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Are you still using turf?

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Comments

  • #332
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Mad_maxx wrote: »
    Turf involves a lot of work, I still like it though

    I enjoy keeping active. Would last a week with central heating! Been heating with turf here and in Scotland for 30 years... Nothing to equal it..


  • #333
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    John_Rambo wrote: »
    Tourism is vital to the West of Ireland, particularly the islands. You of all people should be aware of this.



    Excellent point. Very hard to get permission for wind and solar farms when the countryside is like a large housing estate of one off houses. I've seen other threads on this forum where people are giving out about farming in the countryside!! Trying to stop farmers carrying out vital work late in to the summer nights.

    where? the threads I mean.. hyperbole much.


  • #334
    knipex
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭knipex


    A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »
    I hear this a lot, what's the exact science/ calculation behind it?

    We spend less than a grand for a winter's supply of turf, at home. None of the rads work, so it's the only source of heat, apart from maybe one trailer load of timber (which goes in no time, and seems super inefficient).

    I live in a smaller house, in Dublin, and my heating costs are a few hundred quid higher. And my house is better insulated. I'm curious as to the provenance of this fact. Perhaps I am your elderly neighbour.

    I grew up in a house that burned turf in a super-Stanley (like many around us) as the only source of heat for water, rads the lot. We cut 180 yards of a turf bank every year dried it, aged it for a year and then burned all 7 trailers of turf. Any turf under a year old was not considered properly saved and viewed with suspicion. Like you it was burned exclusively except for the odd bit of timber that was considered (and was) inferior.

    Years later I am renting a place with an open fire and back boiler and spending a fortune on bags of turf to burn in it and then trying to get rid of the ash. I was also burning the odd bag of smoke less which produced way more heat (burned out more than one grate), lasted way way longer (far more efficient) but didnt have that nice warm flame that I craved.

    Then a good friend convinced me to buy a car trailer of properly seasoned mixed fireqwood, some ash, beach and pine \ spruce.

    It was a revelation, beautiful flame, virtually no ask, great heat and decent lasting. In a stove its even better.

    Not I burn wood almost exclusively, in a boiler stove and a small inset room only stove. (I also have an oil boiler) I buy rough cut wood, (fallen or cut trees cut to 10 to 15 foot lengths with branches removed and the larger branches cut up similarly.) fresh from where it was cut and normally oosign sap. I ring it, split it and season off the ground in a well ventilated lean to.

    Its all seasoned for at least 12 months, longer if necessary. Last year I bought a mix of Ash, Beech and a decent amount of Oak from a tree that fell (rotten at the base) The Ash and Beech are ready for burning but the oak needs more time, (with current weather should be good for September \ October). I always try to have some spruce, fantastic heat, great to get the stove warm fast or to heat up water in a hurry, but its doesn't last very well.

    Most (not all) firewood for sale in Ireland (especially on sites like done deal) is crap, its wet and often riddled with mold. I have seen a "fuel yard" in Limerick sell crates of kiln dried Oak that they store outside half wrapped in plastic with the rain running through it. But if you get a load of well season mixed firewood to compare to turf you are in for a revelation..


  • #335
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Thelonious Monk wrote: »
    So if all families in rural Ireland keep building one offs on the land surely after a while it will get out of hand?
    The whole country would end up looking like the below

    bb.jpg


    Before everywhere ends up like that, time for planning to stop houses and housing estates in the countryside.

    Instead do "rural apartments" and put the life back in town n villages with them


    something like this :


    https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2015/07/us/whittier-alaska-american-story/


    200 in that one, way more efficient use of land


  • #336
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    knipex wrote: »
    I grew up in a house that burned turf in a super-Stanley (like many around us) as the only source of heat for water, rads the lot. We cut 180 yards of a turf bank every year dried it, aged it for a year and then burned all 7 trailers of turf. Any turf under a year old was not considered properly saved and viewed with suspicion. Like you it was burned exclusively except for the odd bit of timber that was considered (and was) inferior.

    Years later I am renting a place with an open fire and back boiler and spending a fortune on bags of turf to burn in it and then trying to get rid of the ash. I was also burning the odd bag of smoke less which produced way more heat (burned out more than one grate), lasted way way longer (far more efficient) but didnt have that nice warm flame that I craved.

    Then a good friend convinced me to buy a car trailer of properly seasoned mixed fireqwood, some ash, beach and pine \ spruce.

    It was a revelation, beautiful flame, virtually no ask, great heat and decent lasting. In a stove its even better.

    Not I burn wood almost exclusively, in a boiler stove and a small inset room only stove. (I also have an oil boiler) I buy rough cut wood, (fallen or cut trees cut to 10 to 15 foot lengths with branches removed and the larger branches cut up similarly.) fresh from where it was cut and normally oosign sap. I ring it, split it and season off the ground in a well ventilated lean to.

