Coal fires/ old chimney

NEWBIE_SHOPPAHOLIC

Can anyone help? I ve just bought an old house which we will have to rennovate to live in, it has been sat unoccupied for sometime 2 yrs approx and has only coal fires as forms of heating.
The house is v.cold at the mo and we thought if we lit a fire in each of the rooms this would air the house as it feels cold and damp.

Does anyone forsee any issues related to doing this when it has been stood for so long with no form of heating or is it a good idea to do something else?

We intend to get central heating asap but I would just like oto air through the house as it smells musty.

vansboy

Good idea to have the chimneys swept, first - even if they've not been used, for ages.

Possibilty of crumbling brickwrk falling inside & blocking, or birdsnests, as well as years of old soot!!

Then try a test fire, to make sure the fireplace 'draws' upwards, without blowing back into the rooms.

Chances are you'll be OK & it'll be a more natural way to ventilate & dry the house out.

VB