Open coal fire newbie here

suki1964

1 Get a sweep to check and sweep chimneys
2 check with council if smoke control area or not to decide what fuel you need - house coal ( cheap and lights and burns well or smokeless - dearer but burns longer without the pretty flames)
3 Save newspapers. Make a bed of tightly screwed up papers
4 Buy kindlers for now ( start gathering wood for next year) Top the papers and light the paper. Once kindlers are lit - add coals
5 Minimum kit - coal bucket ( tin pail will do) brush and pan and a poker - perhaps some tongs or a fire glove

From then on its as expensive or as cheap as you want. My experience is fireside companion sets look lovely but other then the poker - pretty much a waste of money

tiff

We have recently got our fireplace working after staring at it for 12 years doing nothing lol

We dont buy a newspaper so DH picks up the free metro newspaper on the train every day. You will need kindling but if you go for walks in the woods/country you can pick up sticks off the ground to use as kindling. We have a friend who works on building sites and he is picking up bags of joinery offcuts for us every day, only wood that is safe to burn. I have asked several times on Freecycle but no luck so far.

I asked around and someone I work with had a companion set she didnt need anymore as the council installed a gas fire. I have found it very useful, a long handled dustpan and brush from the companion set means I dont have to get down on my hands and knees just to sweep the hearth.

Coal burns hotter than wood and its also cheaper so you might want some of that for when it gets really cold, find your local coal merchant as it will be cheaper than buying smaller bags at petrol stations etc.

All I need is a log basket which I will hopefully get for Christmas, John Lewis do one for £23.

hethmar

First thing is to get in a sweep. You can ask him all the questions you have But basically, companion sets are quite cheap and our local charity shops very often have them.

brunettegirl

ooohhh yay soo exciting!! thank you for all your help.
going to the carboot today to look for appropriate things and hopefully the log man will be there:)

Going2getanotherAga

You might want to consider installing a multifuel stove!. Concentrated heat with the benefit of burning less fuel for longer. I also shred all my unwanted/junk mail & owt else that'll fit in one of those shredders, which i've found eliminates the need for kindling & saves you £££'s.

tiff

It makes me laugh how people suggest installing a stove whenever someone mentions an open fire, as if it costs peanuts to do. I would love a stove but its way out of my budget and probably will be for a few years so will make do with the open fire until then.

Sooki

Get a fire guard - always place it infront of a lit fire when you are leaving the room empty. Fires are lovely but can spit! so also get a hearth rug too!

& remember to get the chimney swept!

mardatha

Get the chimney swept first
We live in a cold place and TBH logs are no good... if you want hot then you need coal. Plus logs spark like hell, and you need the sweep twice a year.
Empty the ash into a pail outside then when its cool into black bags for the bin - or if you get fedup doing that then dig a hole in a far corner of the garden & bung it in there
Washing will dry overnight if you stand the airer in the living room near but not too near the fire, and keep the fireguard on overnight. I wouldn't live in a house without a coal fire, I love them.

Going2getanotherAga

tiff wrote: »

It makes me laugh how people suggest installing a stove whenever someone mentions an open fire, as if it costs peanuts to do. I would love a stove but its way out of my budget and probably will be for a few years so will make do with the open fire until then.

Sorry, one of the few bad habit i've got.
Just mean to say they're safer, cheaper to run in the long-term, efficient, warmer, cosier, + ultimately tidier, easier to clean & use.

And they keep your home insurance lower than open fires.

tiff

I agree with all your points above stoves. Re your point about home insurance, are you supposed to notify them if you have an open fire?