Does anyone use their 1930's fireplace?

Palomb

I've just moved in to a 30's house with load or original features including an amazing tiled fireplace. I had hoped to have a log burner but the fireplace is too small but I would still like to have some flames! I have been told that all I need to used the fireplace for a fire is sweep the chimney... Anyone have any pointers beyond that? I've only ever had central heating so am an absolute novice.

Kiran

You will be able to open up the chimney to take a wood burner. But if you want to use the fire get a chimney sweep to sweep and smoke test.

Palomb

Stove fitting company have told me the opening is to small to house a burner unfortunately.

JustAnotherSaver

Get a second opinion?

Our house was built in 1932. Had tiled hearth it seemed once the stuff was all taken back to base.
Anyway, in February we had a multi fuel stove fitted.

They wondered if they'd need to put a fair bend on the flue but in the end they didn't.
Our opening width is ample. It's the depth that was the concern but it was fine in the end. Our depth from the total back of the recess to the face of the chimney breast (not including the hearth area that sticks out beyond this) was perhaps only about 13" if i remember right.

So yours must be super small if you really can't fit one in?

Palomb

Did you keep your fireplace intact?

JustAnotherSaver

Palomb wrote: »

Did you keep your fireplace intact?

We were unable to unfortunately. We have terrible damp issue so it all needed tanking. We had no choice but to board out the recess. I got black limestone flags for the hearth & the chimney breast will just get painted up.

We were debating about a little shelf above the fire. Wooden ones look nice but the heat & the wood doesn't have us so keen. There's the wood look ones which aren't wood which get on better with the heat but i'm not so convinced so we'll probably just leave it.

Palomb

I've seen the ones with the eh wood above and think they look lovely

Ideally I want to use the fireplace as it is but I can't find any info online about how to do it.

Gloomendoom

Palomb wrote: »

I've seen the ones with the eh wood above and think they look lovely

Ideally I want to use the fireplace as it is but I can't find any info online about how to do it.

Look in the yellow pages for a chimney sweep.

If you haven't got one already, get a fire guard too. A CO alarm is also a wise investment.

Kiran

Ah, do you mean you want to use it without opening up the fireplace? https://www.stovefittersmanual.co.uk Look at the section on opening up fireplaces if you want to remove the existing and install a wood burner/multi fuel stove. You can go back to the builders opening very easily, anything beyond that and you are taking about proper building work. Have a read and see if it applies to you

Palomb

Yeah I just want to use it as it is but never having had, or used, an open fire before I dont really know what I need to do. I'm not prepared to rip out the fireplace for a log burner when I can just use it as it is. I live in a smokeless zone so know I need to burn smokeless coal but other than that I have no idea.

I'd live to see some pictures of an original tiled 30's fireplace lit if anyone has any?

-taff

Chimney sweep, and you'll probably need coal for an open fire but wood will burn just as well.
Wood needs a layer of ash to burn properly so get some small mesh metal from a diy shop and cut it to fit the grate. That's if you are intending to burn wood because otherwise it all falls through the grate and doesn't last as long.
Check the walls of the fire for structural integrity, if they aren't and have cracks in them, get some fire cement from Screwfix and seal up the cracks.
We did all of the above, fire is lovely
Oh and we did repair the chimney and get it reflashed and the pots covered to stop birds from flying in/nesting/falling down etc....