what is the burning passion for having an open fire?

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 5:39pm #1

what is the burning passion for having an open fire?

I do like them yes but i havent had an open fire in the house for over 5 years now and dont personally miss it and got on with life without one grand and havent froze to death in the winter months.

hauling in filthy bloody dirty coal from the freezing cold outside , cleaning out the grate dust everywhere, having to get the chimney cleaned once or twice a year, uncontrollable, hard to light most times, filthy stinking smoke blowed back into the room if the wind is blowing the wrong way, most of the heat going up the chimney and sparks off the coal spitting out onto the floor potentially causing a house fire - no thanks to all of that I have opted for cleaner modern fuel which heats up the rads and hot water at the flick of a switch.

so anyway, yesterday the local radio station said on their facebook page:

"We Irish need to stop lighting fires in our homes.
That's according to Dr Michael O'Dwyer of the Environmental Protection Agency, who says cosy fires in the winter need to become a thing of the past.
He says he knows people may be angry and not even believe the facts on air pollution, but this is the situation.
Do you agree or not?
We'll be discussing on North West Today on Wednesday"

(I didnt hear the show this morning, maybe i can get it on podcast or something)

well needless to say do i even have to tell you some of the comments underneath .. but I will:

"I will freeze to death if I dont light a fire"

"Good luck with that, I am not going to stop lighting my fire"

"how am I gonna heat up my rads and water without my open fire?"

"you can take my land but you are not having my cosy fire!"

haha, some wonderful feedback LOL .

But it just shows you a bit of how people especially in rural northwest of Ireland are passionate of their open coal fires as a matter of life or death (why?) - sounds like if legislation went through to ban coal fires that an all out riot could break out - maybe even more of an issue than paying for water!

Bobblehats · 04-12-2019 5:48pm

ELM327 · 04-12-2019 5:50pm

Where else do you roast the chestnuts?

_Brian · 04-12-2019 5:54pm

ELM327 wrote: »

Where else do you roast the chestnuts?

Feck that. Kept burning my thighs

ELM327 · 04-12-2019 5:55pm

_Brian wrote: »

Feck that. Kept burning my thighs

Thats a different type of nut

Bobblehats · 04-12-2019 5:55pm

When it gets too intense you can’t dial it down

limnam · 04-12-2019 5:57pm

Bobblehats wrote: »

When it gets too intense you can’t dial it down

You need a soapstone stove.

pablo128 · 04-12-2019 5:59pm

Bobblehats wrote: »

When it gets too intense you can’t dial it down

Of course you can. Just fcuk a pot of water over it.

Bobblehats · 04-12-2019 6:00pm

limnam wrote: »

You need a soapstone stove.

That’s not addressing the hearth of the matter

pablo128 wrote: »

Of course you can. Just fcuk a pot of water over it.

Steamy.

charlietheminxx · 04-12-2019 6:01pm

I have a new build house and I am a little bit sad I'll never have an open fire again. They are just lovely and cosy and give a fantastic glow, always brilliant during power cuts too. There's something soothing about the flicking warm light and the heat and the gentle crackling.

Water John · 04-12-2019 6:01pm

Have a sister who will never give up, her open fire.

Truckermal · 04-12-2019 6:02pm

Nothing more relaxing than lying down listening to the fire singing on a cold winter's evening!

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 04-12-2019 6:02pm

I was always fascinated and amused by witnessing how close our various cats could get to the fire. A full intensity open fire in my parents’ house was a very full-on thing and one of our cats would be spread out right along the grate, nose almost touching it. :eek:

colm_mcm · 04-12-2019 6:03pm

He’s right in what he’s saying. The particulate matter from open fires is really bad for you. Not to mention the environmental impact Bord na Mona has.

paw patrol · 04-12-2019 6:04pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

what is the burning passion for having an open fire?

