Log burner fire - your experience?

-taff

madlyn wrote: »

I'm planning on getting a company to do everything so I hope they would be aware of this.
Is it right you have to season the burner 2/3 times before a proper fire is lit?

Yes, or more depending on how long the smell lasts. And never burn it too hot otherwise the smell will come back....

Jonesya

If you live in a town or city, it's worth being aware that basic stoves and open fires are actually a lot more polluting compared to gas boilers and gas fires, it's mostly the fine dust and particulate they emit in the smoke, the fine PM2.5 dusts which is getting all of the attention at the moment, and because they don't have any filters or catalysts, they make diesel cars look clean!

So the government is tightening up the regulations on fuels you can burn, and potentially on whether you can burn wood in non-approved stoves, so you might want to consider this and look for DEFRA approved appliances, which are tested to burn with less pollution emissions than non-approved ones.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46823440

silverwhistle

I paid just under £2.5k for the installation of a Contura 51L, and I'm very pleased with it. I haven't really used the CH these last few winters; only when I go away on holiday as a frost guard on a very low setting. Around £70 a year gas bill (electric for cooking and much of the water heating).



I mainly burn scrounged wood which I store and season at the bottom of my terraced house garden. As I'm retired time is not an issue and I appreciate the exercise prepping the wood. Pallets are useful too to which I add a few briquettes and joinery off-cuts from my neighbour. That's what I'm burning tonight as I've just got back from holiday, and they're cleaner, more convenient and dryer than the wood which I'd normally get inside a few days before.



As I only burn wood I only empty the ash every couple of weeks or so and empty it on the garden. The last couple of sweep visits they've had a look and haven't bothered to sweep. The one before those was only on the precautionary principle as I burn hot and clean.



CO alarms are now a mandatory requirement at installation, and I also have one in my bedroom as a precaution as the stainless flue runs through the chimney breast in it (and gives off a little heat).

Davesnave

The government ought to be phasing out the use of open fires / stoves of any kind in larger urban areas, but it probably isn't politically expedient to do that at present. First, there needs to be plenty of negative reports and images in the media highlighting the insanity of burning 'dirty' fuels in areas of high population density.

Meanwhile, they could do worse than introduce very stringent rules about who can sell logs commercially and set a minimum standard they should reach for moisture content, which is easy enough to measure. This wouldn't please some vendors, but I'd not lose sleep over that.

sevenhills

Jonesya wrote: »

If you live in a town or city, it's worth being aware that basic stoves and open fires are actually a lot more polluting compared to gas boilers and gas fires, it's mostly the fine dust and particulate they emit in the smoke, the fine PM2.5 dusts which is getting all of the attention at the moment, and because they don't have any filters or catalysts, they make diesel cars look clean!

If it wasn't for that issue, I would think about getting a stove. But burning local wood is more climate change friendly, but not very clean.

snowcat75

Jonesya wrote: »

If you live in a town or city, it's worth being aware that basic stoves and open fires are actually a lot more polluting compared to gas boilers and gas fires, it's mostly the fine dust and particulate they emit in the smoke, the fine PM2.5 dusts which is getting all of the attention at the moment, and because they don't have any filters or catalysts, they make diesel cars look clean!

So the government is tightening up the regulations on fuels you can burn, and potentially on whether you can burn wood in non-approved stoves, so you might want to consider this and look for DEFRA approved appliances, which are tested to burn with less pollution emissions than non-approved ones.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46823440

Moisture content and storage makes a huge difference, "APPROVAL" always needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as getting approval is normally about mfs who are willing to pay to get listed rather than other appliances being especially bad.

I have designed and installed industrial scale bio boilers for the purpose of drying logs to sell for domestic use, So I can safely wear an anorak on how to store and process timber.

To get a clean burn you simply need seasoned timber or dried timber preferably hardwoods although the Scandinavians know a thing or two about firewood and only have softwoods available...


To the OP Iv always had burners in my places but only as secondary heat, When I did my last conversion which exceeded basic insulation regs I put UFH as the primary source and a stove in the lounge, I must say this time of year I rarely would light the burner as the UFH loop keeps the place very warm, however spring or Autumn its handy as often you don't want to heat 20 Tons of concreate and live in an oven for half a week so the burner can take the chill off in the evening, Cost wise if you cant process and cut your own timber it will be comparable to any other form of heating, Your also need adequate ventilation and a Co2 alarm in the room its installed in...…. Iv never costed an install as I'm a self builder am fortunate enough to know tame trades who will sign work off for me, but stoves can run over 4 figures alone..... worth a shop round though as they can hugely differ for the the same item.

Gers

Love my woodburner. Hate not having mains gas for central heating. Love living in rural and remote place. Won't use the electric radiators. It's a balance!

My wood is sourced locally and stored in my barn. The weather has been fairly mild so far so I'm using up wood from three years ago which is well seasoned (too dry really) and using two year old wood (oak) when needed.

Having an eco-fan on the top of the stove helps distribute the heat better. Sometimes I can't sit close to the stove as it gets really toasty, it's even toasty across the other side of the living room.

My fireplace has a steel (?) box insert to house the stove. The walls are only plaster and lathe here.

I have an ash vacuum cleaner which is a boon. Just had a fender made locally to contain the jumping embers and save my carpet. One of the upsides, as mentioned by -taff, is being able to heat food up or even cook it during power cuts, or even just 'because'.

If I lived in a town or city with mains gas I won't need a woodburner, as it is it is vital.

A good wood burn should not have smoke coming out of the chimney and should air wash the glass clean.

Alter_ego

I have a gas one, looks like a woodburner. It's clean and does not require a liner in a normal chimney. Does the job without the filth.

andrewf75

greyteam1959 wrote: »

Be warned that log burners are not the cleanest of things.

true, but there is a lot of hysteria these days.

If you have an efficient stove and burn properly seasoned locally sourced wood and not in the middle of a city its really not that bad.

Davesnave

andrewf75 wrote: »

true, but there is a lot of hysteria these days.

If you have an efficient stove and burn properly seasoned locally sourced wood and not in the middle of a city its really not that bad.

I think greyteam's comment may have related to dust and discolouration inside the home as much as outdoor pollution.


We've certainly had much less dust attributable to the woodburner since switching stoves. We still get it, even when it's not on, because much dust is exfoliated skin and the majority here is the result of farming activity nearby.



Amazingly messy place, the countryside!