by paint, varnish and a wild concoction of who knows what else. Also, a cap I found this morning.

Sunlight and green green grass by Mother Nature, deck by Mick and photo by insta boyfriend. For once, serving his purpose.
Happy Sunday, folks!

Peace, love and sunshine
☀️✌🏼✌🏽✌🏾☀️

#peaceandlove #farshion #womenwhobuild #toolbeltswag #michaellongfoundation #alwayswasalwayswillbe
... See more

LIKE
LOVE
HAHA
WOW
SAD
ANGRY
View on facebook
1 year ago
Timeline Photos

Some nights I dream of straight lines and saw dust.

There’s poetry in the building process. I’m no poet but I feel connected and creative in this space, and it becomes easy to find beauty in unexpected places. ... See more

LIKE
LOVE
HAHA
WOW
SAD
ANGRY
View on facebook
1 year ago

Would you like a tour of Tiny go Lightly and Ravenscroft farm? Are you interested in learning more about sustainable farming and regenerative agriculture practices? Do you love being outside and have some time on a weekend to help support a local project?

If the answer was yes to any of these questions, please consider coming along to a tree planting day at Ravenscroft farm in Tanjil South. I'll be there and happy to discuss any tiny house questions you have while we plant!

Date: Sunday 8th September, 2019

10:30 am - arrival for coffee and cake, followed by planting

1:00pm ish – Lunch

Post lunch – tour of farm featuring revegetation, tiny house and other activities

Please bring: warm clothes, gloves.

If you're keen to join us, please get in touch for the farm address and further details. Hope to see you there!
... See more

LIKE
LOVE
HAHA
WOW
SAD
ANGRY
View on facebook
« ‹ 1 of 77 › »
  • Elara Pro by LyraThemes.com
  • Made by LyraThemes.com