"We Irish need to stop lighting fires in our homes.
That's according to Dr Michael O'Dwyer of the Environmental Protection Agency, who says cosy fires in the winter need to become a thing of the past.
He says he knows people may be angry and not even believe the facts on air pollution, but this is the situation.

I love my open fire and my firepit out the back.

That fella is a gobsh1te he is looking at some tiny aspect and ignoring the major causes of pollution.
His theory is just pissing in the wind , I'd suspect him to be a paid industry shill with horsesh1t like that

is_that_so · 04-12-2019 6:05pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

He’s right in what he’s saying. The particulate matter from open fires is really bad for you. Not to mention the environmental impact Bord na Mona has.

So what exactly does that mean in real life, like? It's the burning down of houses by fires that kills people.

GrumpyMe · 04-12-2019 6:11pm

Bobblehats wrote: »

When it gets too intense you can’t dial it down

Rubbish!
Of course you can -

https://tinyurl.com/s66b8k7

Agricola · 04-12-2019 6:16pm

The Murican's have their freedom and guns, the Irish have their coal fires!

Bobblehats · 04-12-2019 6:25pm

GrumpyMe wrote: »

Rubbish!
Of course you can -

https://tinyurl.com/s66b8k7

Right you are. Because a sack of slack is top of everyone’s shopping list

• High quality slack
• Gives strong heat & burns well
• Keeps fire burning at night
• Ideal for open fires

Here what did I say?! Will stick to my dimplex thanks ~

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 6:28pm

Truckermal wrote: »

Nothing more relaxing than lying down listening to the fire singing on a cold winter's evening!

make you wonder with the electronics about these days that there not electronics that give out the crackling noise and other noises of a real fire - (there's a marketing idea) on imitation fires for the fireplace.

*when I say imitation I mean that there are imitation open fires and stoves these days that look really realistic to the real thing , be it if they are oil or gas or electric, to look at but they dont have the realistic noises to go along with it , shall I patent that Idea?

Raconteuse · 04-12-2019 6:28pm

Never understood the deep love for them. Ditto spuds.

I mean a fire is nice of course but a fake plug-in dealie is sufficient for me. None of the hassle or cleaning either. And it won't die.

pablo128 · 04-12-2019 6:33pm

Raconteuse wrote: »

Never understood the deep love for them. Ditto spuds.

I mean a fire is nice of course but a fake plug-in dealie is sufficient for me. None of the hassle or cleaning either. And it won't die.

It'll die quick enough if you have a power outage.

andekwarhola · 04-12-2019 6:35pm

Have a gas one. Not as nice but fcuked if I'm building and cleaning every day for a real one.

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 6:38pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

He’s right in what he’s saying. The particulate matter from open fires is really bad for you. Not to mention the environmental impact Bord na Mona has.

well I havent got Asthma these days (did years ago because I lived in a damp mouldy leaky roof house years ago and had to have an inhaler) but you know like when you go out in the (fresh?) air and smell the acrid fumes coming from fires burning smoky coal and turf (especially when foggy and misty and the smog just lies nearer to the ground level) you gotta ask yourself what is that doing to the health of people with breathing problems like Asthma / COPD / emphysema and other breathing issues. Even with me as I say i dont seem to suffer from asthma these days but even if I go outside when everyone has their fires lit I cough me guts up when breathing in C02 from the acrid fumes coming out of people chimneys in the winter.

Also, (I dot know if there is any connection because I am not medically trained) but there seems to be a lot of Asthma and other breathing problems (especially with children as well) in Ireland could that be down to open fires or not helped by it ? - that maybe is another issue we need to look at maybe?

Fiery mutant · 04-12-2019 6:39pm

I have a wood burning stove, only burn logs.

When the whole world goes to **** and we all end up back in the dark ages, the only way to keep warm will be open fires. So he can **** right off with his rules.

blackbox · 04-12-2019 6:43pm

Haven't had an open fire for decades, but I love my stoves.

The same cosy glow but no draughts and a fraction of the fuel usage.

Carbon neutral if burning wood.

