Fire wood Winter heat

[jansman]

I've always thought that woodburners are more expensive to run if you have to purchase the fuel than say gas central heating.

They are, but....

With my old house radiators it's all on or off, so I can heat my living room from the wood burner when I just need that room heating.

When that heats up I can then just open the door and heat my hallway and stairs before bed.

Plus, they look good.

What he said^

Woodburners are not for everyone.There is a 'dirty' element,when cleaning them,and when fetching fuel etc.A burner may not fit in with your personal attitude to heating;We are happy to heat one room at a time for instance, others like a tropical environment they can walk around in,naked!

We are,in fairness ,multi fuel, wood and coal.Coal packs a real punch,and is still good value IMO.As mentioned,if you have to buy wood it can skew your financial slant on the subject.OTH,even if you buy wood,you have fuel security.If it ain't in the yard,you cannot burn it.Its up to you.If Transco turn off the gas,or the electric stops,there is nowt you can do but sit and wait in the cold.

Is it cheap (er) than other fuels? Personally I think its about the same.Each year we buy £200 to 250 in coal.That is per year,as some of that usually carries to next Autumn. Our wood we usually get for nothing,although some years we do have to buy it.This fuels two stoves and is our primary heating.When I talk to mother in law,she will easily have a £400 quarter gas bill in Winter.Then the electricity. We have electric panels in each room as back up,and of course for upstairs( although when both chimneys are functioning the bedrooms above are quite warm!) and if you count our last Winter leccy bill of £350 I reckon our coldest months in total,cost about £700.That's end of October through to end of March.

Of course,if you process your own wood,there is the moving ,cutting,stacking,cost of chainsaw/maintenance etc.to factor in.Which is what makes me think the costs are equal twixt solid/gas/electricity.That said though,I agree with Pseudonym. It looks nice!

[peejay]

Is it generally expensive to get a new flue fitted? I've been considering getting a burner of some kind to replace the (disconnected) old gas fires we have in two rooms of the house but I know the inside of the chimneys are pretty rotten as we get brick-dust coming down whenever we get a bird in the chimney though unsurprising for 110yo property.

We're in small a mid-terrace victorian jobbie.

[jansman]

That's exactly the kind of place we live in.I believe you are looking at about a thousand quid to get a flue liner fitted.I don't have liners, the chimneys are sound ( at this time.)Regarding brick dust etc.you always get a bit of that,when I sweep the chimneys sometimes a bit of masonry comes rattling down! My two builder neighbours say this is normal! They both have stoves too.

When I did the first fireplace ,when god was in shorts I opened it up,swept it and bunged a smoke bomb up there to check it drew OK.Rattled up there like a steam train! No problems at all,but of course regulations are different for new installations now.

[peejay]

Hmm, a grand plus burny-bit is pretty steep. Think I might move that one to the back of the queue & get the more basic elements in place first (thus guarantee that a disaster strikes which prepping the fire place would have saved! LOL)

[jansman]

It's not a cheap do these days,that's for sure.

[preparedsurrey]

Is it generally expensive to get a new flue fitted? I've been considering getting a burner of some kind to replace the (disconnected) old gas fires we have in two rooms of the house but I know the inside of the chimneys are pretty rotten as we get brick-dust coming down whenever we get a bird in the chimney though unsurprising for 110yo property.

We're in small a mid-terrace victorian jobbie.

If the flues are in good order and have not been disturbed then there is no requirement to have a liner fitted. You will need to demonstrate how your install complies with the building regulations appropriate to your house when you get building control sign off or get it done by a HETAS registered installer.

[xplosiv1]

Ply and MDF can burn with really dense black smoke and horrible smelling fumes. Otherwise virtually everything I burn is off cuts from carpentry work

Worst stuff I've ever had was some pallets supplied by the organisers of a re-enactment. It must have been treated because it gave off some very nasty smoke , really quite acrid. .

you have to watch out for pallets as some of them when burned give off cyanide

[xplosiv1]

Is it generally expensive to get a new flue fitted? I've been considering getting a burner of some kind to replace the (disconnected) old gas fires we have in two rooms of the house but I know the inside of the chimneys are pretty rotten as we get brick-dust coming down whenever we get a bird in the chimney though unsurprising for 110yo property.

We're in small a mid-terrace victorian jobbie.

My house is 140 years old, chimneys were rotten so liner was the best option.

Having recently installed all this kit I can tell you what it cost me, my flu liner was the best money could buy with a 25 year guarantee, also it was capable of handling a multi fuel stove. my chimney was 15.5 meters so liner was a little more expensive than it would be on a normal house ..... £1,300, think I paid £450 for the stove, £300 for french antique oak beams to make a fire surround, flagstones for the hearth were £250 including cutting to size.

all in £2,300

[grenfell]

Ply and MDF can burn with really dense black smoke and horrible smelling fumes. Otherwise virtually everything I burn is off cuts from carpentry work

Worst stuff I've ever had was some pallets supplied by the organisers of a re-enactment. It must have been treated because it gave off some very nasty smoke , really quite acrid. .

you have to watch out for pallets as some of them when burned give off cyanide

Yes I found that out after the event. However , older and wiser ( and thankfully still alive) now and I've learnt to look at things a bit better,
https://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/

[jansman]

Elder gives off cyanide too.I burn trimmings from my trees and burn them regularly.If your flue draws properly( and hot) its fine.Far better than car fumes at 3 foot.All combustion is toxic.