Coal fireplace - convert to wood burning?

Fevvahz

Just bought a 1928 3 bed Semi, and there's one remaining coal fireplace in the back room downstairs. The surround is pretty hideous, but the fire itself I quite like. Now I've got a hankering for a wood burning stove, but I'm on a bit of a shoestring budget.

I was wondering if a coal fire would be easily converted/used as a wood burning stove? I understand that with wood burning stoves that a liner would be needed up the chimney, but what changes would/could be made to the fire itself? I also have a back boiler (and large copper water tank/immersion heater in the bathroom) still in place behind the fireplace - and was thinking that perhaps if it was in good enough condition it could be a nice low cost addition to the gas boiler?

Is this perhaps feasible?

keith969

You can rip the old fire out and put in a woodburner - but it will not be all that cheap. Expect to pay about £600 for a smallish stove, then maybe another £400 for the liner and register plate etc.

savemoney

Wood burning stoves arent cheap and often you need chimney lined if house is old, probably costs around 2k-3k with liner and good quality stove

Bare in mind logs arent cheap either supply and demand has pushed prices up over past year or so because there are now popular

Ps you cant have links in your signature

Gloomendoom

I burn wood in my fireplace, although it is a large fireplace in a very old house. You don't need a stove or a flue liner. On a smaller scale, you could just take the grate out and burn it on the hearth. You might need a couple of fire dogs, but that won't break the bank. You'll also need a decent fire guard, especially if you are going to burn cheap wood. It won't be anywhere as efficient as an enclosed stove, but it will be a lot cheaper.

As has been said, you need to consider where you will get your fuel from. Unless you are very lucky, firewood is not free and, as more and more people fit woodburning stoves, it's getting more expensive all the time.

suisidevw

OP, why not use your fireplace for burning logs as open fireplace?

sueeve

Why not get a professional sweep to come and clean the chimney and give advice. We did this after a year of burning logs in an ordinary grate, unlined chimney, and he was a real help. Gave a full check of the flu and a written report. It was somewhere between £30-40, and reassured us no end. He was actually called a fluologist, and he had the Royal Warrant on the van. no more expenditure needed until it is next swept. No woodburner needed.

hethmar

Oh I love that, a fluologist - have to tell my son to have that on his van

If you have central heating in your home and you only want an occasional fire for a bit of atmosphere and comfort (and not as a sole or major source of heating) then Id agree the cost of opening the fireplace up and buying/installing a flue liner and stove would outweigh the benefits. Get a sweep (fluologist ) in - one that gives you a certificate such as a NACS sweep member and ask his opinion. If its going to be something you use only very occasionally then spend the money on something more useful

Gloomendoom

Vesta_Spamworks_Ltd wrote: »

I take your point regarding removing the gas fire and replacing with a woodburner. I am slightly biassed as we manufacture woordburners ourselves.

We believe that woodburning can save you a lot of money vs your gas equivelant. Bla bla bla.

Do you sell Spam too?

I stand by what I said. Unless you have a very cheap, or free, source of fuel, heating your whole house with wood can be an expensive business. Logs aren't cheap... and you will need lots.

I have the option burning wood (open fire and stove) but, if I want the whole house warm, I turn on gas the central heating. I can heat the whole house with the stove, but last time I tried it, the room with stove in got so hot that even the cat had to go outside and lie on the slabs to cool down. Getting an even, comfortable temperature throughout the whole house using just the stove is impossible.

keith969

There's a good article here on costs of installing/running a woodburner. I'd agree that it is unlikely to work out cheaper than gas central heating unless you have access to free logs.

RenovationMan

I read somewhere that you have to replace your chimney liner periodically. Is this true and over what sort of period?

We have two large wood burning stoves in the house we're about to move into, I've never had one before and so I'm a bit clueless. Do you have to have them swept, would it be a good idea to have them checked after we move it?

savemoney

I have had a log burner for 3 years now. I did get one mainly because in dining room only source of heating was one radiator which isnt enough with kitchen/diner with small extension

Its lovely to have but I do regret spending all that money and truth be said unless you have a cheap source of logs or free then it may take you a long time to recover that cost of at all

Log prices have jumped up because of demand


Plus you need space for all those logs and a whole Winter supply is quite a lot unless you opt for smaller loads, I went for large tipper load because of costs was slightly cheaper and I store mine in a old garage and had to build a frame to hold them in because they may tipple over