    Its all seasoned for at least 12 months, longer if necessary. Last year I bought a mix of Ash, Beech and a decent amount of Oak from a tree that fell (rotten at the base) The Ash and Beech are ready for burning but the oak needs more time, (with current weather should be good for September \ October). I always try to have some spruce, fantastic heat, great to get the stove warm fast or to heat up water in a hurry, but its doesn't last very well.

    Most (not all) firewood for sale in Ireland (especially on sites like done deal) is crap, its wet and often riddled with mold. I have seen a "fuel yard" in Limerick sell crates of kiln dried Oak that they store outside half wrapped in plastic with the rain running through it. But if you get a load of well season mixed firewood to compare to turf you are in for a revelation..

    My first year in Ireland I bought a trailer load of hardwood logs and many bags of turf. Second year I was given a trailer load of turf.. They are both grand. Last winter's island turf was the best fuel yet ...

    Oh the year before i left Donegal some kind boardsies came out to the Blue stacks and cut logs for me... Wonderful ... I have never forgotten that kindness; it was that bad winter. angels with chainsaws they were


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  • #337
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Hardwood takes ages to grow, not enough trees for everyone


    Also an awful waste if it's good, you can build decent stuff from it


  • #338
    John_Rambo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,495 ✭✭✭John_Rambo


    Graces7 wrote: »
    where? the threads I mean.. hyperbole much.

    Here's one.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=110561987

    Plenty more if you search.


  • #339
    Snow Garden
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,126 ✭✭✭Snow Garden


    Plenty of logs available these days. The storms like Ali brought down a lot of old trees. My shed is full with both turf and timber and I have 2 downed trees yet to start cutting. Both ash which take some drying but burn well.


  • #340
    kingdom fan
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭kingdom fan


    gctest50 wrote: »
    Hardwood takes ages to grow, not enough trees for everyone


    Also an awful waste if it's good, you can build decent stuff from it

    In your opinion it's an awful waste. Ash grows like weeds here. Good for nothing bar firewood as it's all knots and kinks.
    Just ok of of interest, what kind of stuff d o you make


  • #341
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    John_Rambo wrote: »
    Lol... I'm amazed you're complaining about property tax considering there is large redistribution from Dublin to other counties!!A significant part of the LPT receipts in Dublin are redistributed to rural counties.In 2017, 80 per cent of the redistributed funds went to Donegal, Mayo and Tipperary in 2017.Of the €80 million in LPT collected in the Dublin City Council area in 2017, the addition to the city’s finances was only €4 million as LPT receipts replaced grants from central government, and €16 million went into the redistribution fund. The receipts of LPT revenue received by rural counties enabled some of them such as Longford to reduce the rate of LPT applied in their areas.
    If you live rural, it's likely your area has received Dublin property tax to improve your county.

    Yes indeed practically everyone pays LPT - not just you Dubs :rolleyes: The thing is a joke. Lots of counties lose out and yeah some gain. Whippidy do da! However I thought someone said previously that Leitrim received the bulk of LPT funds? No? Plus LPT - advocated by whom lol???? Have a word with a certain government in *Dublin*. They decided on it ...


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  • #342
    Ush1
    Registered Users Posts: 11,461 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    gozunda wrote: »
    Yes indeed practically everyone pays LPT - not just you Dubs :rolleyes: The thing is a joke. Lots of counties lose out and yeah some gain. Whippidy do da! However I thought you said previously that Leitrim received the bulk of LPT funds? No? Plus LPT - advocated by whom lol???? Have a word with a certain government in *Dublin*. They decided on it ...

    Ah yes, of course, those Healy Raes and the rest of the culchies in the Dail are always so Dublin centric.

    These threads are always gas altogether.


  • #343
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    Ush1 wrote: »
    Ah yes, of course, those Healy Raes and the rest of the culchies in the Dail are always so Dublin centric.

    These threads are always gas altogether.

    The stench of self righteousness off the Dublin centric comments is certainly overwhelming for sure lol..

    It's like some have never have left the Pale at all ... :pac:


  • #344
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    kingdom fan wrote: »
    In your opinion it's an awful waste. Ash grows like weeds here. Good for nothing bar firewood as it's all knots and kinks.

    Ash is an important tree for wildlife. It is very long lived, enabling it to support many specialist deadwood species such as the lesser stag beetle and hole nesting birds such as owls and woodpeckers.

    Ash woodland has a light open canopy which encourages a rich ground flora of dogs mercury, bluebells and ramsons. Often it is accompanied by a hazel understorey.

