Opening up fireplaces

horseykitty

I want to open up the fireplaces in my Victorian house. At the moment I have 'fake' fireplaces that are gas but look like coal burning etc.. I am very disappointed in them and now I want real fires.

I can afford to have a multi-fuel stove installed but wonder if this is the best option. I live in a smokeless zone, so would have to burn smokeless fuel during the day. If I don't go with the stove option is it just a case of having the chimneys uncapped and buying a dog grate?

If I go with the stove should I get one with a back boiler so that I can run radiators off it? I'm a bit confused about how to do it, I just want a real fire this winter. Thanks

suisidevw

A bit of variety? I've opened up one, removed a gas fire but a gassafe engineer, then fitted it following a billion links online. I just had the chimney swept and did the installation to building regs.

In another room, also removed back boiler, and installing woodburner as we speak. Don't run a back boiler off it as we have a combi, but if you buy a DEFRA exempt stove you will be able to burn wood in smoke controlled areas.

Gloomendoom

horseykitty wrote: »

I live in a smokeless zone, so would have to burn smokeless fuel during the day.

Errr... the smoke control doesn't normally just apply dawn until dusk.

Leif

Obviously you will have to remove and cap off the gas pipes, and fill and resulting holes.

Some stoves such as mine are rated for use in smokeless zones. Ah, just noticed suisidevw has already mentioned this.

Regarding an open fire, I suggest you email your local council, as there are regulations on chimneys. If the fireplace has not been in use, then I think you have to have it checked. I emailed my local council, and they said that since there was already an open fireplace, I did not need to have the chimney checked, and I could remove the fire back and burn wood, as long as the hearth complied with the regs.

If you want to burn wood, you can just open it out to reveal the builder's opening, ahem. If you want to burn coal, I think you need to install a fire back, if one is not already present. I assume this is because coal burns at a higher temperature, though to be honest I found it very hard to find good information. For a stove you remove the fire back if present, and install inner and outer hearths, and usually line the chimney.

ed110220

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Errr... the smoke control doesn't normally just apply dawn until dusk.

But no-one will see the dark smoke billowing at night ;-)

Gloomendoom

ed110220 wrote: »

But no-one will see the dark smoke billowing at night ;-)

Wood smoke, on the other hand, is likely to be clearly visible.

doningtonphil

It worries me when people use the word 'just' when talking about using a chimney for the first time in possibly decades.

Firstly - to be legal - any solid fuel installation (dog grate, stove etc) has to be certificated by either
a. Building Control at local council (for a charge although advice at outset or along the way may be free)
b. Self certified by a 'competent person' i.e a Hetas registered engineer.

There are also all sorts of room requirements such as Carbon Monoxide monitor/alarm (hard wired I think) and a ventilation brick in an external wall of the room if the output of the fire is over 5kw.

The DEFRA approved stoves would allow you to burn wood in a smokeless zone (essentially they just seem to have a fixing to prevent you closing the vents so that there is plenty of air to make a hot fire)

Deciding between a dog grate and stove. I understand that 80% of heat from open fire goes up chimney only 20% into room. For a stove the figures can be swapped

This leads to a potential issue with chimneys- which were designed to have plenty of heat going up them from open fires. A problem with stoves is that the lack of heat can mean the gases cool before escaing from the top and can condense in the the chimney- which can cause tar build up. If the chimney is not sound inside this tar can seep through mortar and stain walls. Also deteriating chimney walls can mean poisonous gases can escape into other rooms.

We agonised for ages over wether to line the chimney or not. There is no requirement for this to be done. Our stoves instructions advised to refer to local building control. Local building control advised to refer to stoves instructions. We decided to have a steel liner with insulation surrounding it.

We love our stove. I have built a huge wood store and collected loads of free/very cheap offcuts from a local timber window manufacturer (yeah pine burns quickly but is very hot, bright and there is plenty of it.

Hope this helps

Leif

You don't need a CO alarm with an open fire, only with a stove. It does not need to be hardwired i.e. it can be a small portable unit. If the room had an open fire, then it may well already have a vent. The OP should look for a plastic grill on the wall. However, 5kW is more than adequate for a reasonable sized room. Yes, an open fire loses most of its heat through the chimney, but a stove costs ~£2000 or more, and if you only want an occasional fire, that is a lot of money. Another issue not mentioned with an open fire is that you will have an open chimney, and you will lose heat through it even when the fire is not lit. A stove reduces or nearly eliminates that loss.

The OP might be best to ask on the heating forum.