Also virtually no particulates pollution with modern defra approved stoves.

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 6:45pm

Fiery mutant wrote: »

I have a wood burning stove, only burn logs.

When the whole world goes to **** and we all end up back in the dark ages, the only way to keep warm will be open fires. So he can **** right off with his rules.

do you know when the world will go to **** - until it does will ye not use Gas or oil to heat your rads and water seeing as they are like readily available?

there are cleaner alternatives out there.

many people wash their clothes in a washing machine these days, they no longer go down to the river with a stone and washboard because the washing machine is cleaner, more modern, less hassle and does a good job .
sure if the electric goes off and you can no longer use the washing machine you will have to wash your clothes in the sink .. but until that time comes ...

Stovepipe · 04-12-2019 6:51pm

Stoves are so much more efficient than an open fire. We changed over a few years ago and would never go back. Slashed the fuel burn, too. There should be a countrywide ban on coal on an open fire; we had a dense fog in our area a few days ago and the stink of coal around the village was unreal. We keep up the coal burning, we'll end up like the Chinese, wearing masks all the time.

Degag · 04-12-2019 6:52pm

'Ou can't bate da hate off 'em

Mad_maxx · 04-12-2019 6:53pm

Bobblehats wrote: »

have you heard the story from director Ken Russell surrounding that scene ?

apparently oliver reed was upset about not measuring up to his wrestling partner and insisted on warming up beforehand ?

Mad_maxx · 04-12-2019 6:56pm

i have a stove insert , maybe im just lacking but it takes a blooming long time to light the thing , usually fails the first time regardless of how many firelighters i use

Neames · 04-12-2019 6:58pm

Bobblehats wrote: »

What's the name of that film....you know the one where the two boys strip off and start wrestling naked in front of an open fire for ages.

.......oh yeah....Women in Love....that's it.

Fiery mutant · 04-12-2019 6:58pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

do you know when the world will go to **** - until it does will ye not use Gas or oil to heat your rads and water seeing as they are like readily available?

there are cleaner alternatives out there.

many people wash their clothes in a washing machine these days, they no longer go down to the river with a stone and washboard because the washing machine is cleaner, more modern, less hassle and does a good job .
sure if the electric goes off and you can no longer use the washing machine you will have to wash your clothes in the sink .. but until that time comes ...

I can’t use gas or oil, as my heating is an air to water system, have it running now in fact. Don’t light the fire all the time, I drive an electric car, collect solar power, recycle anything that can be recycled, I do more than most, and will continue to do so.

I can understand the issue with burning coal, and agree it needs to be curtailed.

Stovepipe · 04-12-2019 6:58pm

He said it himself, too. he was being interviewed by Parkinson, I think, about the film and said that he "encouraged" himself, before stepping in front of the camera. It wasnt the kind of closed set that happens now and quite a few of the crew were there, so he felt the need to "stiffen" his resolve.

Neames · 04-12-2019 6:59pm

Mad_maxx wrote: »

have you heard the story from director Ken Russell surrounding that scene ?

apparently oliver reed was upset about not measuring up to his wrestling partner and insisted on warming up beforehand ?

There was clever use of an elastic band as well.

Good old Ollie...they don't make men like him anymore.

beejee · 04-12-2019 6:59pm

As someone said to me once, and it stuck, a good fire is like company.

There is something animate about a fire, something close to being "alive", the crackle and movement and shifting glow.

Really love a nice fire

harr · 04-12-2019 7:06pm

Changed ours over to stoves a few years back , mostly wood burning and it has saved a fortune on fuel.
Still wouldn’t be without a fireplace I love a fire on in winter. I don’t particularly like central heating on all the time an hour in the morning and an hour before kids go to bed is enough for me.
Light the stove in sitting room get it nice and hot and turn it down and we hardly ever have to put on a second load of logs on.
Friend purchased a house lately with no fireplaces and only central heating or a heat recovery system and had no heat for nearly a full day last week because of a power cut.. everything in his new house is nearly electric a part from a small solar panel that heats a bit of water and he isn’t even impressed with that.