    The alkaline bark of ash supports numerous epiphytic lichens and bryophytes and also attracts snails. Its leaves provide food for many moth species including the barred-toothed striped, the coronet, the brick, the centre-barred sallow and the privet hawkmoth. Birds such as the bullfinch eat ash seeds.

    Upland mixed ash woodlands are a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and form one of the richest habitats for wildlife in the uplands. They support many rare woodland flowers such as dark red helleborine, Jacob’s ladder, autumn crocus, lady’s slipper orchid and threatened butterflies such a the high brown fritillary, the dingy skipper and the grayling.

    http://www.treeandlandscape.ie/Tree-A-Z/common-ash-fraxinus-excelsior.html


  • #345
    Thelonious Monk
    Registered Users Posts: 13,690 ✭✭✭✭Thelonious Monk


    kingdom fan wrote: »
    In your opinion it's an awful waste. Ash grows like weeds here. Good for nothing bar firewood as it's all knots and kinks.
    Just ok of of interest, what kind of stuff d o you make

    Trees are weeds and good for nothing. I give up.


  • #346
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Reduction in illness etc :


    https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.e8446



    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22302628



    RESULTS:
    Over 1100 wood stoves were replaced with new lower emission wood stoves or other heating sources.

    Ambient PM(2.5) was 27.6% lower in the winters following the changeout programme compared with baseline winters.

    There was a 26.7% (95% CI 3.0% to 44.6%) reduced odds of reported wheeze for a 5 μg/m(3) decrease in average winter PM(2.5).

    Lower ambient PM(2.5) was also associated with reduced odds for reported respiratory infections, including cold (25.4% (95% CI 7.6% to 39.7%)), bronchitis (54.6% (95% CI 24.2% to 72.8%)), influenza (52.3% (95% CI 42.5% to 60.5%)) and throat infection (45.1% (95% CI 29.0% to 57.6%)).


  • #347
    kingdom fan
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭kingdom fan


    Ha? Talk about knee jerk BS.
    Total French connection to you too. I'm currently growning ash in pots. I have a farm road lined in em. Many old., more young. Oak planted here also by me, never had oak here before. We felled about a dozen 10 years ago that were about 20ft in circumference. I have a cypress that d auld fella recons was d same size when was a teenager as it is now. I have a fine.tradition of growning trees here. The entitled opinions on people here is gone beyond shocking.
    A55 h0les telling others what to do.
    And d rest seem to be brain washed by what ever boll0x they read on Twitter or similar.
    If I want to burn oak ( just cut a load for d wild fella) , guess what I'll do ?
    Buy I'm d lad that gets grief even though I.ve planted more trees than most
    Jesus wept.


  • #348
    Ush1
    Registered Users Posts: 11,461 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    gozunda wrote: »
    The stench of self righteousness off the Dublin centric comments is certainly overwhelming anyway lol..

    It's like ye have never have left the Pale at all ... :pac:

    I can think of worse stenches, hence why I stick to the cities.


  • #349
    Donnielighto
    Registered Users Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭Donnielighto


    Graces7 wrote: »
    If ever I was in a town or city.. air stinks of exhaust fumes... and the noise.. ... no one greeting you or smiling.... you come back feeling mucky... everyone rushing around, traffic trying to mow you down. Car park attendants like vultures..

    rush, rush, rush,,,,

    Out here; peace and pure air. Folk greet and smile. Services are fine; access to medical care, air ambulance at need which is far faster than by road..An Post, buses when you need them. Ferries too..Shops. as we have the same chains as cities.. Internet by small local excellent servers.

    Cities are OK to visit maybe once a year but to live there.. No way.

    Fair play, they don't suit you. They do suit a large proportion of the people in the country though. Cronyism and fraud is worse in rural areas.


  • #350
    Donnielighto
    Registered Users Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭Donnielighto


    Turf should be phased out and certain areas protected. Don't think all of it needs to be but a large part or prats should not be allowed to be harvested.

    It's either that or we accept that Ireland is fine losing the bogs.


  • #351
    Squall Leonhart
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,794 ✭✭✭Squall Leonhart


    Deleted


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  • #352
    knipex
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭knipex


    Donnielighto wrote: »
    Fair play, they don't suit you. They do suit a large proportion of the people in the country though. Cronyism and fraud is worse in rural areas.

    Im not saying it doesn't happen in Rural areas but its equally as rife in Dublin \ Cork, Galway and Limerick. And at a far higher level.

    The Drumcondra mafia are far from unique and its not confined to politics..


