Coal Dust and Vacumn Cleaners?

ash28

We have a coal fire and it's been on almost every night since November - we do get a fine layer of dust from it. I vacuum mostly every day and wipe over the surfaces with a damp cloth most days. I don't use a duster - I want to shift the dust not move it around.

I have a Dyson Animal and cream carpets and large rug that sits in front of the fire just in case anything "spits" and ends up on the carpet.

The rug has been down a year now and has two or three burns in it - but the carpet underneath is the same colour as the carpet surrounding it. We lifted the rug yesterday to vacuum underneath it and I am a bit paranoid in case I end up with a 2 tone carpet. Hasn't happened yet.

We get the chimney swept every year, when they sweep the chimney they do a smoke test - that makes sure the fire is drawing properly and that the smoke is going up the chimney.

meritaten

dogstarheaven wrote: »

not sure how often he vacumns and polishes, at a wild guess probably once a week on vacumning and polishing.. tricky to answer that, prob. once a month? there's always thick film of dust that i see on the surfaces when i go round, y'see. not a nice sight. i never wear white when i go there, i tell ya:o

er - I am trying to say that it sounds like the flue needs cleaning out before it catches fire! I didnt want to scare people but soot accumulating in the flue can cause really dangerous problems.
even with these enclosed fires the chimney should be swept at least once a year - otherwise there is a real danger of a chimney fire or carbon monoxide poisoning and the conditions in the room sound very much like it hasnt been swept in along time!

dogstarheaven

meritaten wrote: »

hun - if your snot is black after visiting and there is a strong smell of coal or soot? has he had the flue cleaned? dust from the rayburn should NOT be black! if he cleans once a week then I would say something is wrong here!

oops, i haven't made myself clear, he cleans /empties out the fire daily. The flue gets done once (or twice?) a year by a professional