Coal Fireplace with Back-boiler - Help :)

Manxcottageonthehill

@suki1964 – Thank you! I think over here there is really only a couple of places to get coal, we’ll be looking into them. Also when we did the house inspection we couldn’t see any coal bunker so that’s something we would need to look into. Very excited about the off grid living apart from the rates and the electricity (which is a key meter!) we’re free and easy, once I get into the habit of making my own items and I get back into my growing/preserving its going to be amazing. We probably won’t be using any electricity if any in summer as I have cold showers anyway, in summer I love a decent ice cold shower!

@jrtfan – Thank you! I never thought the tank could be a cold water tank, the survey said it was hot water but it’s on its side so who knows. Oh I didn’t know that the carbon dioxide could become a nuisance with the neighbors, I’ve added this to my list, so fingers crossed. Oh I didn’t know you had to treat wood to, is it hard to do? Guess we won’t be using that tree for a while then lol!

@nuatha – Oh no the more information the better, I love to be fully prepared (and nosey!) Ahhh well that’s good with the kindling at least I will feel like I’m helping, plus I love going for walks with my basket picking up bits here and there. Hmmmm we’ve never really thought about how much its going to consume. I’d hate to swap it for a multi-fuel stove as I love the idea of an open house, thankfully we are moving in just before winter so we will be able to truly test how it works, quite soon on. Oh dear seasoning sounds like it takes forever and a day! Might be something to look into though, just to help.

@whiteguineapig – Never thought of doing it ourselves, I think for a while at least it will probably be wise to leave it to a professional.

downshifter

I have this kind of set up in my house. Last year after 15 years of it, I blocked the chimney off l, until I can afford a multifuel stove as it was just too cold (I live in ancient and remote cottage on top of a hill - it gets bad weather from everywhere and good weather from nowhere!)

As much as 90% of the heat from a coal fire can go up the chimney leaving 10% to heat the room it's in. It's very expensive. This last winter without it my electricity bills have been masses less than the coal/logs I used to buy in. (No gas for miles around) I've found with the coal fire it's nothing like warm enough in the winter, and yes, I can look like michelin woman with all the layers of jumpers etc I wear. With my set up you have to pull the damper forward (it's like a little lever above the fire inside the chimney) to direct the flames etc towards the boiler, meaning even less comes into the room, and then push the damper back to direct flames into the room, meaning the boiler soon cools down, especially if you're using the water.

You also need to have the kind of fire insert that you can leave it on overnight and bank up the fire when you go to bed. Otherwise you will be spending a frozen hour or two first thing, lighting it and waiting for it to get going before you can toast your crumpets. Not ideal if you need to get off to work.

Having said that, I used to have days of power cuts in the wind and snow and could at least make baked beans on toast, tea etc on it, in fact I got very inventive. I've now got a campervan so just nip outside to brew up on the gas stove now.

Multifuel stoves are fab, super efficient, you can get the sort you can boil a kettle on and with the doors open of course toast your crumpets - and your toes!. I'm saving my pennies for one! A friend has one that seems to be a cross between a multifuel stove and a mini-aga oven, she cooks in and on it and it heats the room (and water and a couple of radiators) wonderfully. That's the way to go I reckon - it looks great in her live-in kitchen.

DS

Manxcottageonthehill

@downshifter - Thank you! Golly I wouldn't know how inefficient the fireplace is until we move in; I’m hoping it keeps everything warm. We are slightly lucky that we’re in a terrace so have each sides heating as well to help. Oh that multi-fuel stove sounds lovely, I could just imagine boiling a cuppa in winter, it’s really nice to know we have options about.

thriftwizard

I've not live with this kind of set-up - had an open fire, now superseded by a multi-fuel stove used almost entirely with wood, which we can cook on in emergencies, but hot water for 7 is heated by a gas boiler - but I think in your place I'd also be looking into a solar hot-water system for summer. Friends built their own (situated on a south-facing sloping roof over their kitchen) for virtual pennies and it was pretty good; they hardly ever needed to light their Rayburn in summer- they've moved now & had to leave it all behind, and sadly the house was demolished to make room for 6 shiny new mini-des-reses - as the water was sufficiently warm to wash up, even on cloudy days. However we're near the South Coast & get a fair bit of sunshine; it might not be as efficient further North. But every little helps, if it's cheap & easy to build & install!

suki1964

Multi fuel stove with the back boiler is the way to go - once you can save for it.

Wouldn't be with out my stoves tbh. With long power cuts they supply warmth, hot water and a cooking source, and compared to an open fire, not too costly to run. Also the only heat scourge we had a couple of winters back when it was so cold the oil froze. I use a bucket of smokeless a day, some anthracite and topped with a few logs on the coldest of days

However, do not underestimate how much wood and coal costs and how much you actually need. A sack of smokeless here is £17 delivered, add to that the cost of logs and I'm looking at £300+ heating bill on top of the electric and oil

Oil is now cheaper and a new boiler is pretty efficient. It's only that I have a huge house with most rooms unused during the day, that I have the stoves


The idea of an open fire is very romantic,,the costs and practicalities are completely different.

Wicked_Lady

Our first home was a cottage with a Rayburn and a back boiler - we also had a septic tank in the garden but that's another story!


Do ensure you have a coal bunker to store your coal and a scuttle to carry it in with. Chop up small logs for kindling and save all your newspapers.


You will have to bank it up to stay in overnight and whilst you're out and you'll need either an immersion heater or electric shower for when it's not in use.


Other than that it's a lovely thing to have and I wish you much joy in using it,


When we moved to our current house we made sure it had an open fire, which we have since replaced with a multi-fuel stove, which is much cleaner, although DH still grumbles about emptying the ashes!

7roland8

Yes we have had an open fire with back boiler years ago and also later one with a door. Open fires can be tricky to keep in overnight. Ones with doors a bit better but you use masses of coal.
You can collect dry rotten bits from hedges to light it with newspapers but may also need firelighters.
Logs sound good but are hard word and are supposed to be left for a year to season. If you buy they can be as expensive as coal and burn very quickly. They would not keep fire in overnight.
Coal fires keep the house aired but are hard work. You'll also have loads of dust and grimy walls.
Coal bunkers quite expensive but you could build your own.
Get carbon monoxide alarm.
I'd recommend an immersion heater for baths in the summer.

Manxcottageonthehill

@thriftwizard – I’m actually wondering whether we could get a couple of solar panels of the extension roof, its small probably only hold 1 or 2 at max but it’s the only place, as the attic room is seriously in the attic so all the space is taken with windows!

@suki1964 – Thank you! I think we’ve thankfully only had one power cut where I am and even then it was overnight so we weren’t affected. My worry might be a lot of snow and freezing weather!! Until were in the little place I seriously wouldn’t have any idea of how much it’s going to cost to run. I guess if its more costly than we can afford we will look into other options, might have to start washing dishes at the local lol!

@Wicked Lady – Thank you for the advice, we couldn’t find a coal bunker, so I’m hoping to make one in the garden! Oh it does sound lovely, well both houses do! I love proper old cottages in the middle of nowhere.

@7roland8 - Thank you, we won’ t need baths in summer, if needs be I’ll buy a paddling pool and a bikini and wallow out in the garden! As I tend to have cold showers and even colder in summer, a heater would make no difference to me. We will be getting a carbon monoxide alarm ASAP, I tend to over worry about things like that.

7roland8

We use an old water tank for our coal with a home made wooden lid resting on the top, weighted down in strong winds. I have seen some made from a few concrete blocks.

meritaten

When I first moved into this house in 1979 it had a coal fire with back boiler. worked brilliantly while the fire was lit - it had a huge hot water tank so there was always loads of hot water. check the size of the hot water tank is adequate for at least a bath and to run the radiatiors as well.
during the summer we did use the immersion heater quite a bit and that was expensive so we installed a shower. much cheaper!
the coal fire was lovely in the winter - as an added bonus it dried clothes too!