  • #353
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Thelonious Monk wrote: »
    So if all families in rural Ireland keep building one offs on the land surely after a while it will get out of hand?
    The whole country would end up looking like the below

    bb.jpg

    So what? Most of the county is not a tourist attraction and the only people who see it are the locals. Houses are only along roads too so the vast majority of the county side is untouched it’s only the small percentage of land along roads that have houses.

    There is vast areas of the county where houses will never be built as it’s just not suitable and many if these areas are the tourist attractions so it’s not having any impact of “views” for the most parts. There is zero tourists going to drive down the narrow road where I’m building my house, the only people who will see it are the people who also live on the road or have land in past my house (which is us and two other people).

    There should absolutely always be the right to get planning and build on your own land and it will be political suicide to even attempt to stop this, there would be war pure and simple. Planning is already limited to people with local needs for the most part, you wouldn’t have a hope of getting planning permission where I am applying but it’s going to be no issue at all for me as I easily tick all the boxes.

    People are rambling on about a housing crisis yet the likes of me and many of my friends who are building at home on our own family land are generating housing for ourselves, houses that would not exist otherwise and this is doubled by the fact we aren’t going to be taking up a house in some poky estate somewhere leaving a house free for someone else to buy and live in.


  • #354
    Snow Garden
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,126 ✭✭✭Snow Garden


    Donnielighto wrote: »
    Cronyism and fraud is worse in rural areas.

    Ever heard of Maria Bailey?


  • #355
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Donnielighto wrote: »
    Fair play, they don't suit you. They do suit a large proportion of the people in the country though. Cronyism and fraud is worse in rural areas.



    Proof? Evil exists everywhere if you choose to participate. which is optional. A very poor argument indeed!

    There is deep kindness out here, humanity, realism and a sense of humour . and the sheer loveliness....

    "damn with faint praise.. assent with civil leer..."


  • #356
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    kingdom fan wrote: »
    Ha? Talk about knee jerk BS.
    Total French connection to you too. I'm currently growning ash in pots. I have a farm road lined in em. Many old., more young. Oak planted here also by me, never had oak here before. We felled about a dozen 10 years ago that were about 20ft in circumference. I have a cypress that d auld fella recons was d same size when was a teenager as it is now. I have a fine.tradition of growning trees here. The entitled opinions on people here is gone beyond shocking.
    A55 h0les telling others what to do.
    And d rest seem to be brain washed by what ever boll0x they read on Twitter or similar.
    If I want to burn oak ( just cut a load for d wild fella) , guess what I'll do ?
    Buy I'm d lad that gets grief even though I.ve planted more trees than most
    Jesus wept.

    alleluia! well done!


  • #357
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Donnielighto wrote: »
    Turf should be phased out and certain areas protected. Don't think all of it needs to be but a large part or prats should not be allowed to be harvested.

    It's either that or we accept that Ireland is fine losing the bogs.

    Look up preserved bog.. or take a trip out to North May o then say this


  • #358
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    gctest50 wrote: »
    Ash is an important tree for wildlife. It is very long lived, enabling it to support many specialist deadwood species such as the lesser stag beetle and hole nesting birds such as owls and woodpeckers.

    Ash woodland has a light open canopy which encourages a rich ground flora of dogs mercury, bluebells and ramsons. Often it is accompanied by a hazel understorey.

    The alkaline bark of ash supports numerous epiphytic lichens and bryophytes and also attracts snails. Its leaves provide food for many moth species including the barred-toothed striped, the coronet, the brick, the centre-barred sallow and the privet hawkmoth. Birds such as the bullfinch eat ash seeds.

    Upland mixed ash woodlands are a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and form one of the richest habitats for wildlife in the uplands. They support many rare woodland flowers such as dark red helleborine, Jacob’s ladder, autumn crocus, lady’s slipper orchid and threatened butterflies such a the high brown fritillary, the dingy skipper and the grayling.

    http://www.treeandlandscape.ie/Tree-A-Z/common-ash-fraxinus-excelsior.html

    Are you a fellow recorder for the Biodiversity site? Lovely post; thank you


  • #359
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    John_Rambo wrote: »
    Here's one.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=110561987

    Plenty more if you search.

    Now why would i waste a lovely summer oceanside morning doing that! Not interested


  • #360
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Thelonious Monk wrote: »
    So if all families in rural Ireland keep building one offs on the land surely after a while it will get out of hand?
    The whole country would end up looking like the below

    bb.jpg

    Would be good t o ID that photo.. if it is really Ireland very rare and one place seems to fit


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  • #361
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Thelonious Monk wrote: »
    So if all families in rural Ireland keep building one offs on the land surely after a while it will get out of hand?
    The whole country would end up looking like the below

    bb.jpg

    The serene unspoiled natural, sustainable landscape that is the wilderness of Donegal.



    Not much turf left to dig there.


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