Open Fire

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27 Sep 2010
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Location
Cambridgeshire
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United Kingdom
We just bought a house and have cleaned up the fireplace. Its a 1985 building, the fireplace backing looks very clean.

Can you use a woodburner/open fire? Do all chimneys just 'work' or is it designed for gas fires?


How much does it cost to get it checked roughly? Also, can you even get really small wood burners? Seems a shame to have it and not use it (no gas there).

Cheers,
Leon
 
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Without the design information its difficult to know what it was designed for.

Again without trying a wood fire its difficult to know what it can handle and some ventilation from the outside will probably be needed if burning wood ( that introduces draughts ).

My suggestion is that if you dont need a wood fire then its better just to put the bowl of fir cones in the fireplace.

If you are hell bent on having a wood fire then ask your neighbours what they have and ask if you can see theirs in action.

Tony
 
if its a standard brick built flue it probably had an open fire in the first place

so subjuct to a flue flow test it should be ok

design information my ass :rolleyes:
 
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hi theirs is qual for this think it heatas or some to that effect
plus check if your not smoke free zone or u might get fined
 
An open fire should be fine as long as it’s a class 1 flue. I had one in a previous property built in 1986 but if you install a stove it could change things somewhat. Modern wood/multi-fuel stoves are far more heat efficient & don’t send so much heat up the flue which can cause problems if the flue is too large for the stove output (usually a 150mm dia max) or isn’t properly insulated to prevent the gasses condensing in the liner. You should also be aware that installing a stove is notifyable building work unless you use a HETAS installer + there are several Building Regs you should comply with. Be careful, carbon monoxide kills very quickly & if you have some other problem, the lack of any compliance certification could mean no insurance payment! ;)
 
You can get modern woodburners that are OK for smokless zones as they burn totally cleanly. You would need to look at the manufacturers recomendations for the flue. A specialist shop would be able to advise you on an inspection of your flue.

If you just want an open fire try it and see as long as the flue is reasonable clean. If it fills the room with smoke you may have a bird nesting in the flue.

You can take an air supply from under the floor if they are suspended, or from outside if they are solid. A large woodstove in a small sealed room can reduce the oxygen too much and the fire will burn low and you will get a headache.
 

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