Replacing an open fire with what?

Sussex18

Hi I'm wondering if anyone suggest an alternative heating source that I could put in place of an open fire?

I don't really care much for the fireplace at all but an older person lives in house who really likes their fire.

So can anyone suggest something that I could put in it's place?.

Thanks
S

magicbastarder

a room heater stove would be much more efficient and cleaner. would produce less ash too.

Sonic the Shaghog

You'd have to consider how well insulated the house is too.

All well and good throwing in a small stove or heater if it's well lined

Not so good if it's an old house and they mostly rely on having to sit by the fire each night

Flipperdipper

Wood burning stove. We have two of these in the house, only problem is they're too bloody HOT !

Graces7

Being in a rental I have to take what is there and this time is great. A solid fuel stove that also has a back boiler and radiators.

As for sitting by the fire; we old ones love to do that and not just for the warmth. It is a great comfort to watch the living flames.

Banana Republic 1

Sussex18 wrote: »

Hi I'm wondering if anyone suggest an alternative heating source that I could put in place of an open fire?

I don't really care much for the fireplace at all but an older person lives in house who really likes their fire.

So can anyone suggest something that I could put in it's place?.

Thanks
S

If you go for a stove make sure it’s not to big, kilowatt output, otherwise the place will be as hot as balls.

RooksPawn

Wood burning stove definitely. We have had one for 3 years and light it on cold evenings and weekends. Much more efficient than an open fire, will improve your BER rating. Very little ash too but use kiln dried logs, no damp wood.
Also compressed wood cylinders from Belgium called Wonter Bric are very good at the start and later in the evening to keep the fire going on a low level, work just like peat briquettes without the damage to the environment.

jkforde

we replaced a small open fire with a small inset wood stove and it's brilliant - easy to light, massive heat with kiln-dried ash and oak and with the door, no heat-loss at night - just get a proper contractor to fit to avoid any chimney issues later

two wheels good

Flame effect fire - gas or electric.

RooksPawn

two wheels good wrote: »

Flame effect fire - gas or electric.

Gas no way; it's fossil fuel.

Except maybe for Seniors (80+) for whom wood burning stoves may be too risky, An aunt (now deceased) had a gas fire operated by a remote control like a TV, very safe for her. But I would prefer electric.

two wheels good

RooksPawn wrote: »

Gas no way; it's fossil fuel.

Except maybe for Seniors (80+) for whom wood burning stoves may be too risky, An aunt (now deceased) had a gas fire operated by a remote control like a TV, very safe for her. But I would prefer electric.

If the house already has a gas supply why not. Cleaner, more convenient (esp for a senior), less polluting than solid fuel.
But elec is more ideal. My sister has one that is grate!

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116342336#Comment_116342336

Where does the energy to run the kiln come from? Would you not be better with well seasoned wood it would still have a low moisture content.

Effects

Well seasoned generally won't be lower than kiln dried. I personally use a solar kiln, which doesn't have any energy input.

But I know some of the larger providers of kiln dried wood in Ireland ship it in from abroad.

Not sure what the extra travel adds to the overall energy used to bring it to market.

magicbastarder

there's some controversy about the wood that's shipped in, a lot of it has been coming from estonia and surrounding countries;

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/estonia-holy-forests-threatened-by-industrial-tree-farming

magicbastarder

also, i suspect there will be a lot of irish grown ash becoming available as firewood over the next few years.

ercork

Wood is a very dirty fuel from the point of view of particulate matter which causes significant health impacts - best to stick with gas or electric.

Graces7

My fuel is turf, cut from the field across the lane. No transport costs etc and the money stays on the island and benefits that family.

It gives a lovely heat and is clean to handle . And the stove has a very efficient back boiler and will heat radiators

Minimal and soft ash which I use as cat litter.

I occasionally add smokeless coal eggs.

embraer170

The house here (early 80s build) has a fireplace with a backboiler, which heats the radiators pretty effectively. You can pretty much turn off the oil boiler when you have a fire on. A fireplace door was fitted a few years ago.

Would one be gaining much in efficiency by putting in a stove instead?

Flinty997

Aren't gas fires very expensive to run.

We use an electric fire. Mainly for the effect, rarely would have turned the heater on.

Miss the real fire though. I thought they were going to phase out wood burning stoves.

magicbastarder

the plan was to start banning the sale of unseasoned wood, except in large batches, IIRC. and smoky coals on a nationwide basis.

abbey

In the UK they are starting to ban wood burning stoves in London due to their harmful emissons indoors and outdoors.

What are the alternative options? Electric and gas stoves?

Capt'n Midnight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221780#Comment_120221780

It's a particles problem , pm 2.5 and all that. The poor thermal efficiency is a minor issue.

Insulation so you don't need stove.

Low smoke fuels like charcoal or similar ??

Ethanol stoves.

Biodiesel based home heating oil.

Heat pumps.

Gas heating.

Gasifier things, wood is placed in a small oven in the stove and heated to drive off gases which are burnt in stove. Low air flow into the oven converts the remaining char to gases which are burnt in the stove.

Here's a product that claims 95% particle capture https://www.schiedel.com/ie/the-fine-pm-2-5-dust-filter-for-wood-burning-stoves-epuro/ but that's not going to solve the problem when In a report published by Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, even Ecodesign models in homes produce 450 times more emissions than gas central heating.

The smell off a turf fire is nice. But stacking a ton of the stuff is a different story.

Macha

From a recent study on the environmental impact (and costs) of heating sources. They don't include peat but I'd imagine it's the same or worse than coal.

https://cedelft.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/CE_Delft_210135_Health-related_social_costs_of_residential_heating_and_cooking_Def_V1.2.pdf