Ventilation for open fire?

Smiley_Dan

Yes, but the air has to get into the house somehow, and air exits as a result, complete with the energy you have added to it to make it warmer.

All uncontrolled permeability in the building fabric is a bad thing. All uncontrolled ventilation (including vents for fires, air bricks etc) into the thermal envelope is a bad thing (in the sense that it neither ventilates correctly, nor does so in an efficient manner), because by its nature uncontrolled means unmeasured, finger in the air nonsense that our building regulation writers seem content with.

Open fires are a bad thing.

Build tight, ventilate right.

Grenage

Paradigm wrote: »

http://solidfuel.co.uk/pdfs/curing_chimney_problems.pdf

Was just a (valid) suggestion.

Yup, I was just making the point that Dan put more eloquently. I think that in a more modern house I'd stick to a stove with a piped external air source.

Our new place has a large open fire, but it's well over a hundred years old and air will get in all over the show.

wrightk

Smiley_Dan wrote: »

Yes, but the air has to get into the house somehow, and air exits as a result, complete with the energy you have added to it to make it warmer.

All uncontrolled permeability in the building fabric is a bad thing. All uncontrolled ventilation (including vents for fires, air bricks etc) into the thermal envelope is a bad thing (in the sense that it neither ventilates correctly, nor does so in an efficient manner), because by its nature uncontrolled means unmeasured, finger in the air nonsense that our building regulation writers seem content with.

Open fires are a bad thing.

Build tight, ventilate right.

What annoys me more than anything is the fact very little people whinge about regs or decide to tinker with their gas central heating system but find it perfectly acceptable to do so with a solid fuel system! Many people i have spoke to still think you cant die from carbon monoxide poisoning from an open fire or woodburner/multi fuel stove and this only applies to gas (crazy i know) Yet there are just as many (if not more) deaths attributed to solid fuel systems than there are gas every year

How else do you propose to give safe general guidance to the public and installers when your post reflects the attitude of a lot of people.
I have given the the OP a link to the guidance from hetas regarding opening sizes and ventilation options and that is all we can do. The rest is your opinion and should have no place on a public forum where safety is concerned. What the OP does is up to them

dominoman

Life is short. Have an open fire and enjoy it.

Who cares if a wood burner is more efficient. It's not as if you use it every day.

Absolutely nothing beats the crackle and sight of an open fire.

Smiley_Dan

wrightk wrote: »

How else do you propose to give safe general guidance to the public and installers when your post reflects the attitude of a lot of people.
I have given the the OP a link to the guidance from hetas regarding opening sizes and ventilation options and that is all we can do. The rest is your opinion and should have no place on a public forum where safety is concerned. What the OP does is up to them

In no place have I said the OP should ignore regulations. Instead, if a fire is required, they should consider alternatives to open fires. I am saying the opposite: regulations are too lax, and don't require any actual measurement, just finger in the air guesses "whack a hole in your house, it'll be alright".

If they really want an open fire, then they are going to have to live with worse house performance, both in terms of ventilation and thermal efficiency. But if they are going to do that, I agree a hole in the side of the house is required.

Biggles

Paradigm wrote: »

Another point, all you need to ensure is that enough air is entering the room for the fire to operate properly... this doesn't have to come from outside!
You can install vents to the hallway or other rooms, this air will be considerably warmer than air from outside & will lessen cold drafts.

The OP did say (#1) that there are already vents above the door to the hall and the door to outside.

We don't have that, but we have plenty of natural ventilation (normally just known as 'draughts') and the chimney draws flames and smoke up well, and has presumably done so for the last 100 years.

But maybe the house concerned is modern and has a chimney less suitable for an open fire?

dominoman

go and play outside children

POPPYOSCAR

I am really confused by all this.


We have an open fire(love it to bits).


We have no additional ventilation.


Not had a problem in 20 years.

Grenage

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I am really confused by all this.


We have an open fire(love it to bits).


We have no additional ventilation.


Not had a problem in 20 years.

Clearly you must be wrong; because modern regs trump experience and real-world application.

Gloomendoom

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I am really confused by all this.


We have an open fire(love it to bits).


We have no additional ventilation.


Not had a problem in 20 years.

I blocked ours up. It was too draughty.

The fire draws well and the CO meter/alarm in the room hasn't moved from zero.