Open fire looks cool.....but it ain't hot!

[600rob]

Ive got a working open fire in the house I recently moved into and I decided to give it a try out the other day to see how well it would warm up the room.

Once it got going it looks great and all that.

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• 600rob
• 13 Jan 2016

however unless you’re standing right next to it, the fire does very little to warm up the room as most of the heat goes straight up the chimney!

As a result ive replaced the chimney draft excluder and resorted to the central heating.

My question is what would you guys recommend I do to make the fire place more efficient at heating the room?

There is an existing gas pipe which could be used for a gas fire, but I quite like the idea of a wood burning fire so I was thinking of a wood burner ( I think that’s what you call them!)

Are wood burners more efficient at heating a room and not losing all the heat up the chimney?

Anyone who has one or has used a wood burner can you share your experiences/advice please?

Cheers

 

[Burnerman]

Wood burner / multifuel stoves are much better than open fires in every way - not least safety! The chimney area is closed off using a register plate which only allows the flue pipe to pass through, therefore any room air for combustion has to pass through the stove itself.
However, as with any open flued device, when it is burning you can feel a draught coming across the room, heading for the stove naturally enough.
An 'eco fan' on the stove top blows hot air back into the room - they are worth having. A carbon monoxide alarm is also essential. Any stove larger than 5kW output requires external ventilation.
I have two Morso Squirrel stoves - and brilliant they are, at a price. Almost everything is burnt to a fine ash, and the stove can stay lit overnight if you want it to.
I think if I was doing this sort of thing again, I'd choose a stove that draws its combustion air from outside the building, which should give the best of both worlds.
John

 

[ladylola]

At the risk of sounding obvious take the fire guard away. Open fires tend to heat by radiation and the guard blocks a lot of that.
With regards to Burnerman's suggestion about external ventilation I have witnessed a very good idea and that is to put the vents in a wooden floor. This acts to draw air through the void adding the process of keeping the floor timbers dry and avoiding the feeling of draughts.

 

[ajstoneservices]

Perhaps if you were to light those candles

 

[Doggit]

Interesting idea from laydylola, but it's not what burnerman was suggesting; some stoves have an option to have a pipe going through the wall to get the air needed to fuel the fire, other wise that air has to come in the room from somewhere else, and you're puilling in cold air that then defeats the idea of the fire. Open fires are only about 15% efficient, mulitfuels about 80%, and woodburners 84ish, but you can't burn wood overnight, and then open them up in the morning; you need coal burners for that. Steel burners heat up quicker than cast iron ones, but the cast iron stove last longer.

Cheapest option is to have a woodburner with a register plate (this has an access hole for sweeping the chimney. Best option is to fit a closure plate, drop a liner doen the chimney, and fill it with vermiculite.

You'll need to open the the chimney up a few feet ti get the stove in, but that'll be easy, as you just need to rebuild the arch up higher.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I had the central heating on when I got home, but felt cold. I'm now sitting in front of my wood burner, and the room is nice and cosy. It takes a while to get going, but once hot, it gives off loads of heat.

Be aware that if you opt for a stove, shop around as quotes vary by huge amounts e.g. £1,000. Mine was not cheap, but it really does make a huge difference to the house. From the photo it looks like you'll have to open out your fire place. I did mine, removing the bire brick and rubble.

 

[Himaginn]

Anyone with experience have any cost-effectiveness comparisons? E.g cost of purchase, installation, maintenance compared to cost of equivalent use of alternative energy, assuming OP has access to free wood fuel.
Then there's the "green" credentials of wood. Something about it giving off the same amount of CO2 than if it were allowed to rot.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

A stove is not cheap, it is trendy, many installers charge a fortune. Free wood is not easy to get, mine is free, but I do not burn so much. And it can be expensive to buy. I suspect gas is more eco friendly. I do make compost and grow veggies, so my carbon footprint is not as bad as it could be.

 

[Doggit]

I've installed a couple myself, and they aren't difficult to do; I got all the info off the web, and only screwed up fitting the cowling. I bought them 2nd hand of ebay, and found a local supplier for the liner and other bits, but whilst I'd always advocate using a liner, they aren't essential. You can get away with just the stove, a register plate, and a cowling. They need sweeping once a year, and you need a special pad to clean the soot off the glass if you're not running them as hot as possible. Hardly have the central heating on, and have found a local woodworking shop that's happy to give away the off cuts.

