Legality of "chimney" fires?

Dave!

Hey folks,

I was walking my dog yesterday and I got to another neighbourhood, and there was ONE house with smoke billowing out of the chimney, and that one fire was enough to fill the whole neighbourhood in smoggy, stinky crap, reducing visibility and making it look disgusting.

Everyone loves an open fire, it looks great, it's warm, and makes you feel cosy, but with central heating, they're not really necessary anymore.

Just wondering if they're actually illegal or what...?

And should they be? I don't know what damage they do, but having that amount of smoke shooting into the atmosphere can't be good...!

RuggieBear

not everyone has central heating....i don't. I have to use a peat fire to warm myself.

Duiske

DaveMcG wrote:

Hey folks,

I was walking my dog yesterday and I got to another neighbourhood, and there was ONE house with smoke billowing out of the chimney, and that one fire was enough to fill the whole neighbourhood in smoggy, stinky crap, reducing visibility and making it look disgusting.

Everyone loves an open fire, it looks great, it's warm, and makes you feel cosy, but with central heating, they're not really necessary anymore.

Just wondering if they're actually illegal or what...?

Its not illegal to have an open fire, but there are restrictions on what you can burn in an open fire. In Dublin and a few other cities/towns, ONLY smokeless fuels are allowed. I'm not sure if many realise this, but burning anything else in an indoor fire/stove/range is covered by the "Backyard burning Ban", and is therefore illegal.
This is more an evironmental issue than a legal one... but does it make sense that (living in an area where the smokeless fuels directive has yet to be brought in) i can burn tons of coal and wood, but if I burn a milk carton I am technically breaking the law ?

Dave!

RuggieBear wrote:

not everyone has central heating....i don't. I have to use a peat fire to warm myself.

Can you not buy a plug-in radiator or fan heater? I don't know how much they cost to buy or maintain, but surely they're not OTT, and alot less hastle for yourself than a peat fire, as well as not covering the area in a blanket of smoke?

It's one thing if you live in a rural area and aren't affecting much, but in the middle of a residential estate, where kids play, etc., I'm sure it's somewhat damaging or dangerous.

I dunno, it just seems unnecessary.

Heinrich

For those who smoke, drive motor vehicles, run up large electricity bills, overheat their houses etc. I would ask that they don't moralise on my open smokless coal fire! I don't smoke, drive a car nor pollute! Thanks in advance. :mad:

Thirdfox

DaveMcG wrote:

Hey folks,

I was walking my dog yesterday and I got to another neighbourhood, and there was ONE house with smoke billowing out of the chimney, and that one fire was enough to fill the whole neighbourhood in smoggy, stinky crap, reducing visibility and making it look disgusting.

Maybe it would be a case of nuisance... if the ashes etc. damage your property e.g. ashes dirty your washing etc.

Smells, I'm not so sure of though...

RuggieBear

DaveMcG wrote:

Can you not buy a plug-in radiator or fan heater? I don't know how much they cost to buy or maintain, but surely they're not OTT, and alot less hastle for yourself than a peat fire, as well as not covering the area in a blanket of smoke?


I dunno, it just seems unnecessary.

If you'll pay the massive electricity bill...;)

Duiske

DaveMcG wrote:

there was ONE house with smoke billowing out of the chimney, and that one fire was enough to fill the whole neighbourhood in smoggy, stinky crap, reducing visibility and making it look disgusting..

Dave, from what you describe, it would seem that the owner of the house was probably burning something he should not have been burning, or(less likely if he was using smokeless fuel) he was having chimney problems (smouldering soot). It was obviously NOT the result of smokeless fuels.

DaveMcG wrote:

Can you not buy a plug-in radiator or fan heater? I don't know how much they cost to buy or maintain, but surely they're not OTT, and alot less hastle for yourself than a peat fire, as well as not covering the area in a blanket of smoke?

.

I have a back boiler in my fireplace which, when the open fire is burning, heats my water and every radiator (13) in the house. Are you honestly suggesting I stop using the open fire, and buy 13 fan heaters to replace the radiators ?
Most heating sources produce some sort of pollution in varying degrees, so a balance has to be found. We could always use solar systems, but they are probably too expensive for the average family, and would still need to be supplemented by another heating source during the winter months or periods of limited direct sunlight.

cormie

Chimneys every so often go on fire with the build up of soot in them. Perhaps since then, they have got their chimney cleaned and you wont even notice that they have an open fire.

hullaballoo

I'd say there's probably some sort of relief in Nuisance alright. If someone's chimney's on fire, they probably don't know too much about it, so I'd knock on their door and let them know before I tried to sue them. Each to his own.

dermot_sheehan

Thirdfox wrote:

Maybe it would be a case of nuisance... if the ashes etc. damage your property e.g. ashes dirty your washing etc.

Smells, I'm not so sure of though...

It would be a case of public nuisance rather then a private one. An injunction against it could be brought by the AG, a private party would only have standing if they suffered particular damage above and beyond the general public. Also creating a public nuisance is an offence at common law.

Also certain offences under the Air Pollution Act 1987 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA6Y1987.html may have been committed.

rsynnott

DaveMcG wrote:

And should they be? I don't know what damage they do, but having that amount of smoke shooting into the atmosphere can't be good...!

Unless it's real coal, environmental impact is limited (and possibly lower than impact from electrical heating).

netwhizkid

I guess there should be some sort of regulation but nothing major. Was rather unfortunate myself this evening as we had a chimney fire. I was trying to start the fire in a hurry and gathered turf (peat) brus basically the dust and debris left over from the original sods and soaked them in Kerosene, in a empty Beans can and threw it in and it then drove flames up the chimney and put it on fire. :rolleyes: I know how emabarrsing, It was like a steam locomotive the amount of smoke was chronic, luckily it was dark though as my neighbours yard was reduced to nose length visibility though. I am going sweeping the chimney tomorrow though, The build up of soot coupled to my idiotic Kerosene quick fix could have led to disaster. It was only minor my father said, we once had a fire that cracked the chimney stack.

Thirdfox

My dad set the chicken on fire in a microwave before (btw the chicken was dead... don't want any trouble with the DSPCA )

Shocked me to death!

johnnyrotten

Heinrich wrote:

For those who smoke, drive motor vehicles, run up large electricity bills, overheat their houses etc. I would ask that they don't moralise on my open smokless coal fire! I don't smoke, drive a car nor pollute! Thanks in advance. :mad:

CONGRATULATIONS!:rolleyes:

cormie

netwhizkid wrote:

I guess there should be some sort of regulation but nothing major. Was rather unfortunate myself this evening as we had a chimney fire. I was trying to start the fire in a hurry and gathered turf (peat) brus basically the dust and debris left over from the original sods and soaked them in Kerosene, in a empty Beans can and threw it in and it then drove flames up the chimney and put it on fire. :rolleyes: I know how emabarrsing, It was like a steam locomotive the amount of smoke was chronic, luckily it was dark though as my neighbours yard was reduced to nose length visibility though. I am going sweeping the chimney tomorrow though, The build up of soot coupled to my idiotic Kerosene quick fix could have led to disaster. It was only minor my father said, we once had a fire that cracked the chimney stack.

Haha, what was the rush? Sounds like more effort then lighting a fire normally with bean cans and all.

netwhizkid

cormie wrote:

Haha, what was the rush? Sounds like more effort then lighting a fire normally with bean cans and all.

We had important relatives arrriving from the USA and nothing is more welcoming than a nice warm fire, a chimney fire was the last thing I wanted! :rolleyes: