Tip for those with an open fire to save fuel!

dandy-candy

Definately get it swept and check it draws well with a smouldering bit of paper before lighting a proper fire. Burning paper/cardboard creates a lot of ash so I really wouldn't recommend it! I keep the half burnt bits of coal from the last fire to light the next. I love my open fire but coal fires can make me a bit chesty if I have them going day after day, but woodfires burn up quicker so you have to see what suits you best. 100% check if you are in a smokeless zone - smokeless coal is pretty rubbish tbh compared to the real stuff!

*added* be wary of using recycled wood in case is has been chemical treated/creosoted. Also get that fireguard for when you want to go to bed and remember that some things you burn like pine cones can spit!

mardatha

Even though they say a lot of heat goes up the chinney, if you keep the door shut to that room you'll be surprised at how fast the place heats up. A coal fire is lovely and cosy. Yes get the sweep in first as it might be blocked by old nests. Then get some coal, when out walking pick up any old white dead wood lying around - that burns well. Firelighters stop you going mad. I wouldnt live in a house without a real fire! Imagine how cosy xmas will be ...

esmf73

Relatives of mine in Eire have to pay whenever they get their rubbish collected, so they recycle a lot, but anything that can't get recycled goes on the fire (as long as it is burning properly). I've put nappies on there in the past - no smells, just burns!

rachbc

luxor4t wrote: »

You'll need to get a fireguard (by law) if young children are in the house & a spark guard for safety:
http://www.chimneyproblems.co.uk/moresafety.htm

I've read this and can't find any mention of the actually legislation it relates too - I'd be really interested to know what it is - and how its policed.

xrjtg

All the safety advice is probably worth paying attention too, especially if you've never used the chimney. That said, I'll restrict myself to how I light a fire.

First make sure you've poked all the ash down through the grate, and emptied the old ashes if there are a lot of them (you'll get a feel for this). Then stuff the whole of the top of the grate area with a single layer of scrunched up newspaper balls. These want to be quite tight, but not so tight that an old ball pops out every time you put a new one in and they exclude air. A layer of egg boxes is good next if you've got them, but I frequently don't have any. Next comes two or three layers of sticks, a bit less than an inch square on the cross-section, laid at right angles to each other. Finally, top off with a layer of coal.

With your fire set, you now want to light all the way along the front edge of the paper. The plan is that all the paper will catch, then the egg boxes, by which point the sticks have hopefully begun to burn. If the coal catches after the sticks then you have a fire.

Assorted thoughts:

Be careful with the stacking, especially if your grate doesn't have very high sides. You don't want the whole pile to fall forwards onto the hearth after the front of the paper burns away.

If you have one you should start with the air inlet at the bottom open. Close it once you have large flames from the coal. If things don't look too good then a sheet of newspaper held over the front of the fire can work wonders, as that also forces air to be drawn up though the fuel, but be very careful not to let it catch alight!

Logs can be burnt, but it's much easier to start with coal as above, then add logs after the flames have died down but the coals are glowing hot.

Good luck!

alwaysamum

Hi

The thought of an open fire is lovely - I keep hoping that my gas fire will be condemned so that I can ask my landlord if it can be removed and the grate put back. No luck so far!

The requirement for a fireguard is part of the 1908 Children's Act - a complex act which deals with a whole range of issues concerning children including giving alcohol, being on licensed premises; it also established juvenile courts. I think the Act says that a guard is essential when a child is left in a room with an open fire.

Policing is essentially retrospective - the parent or guardian of a child injured through lack of a guard is liable to prosecution.

J.

Fruball

I miss my open fire

rachbc

[Q
The requirement for a fireguard is part of the 1908 Children's Act - a complex act which deals with a whole range of issues concerning children including giving alcohol, being on licensed premises; it also established juvenile courts. I think the Act says that a guard is essential when a child is left in a room with an open fire.

Policing is essentially retrospective - the parent or guardian of a child injured through lack of a guard is liable to prosecution.

J.[/QUOTE]

Mmm i found this

PUBLIC WARNING.
CHILDREN ACT, 1908.


Among other provisions of the Children Act, Parents or other persons having the charge of Children are made liable to fines or other penalties for

(1) Leaving a child under the age of 7 in a room with a fire without a fireguard, or without taking other precautions, if the child is burned to death or seriously injured.

That doesn't making it legal requirement to have a fireguard - just that you can be prosecuted if anything happens and you didn't have one or take other precautions....

luxor4t

rachbc wrote: »

I've read this and can't find any mention of the actually legislation it relates too - I'd be really interested to know what it is - and how its policed.

alwaysamum wrote: »

...The requirement for a fireguard is part of the 1908 Children's Act - a complex act which deals with a whole range of issues concerning children including giving alcohol, being on licensed premises; it also established juvenile courts. I think the Act says that a guard is essential when a child is left in a room with an open fire.

Policing is essentially retrospective - the parent or guardian of a child injured through lack of a guard is liable to prosecution.

J.

Interesting, I knew it was law, & I knew it was an old law but didn't know where it came from.
In my mind I associate fireguards with the laws relating to flame-proof night clothes - but then, I grew up in the late 50s & early 60s when fires were the main means of heating homes & children got burned.

hannahO_2

I love open fire and spent many hours staring into it and getting lost

First thing is to get your chimney cleaned.

You can collect small branches that have fallen on the ground (dead wood) that snaps in half when you stump on them are dried and ready to burn. Those that are tough and green are still alive and need drying so it may not be suitable for kindling, you may as well chuck it for sometime later.

You said it is open fire so I would say definitely get a fireguard just in case if you need to pop out to see your neighbour or shop etc
Unless you are intending to keep the fire alit over night (but you will have to wake up to top it up :eek:), I would let it burn down at the end of the evening. I probably won't top up new log 1-1.5 hours before you are intending to go to bed but you will get the hang of it once you know your log size etc.

Then in the morning, clean up ashes and lay another lot for that day (put the ashes in a tin bucket and never tip into a plastic bucket or bin straight away...just in case. You can tip it in the bin in the afternoon)

I take it you are not going to follage all the burning woods :eek: so if you get it from a log man, make sure they are well seasoned.
Some people will sell you wet wood (and they tell you that they are seasoned) which you might be able to burn in a box-type woodburner but with open fire you might not get the maximum heat or even you might end up with quite a smokey room.
I love the wood burning smoke but this would be quite irritating to your lungs.

Talking about green wood, log from ash tree will burn alive/green.

Have fun!