Haven't heard about the allowed to rot comparison before. I've only heard people say that they are carbon neutral, as they are just releasing the CO2 they've absorbed; but what about the CO2 from the tree itself having grown from the nutrients of the earth. And then there's some idiot in the government that recently said that due to the recent Paris talks on carbon reduction, they'd now have to start changing gas boilers to ground source heat pumps, and banning wood burning stoves. Just how stupid can some politicians get.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

You can clean the glass by spitting on a tissue pad, dipping it in wood ash, and rubbing the glass. It works a treat.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

Just how stupid can some politicians get.

I am sure there will be no end of them willing to prove our estimates wrong.

 

[gasbanni]

Solid fuel stove installation is building control notifiable work. So it should be, percentage wise there are more incidents with Co poisoning with solid fuel than gas.
In the event of a chimney fire/ fire insurers want to see notification of the Installation and proof ( usually a certificate ) the the chimney has been regularly swept.
Without this info they may reject the claim, they are wising up. Soot/resin ( that's why softwood is a big no no ) build up can catch fire.

There seems to be a perception that solid fuel is ok diy work. Absolutely NOT !

 

[Doggit]

Totally right, but it's amazing how BC come in, have a look at the installation, say fine,and then send you the paperwork. They don't ask you to set the fire going, and they certainly don't turn up with a CO2 tester, nor test that you're one's working. It really makes you wonder some days.

But you've got your paperwork.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

Solid fuel stove installation is building control notifiable work. So it should be, percentage wise there are more incidents with Co poisoning with solid fuel than gas.
In the event of a chimney fire/ fire insurers want to see notification of the Installation and proof ( usually a certificate ) the the chimney has been regularly swept.
Without this info they may reject the claim, they are wising up. Soot/resin ( that's why softwood is a big no no ) build up can catch fire.

There seems to be a perception that solid fuel is ok diy work. Absolutely NOT !

It can be done by a competent DIYer, but it must be inspected. I like to think the inspection is done properly. I would not trust any installation without a certificate, there's too many incompetent DIYers about.

I know from first hand experience that using a professional does not guarantee properly done work. After my boiler was installed, Worcester Bosch did the first service and found an undersized gas pipe, which could have been dangerous had there been other gas appliances, and which reduced the effectiveness of the hot water heating. The installers fitted a 20mm pipe after I contacted them. I also found a bathroom switch that fell off the ceiling as it was screwed into plasterboard, and a shaver socket that came away from the wall as one of the internal clips was not attached to the box. I corrected both faults myself.

 

[gasbanni]

Solid fuel stove installation is building control notifiable work. So it should be, percentage wise there are more incidents with Co poisoning with solid fuel than gas.
In the event of a chimney fire/ fire insurers want to see notification of the Installation and proof ( usually a certificate ) the the chimney has been regularly swept.
Without this info they may reject the claim, they are wising up. Soot/resin ( that's why softwood is a big no no ) build up can catch fire.

There seems to be a perception that solid fuel is ok diy work. Absolutely NOT !

It can be done by a competent DIYer, but it must be inspected. I like to think the inspection is done properly. I would not trust any installation without a certificate, there's too many incompetent DIYers about.

I know from first hand experience that using a professional does not guarantee properly done work. After my boiler was installed, Worcester Bosch did the first service and found an undersized gas pipe, which could have been dangerous had there been other gas appliances, and which reduced the effectiveness of the hot water heating. The installers fitted a 20mm pipe after I contacted them. I also found a bathroom switch that fell off the ceiling as it was screwed into plasterboard, and a shaver socket that came away from the wall as one of the internal clips was not attached to the box. I corrected both faults myself.

I didn't say it couldn't be done by a diy er, people seem to be under the impression it's an easy diy task. It's isn't, I not saying it's rocket science but like a lot of things there's far more involved than would first appear. A for instance is the checking of a flue how many diy ers know how to pressure test a flue rather than just carry out a smoke bomb test ?
It has to be signed off....I don't sign anything off if I haven't done the work ......why would I put my neck in the noose for anyone else ?

Regarding your comment on professionals and poor work your absolutely right unfortunately there's no register in any trade regarding unsupervised conscientiousness! !

Worcester bosch boiler oh dear oh dear.......gas safe inspector quote " worceter bosch are living on a reputation they got 20 years ago."
Lost a quote because the customer wanted a Worcester bosch boiler fitting and I refused to fit one, payed £800 more than my quote for fitting a superb boiler !
Google reviews for Worcester bosch .......