Opinions on fire baskets

highrisklowreturn · 21 November 2014 at 9:50PM

Hi, just had my parkray taken out and gas installed, so am looking to fill the big gap where it was and was thinking of a fire basket. What are peoples thoughts and experiences of these? I suspect of course they are much less "efficient" than a fireback and certainly a stove but will they actually heat a big room (two rooms knocked into one in a terrace)? Have seen one 2nd hand at 15.5 inch by 11 inch and am tempted to buy it, or could get a monster 21 inch across one at 12inch depth, but am hesitant, tho I love fire, as it will cost a bomb in wood.

Alycidon · 21 November 2014 at 11:40PM

How tall is your opening/, above 20 inches and its unlikely to pull very well.

The efficiency of an open fire such as you are contemplating is around 25% when its running. A stove would give you at least 65%. At 6am your central heating cuts in, heat is then lost up the chimney when an open fire is sitting there.

A

highrisklowreturn · 22 November 2014 at 5:04PM

I can get wood for free. Define efficiency. 25% of free fuel = no cost to me.

What I want to know is do you feel the heat kicking off these things?

System · 22 November 2014 at 6:26PM

i have an open fire and it does kick out heat,i dont have the radiator on in the lounge as it gets to hot,wood cost about £150-200 a year and run it from late Oct - april from 4oclock pm till 9 pm sometimes more sometimes less

Greenfires · 22 November 2014 at 7:58PM

highrisklowreturn wrote: »

could get a monster 21 inch across one at 12inch depth, but am hesitant, tho I love fire, as it will cost a bomb in wood.

highrisklowreturn wrote:

I can get wood for free.

???? So which one is it?!

Gloomendoom · 23 November 2014 at 2:01AM

If you are burning wood, you don't really need a basket so you could try it and see.

Our sitting room fire has no basket although it does have a reredos. It warms the room enough for the radiators to shut off.

highrisklowreturn · 23 November 2014 at 9:20PM

Ok, I put an 18 inch basket in last night. Unfortunately I only have a 6 inch clay flue, and not the 8 inch minimum, que piles of smoke into room when it got going, and a fairly large heat.

I have closed the opening tonight to 21 inch from around 29, but am still getting a small amount of smoke at start on light up, which I presume is down to cold flue, to a smoky smell in living room. Have put out the co detector but it says it isn't going off.

Any recommendations? Fire is beautiful with a nice heat, and I don't want to go back to a stove. I have gas in now and thermostat in hall is at 18 but it hasn't come on, so I assume fire is heating there too through the door.

Opinions on fire baskets

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