Raconteuse · 04-12-2019 7:55pm

Mad_maxx wrote: »

apparently oliver reed was upset about not measuring up to his wrestling partner and insisted on warming up beforehand ?

Alan Bates. Big hulking guy.

milehip · 04-12-2019 7:56pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

what is the burning passion for having an open fire?

Cause there whopper in the winter, great way to banish SAD to the coal shed.

Fire on, shoes off,feet up.

Fire it's what separates us from the animals!

colm_mcm · 04-12-2019 7:58pm

is_that_so wrote: »

So what exactly does that mean in real life, like? It's the burning down of houses by fires that kills people.

Particulate matter is the carcinogenic stuff that gets into your blood stream via your lungs, causes respiratory problems, heart issues, cancer etc.

Then you have NOx emissions. Basically that and PM is what makes diesel cars bad for you.

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 9:26pm

pablo128 wrote: »

It'll die quick enough if you have a power outage.

not many power-cuts to be honest these days. - a calor super-sir in the garage would be a good standby for those times tho if one were really paranoid about it

Calibos · 04-12-2019 9:35pm

Gas Central Heating only, except for the week either side of Christmas Day. For those 2 weeks we light an open coal/log/briquette fire for the Winter/Christmas/ Holiday atmosphere. When the rest of you feckers stop flying off on foreign holidays every year generating gigatonnes of CO2 emissions, I'll stop burning a few logs and a few lumps of coal for the week either side of Christmas Day.

puppieperson1 · 04-12-2019 9:43pm

until the ESB get their **** together they cant ban fires we had a 4 hour power cut the other day for no explained reason so without the fire we would have frozen and not been able to have a cup of tea so sort out the bad service before you ban the fire. Also it it all goes tits up a fire is a necessity for heat and cooking in the worst apocalypse scenario

Neames · 04-12-2019 9:55pm

Didn't burn solid fuel for years.

Cost a fortune in oil. Had one of those electric inserts that gave off no heat and cost a.bloody fortune.

Got the stove in...bought briquettes. Reduced oil bill by over 60% and electric bill was reduced as well.

Sitting room is nice and toasty.

Andrewf20 · 04-12-2019 10:06pm

Once you click this, theres no going back...

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 10:06pm

Neames wrote: »

There was clever use of an elastic band as well.

Good old Ollie...they don't make men like him anymore.

the amount of drinking yer man done when he was alive I wouldnt be surprised if he had brewers droop when he was recording the part ...

Beau Bennett · 04-12-2019 10:09pm

Would only buy a house with an open fire or wood stove possibility. Plus I will have a hanging fire pit for the garden.

It's better than TV. Sit there with a book a whisky and a pipe.

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2019 10:13pm

beejee wrote: »

As someone said to me once, and it stuck, a good fire is like company.

There is something animate about a fire, something close to being "alive", the crackle and movement and shifting glow.

Really love a nice fire

there's something caveman like about a good fire

arctictree · 04-12-2019 10:26pm

Just finished a new build and getting the stove fitted next week. IMO, a house is not complete without a fire/stove.

beejee · 04-12-2019 10:29pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

there's something caveman like about a good fire

Oh you bet. A very primal thing, no doubt hard-wired from our collective past.

It's light and warmth and comfort, also, a perfect setting for a good yarn. Especially out in the woods camping, being gathered round the small place of safety, pitch black unknown at your back as the shadows move around

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwSbRKd_J8k

Snails pace · 04-12-2019 10:38pm

Have 2 stoves here, converted a back boiler open fire to an insert back boiler stove. Saved a lot of oil, have my own timber. During a few storms there was no power for a few days. At least we didn't go cold with the stoves. I also love sitting beside the stove. As one previous poster said, it's like you have company

what is the burning passion for having an open fire?

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