Fireplace for Heating

RHemmings

I wasn't aware of the name 'chimney sheep' but was thinking about an open chimney causing drafts. I'll look further into chimney sheep. Or a big cushion with a button on it. 

It's unlikely that my fire (assuming I get to completion) will be used daily, but maybe as an occasional novelty. Leicester is a smoke control zone, and only smokeless fuels can be burned. Though, the house currently has a supply of kiln-dried wood, and there are big piles of kiln dried wood in every big supermarket and other places. 

Ecoal sounds good to me. I like that it is made from olive stones, so a renewable resource and making something useful out of leftover materials from something else. It's said to be smokeless. 

ArbitraryRandom

RHemmings said:

It's unlikely that my fire (assuming I get to completion) will be used daily, but maybe as an occasional novelty. Leicester is a smoke control zone, and only smokeless fuels can be burned. Though, the house currently has a supply of kiln-dried wood, and there are big piles of kiln dried wood in every big supermarket and other places. 

I'm not sure about the rules around open fires, but if you were to install a DEFRA-certified stove (aka an exempt appliance) then you are okay to burn wood in a smokeless zone. 

Qyburn

It would be worth just using the open fire a few times to see how you like it. A stove would need quite a bit of work if done properly with flue liner and maybe ventilation. So not just the cost of the stove itself.

FreeBear

Qyburn said:

It would be worth just using the open fire a few times to see how you like it. A stove would need quite a bit of work if done properly with flue liner and maybe ventilation. So not just the cost of the stove itself.

Getting a stove installed and to be compliant with building regulations could easily turn a £500 stove in to a £3000 job. Even if you do the bulk of the work yourself and get someone else to fit the liner & commission the stove, it could quite easily cost £1500.

When I fitted my stove, I could have got a liner for ~£500. Then there would be another £300 for Building Control fees. Would have needed scaffolding or a cherry picker to get up on the roof.... Ended up paying a HETAS engineer to supply the liner and do the commissioning & BC paperwork. Figured the £1100 he charged me was a fair price.

Netexporter

The biggest job is digging out the structural hearth. Never fails to amaze me how much rubble that expands into.

Gracieacey

Get it swept and get it lit! The only way you'll know for sure whether it's affordable  or whether the loss of heat is what you can cope with is to light it! Don't listen to people that have their own opinions.....

RHemmings

Gracieacey said:

Get it swept and get it lit! The only way you'll know for sure whether it's affordable  or whether the loss of heat is what you can cope with is to light it! Don't listen to people that have their own opinions.....

This will definitely happen. According to the list of things being left in the house, it includes firewood. But, the other opinions will be useful in deciding what to do once I have the result of that experiment. 

Murphy_The_Cat

Currently sat by my open fire, burning a combination of hornbeam and coal ovals/duck eggs -  absolutely loving it.  As is my dog who is full length in front of the fire. Go outside the house and there is a gorgeous smell of wood smoke wafting around.

Kiran

Netexporter said:

The biggest job is digging out the structural hearth. Never fails to amaze me how much rubble that expands into.

Hearth requirements on modern stoves are actually much less stringent. You'd have to look at the manufacturers requirements but they are frequently 12mm solid hearth now ao you normally don't need to do much for it to be compliant 

Netexporter

Kiran said:

Netexporter said:

The biggest job is digging out the structural hearth. Never fails to amaze me how much rubble that expands into.

Hearth requirements on modern stoves are actually much less stringent. You'd have to look at the manufacturers requirements but they are frequently 12mm solid hearth now ao you normally don't need to do much for it to be compliant 

I'm talking about all the !!!!!! and brickbats they chuck in behind the firebricks in an open fire, when you open it up to reveal the structural lintel and walls.