The end of the cosy open fire?

The end of the cosy open fire?

Author
Discussion

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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There's certainly no point in banning gas central heating while we're still using large quantities of gas to generate electricity. hehe

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
I rather like the smell of wood-smoke, although I dare say it's not dreadfully good for the lungs.

biggiles

1,699 posts

224 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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This would be a sensible idea if we had followed up with our nuclear power stations in the 1970s and now had access to really cheap electric power. Oh wait...


Zirconia

36,010 posts

283 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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Chatting to our boiler service fella, they are installing loads of wood burners in the last few years, more than gas boilers. Seems to be the new fad.

Elderly

3,486 posts

237 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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[redacted]

jshell

11,006 posts

204 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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biggiles said:
This would be a sensible idea if we had followed up with our nuclear power stations in the 1970s and now had access to really cheap electric power. Oh wait...
The crusties hate nuclear, it removes their political will and maneouverability! They need clear targets for the transition to the Green New Deal without the robust supply of clean and green electricity.

Equus

16,770 posts

100 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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[redacted]

Equus

16,770 posts

100 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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Elderly said:
Which is why COs should be directed to allowing thin panel double glazing in Grade II Listed buildings smile.

Apologies to those who have justifiably no interest in: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Conservation Officers are already directed to consider energy efficiency (and other practical factors) when determining LBC.

For the reasons I explained on the other thread, there is good reason not to impose a blanket rule upon them.

Coolbananas

4,384 posts

199 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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Bioethanol!

My 7kW bioethanol fire is no different from a wood or coal apart from the smell - and no crackling sounds, of course. But the flames are real, the heat is real.
Obviously not the aesthetics-only bioethanol jobs, we're talking about the genuinely powerful versions. 12kW is possible too, enough to heat very large rooms, even whole homes.

The old farts need to move into a sustainable, less polluting future. biggrin If they can't adapt, tough, they can enjoy whinging about the old days.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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[redacted]

mikal83

5,340 posts

251 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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Coolbananas said:
Bioethanol!

My 7kW bioethanol fire is no different from a wood or coal apart from the smell - and no crackling sounds, of course. But the flames are real, the heat is real.
Obviously not the aesthetics-only bioethanol jobs, we're talking about the genuinely powerful versions. 12kW is possible too, enough to heat very large rooms, even whole homes.

The old farts need to move into a sustainable, less polluting future. biggrin If they can't adapt, tough, they can enjoy whinging about the old days.
You voted remain didnt you.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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mikal83 said:
You voted remain didnt you.
Now then, you can't assume based on whether someone likes woodsmoke or not, not all gammon is smoked.

rovermorris999

5,195 posts

188 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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I wonder what's next on the list of things to ban or tax?

dickymint

24,101 posts

257 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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otolith said:
mikal83 said:
You voted remain didnt you.
Now then, you can't assume based on whether someone likes woodsmoke or not, not all gammon is smoked.


Good point - will kippers be banned nuts

Anyhow unless the Wood Police force entry into our house armed with a moisture meter the moment i pop a log onto the fire then they wont be stopping my wood pile going up in smoke..............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE9gA2qEgXU

troika

1,862 posts

150 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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Tasmin200 said:
The thing about this that really pisses me off is for a huge amount of users using coal and wood isn't a lifestyle choice, it's a necessity.

It doesn't affect me (yet) as I live in Scotland but I have no town gas and due to installation rules I can't put on oil or off grid gas. It would be cold or very expensive to heat my house.
Exactly. I run the whole house on wood, which I source from my own land. Nearest neighbour a mile away. How long before some bellend with a clipboard pays me a visit to check the moisture content of what I’m burning and fine me if it’s over 20% (not that it is)?

Trustmeimadoctor

12,526 posts

154 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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they really need to ban wood altogether.
Trees are great for carbon capture store it inside all nice and safe untill you cut it down and burn it then all the carbon that it captured is released back into the atmosphere again!

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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kambites said:
Hoofy said:
Certainly, they are talking about how bad gas boilers are and burning wood releases CO2 and other gases and particles so I'm not surprised with this announcement. I mean, they will probably ban dry wood at some point.
If anything I'd expect them to subsidise dry wood at some point precisely because it's almost the only readily available carbon-neutral heating fuel. Of course it has a negative effect on localised air quality (which is actually the primary driving force behind this change), which makes things trickier.

Edited by kambites on Friday 21st February 10:39
Is it really carbon-neutral?

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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Hoofy said:
kambites said:
Hoofy said:
Certainly, they are talking about how bad gas boilers are and burning wood releases CO2 and other gases and particles so I'm not surprised with this announcement. I mean, they will probably ban dry wood at some point.
If anything I'd expect them to subsidise dry wood at some point precisely because it's almost the only readily available carbon-neutral heating fuel. Of course it has a negative effect on localised air quality (which is actually the primary driving force behind this change), which makes things trickier.
Is it really carbon-neutral?
It is with respect to the chimney emissions. How much carbon is emitted in getting it from the forest to the fireplace is another matter, but then that applies to everything.

troika

1,862 posts

150 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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[redacted]

dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Friday 21st February 2020
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51581817

As I understand it from the above and other sources:
- Sales of bagged traditional house coal will be phased out by February 2021, and the sale of loose coal direct to customers will end by 2023
- Sales of wet wood in small units (less than 2m3) will be phased out from February 2021. Wet wood in volumes greater than 2m3 will also have to be sold with advice on how to dry it before burning

There is also mention of control sale of poor quality stoves, and open fires, as well as reducing sulphur and smoke content of remaining solid fuels.


Personally I support reducing or even controlling the sale of 'small units' of wet wood, these are not suitable for burning, nor sold for the intention of being seasoned by the customer, and muddies the water for those selling seasoned (or kiln dried) timber ready for burning.

I am not even against some reduction and or controls on the sale of small-unit and or bagged house coals to reduce those who buy it because its cheaper, partuarly as while you can buy nice bituminous house coals (often costing about the same as smokeless) you can also buy some absolute dross 'clagg in a bag' as i've heard it called.

HOWEVER what I am genuinely upset and worried about is the apparent current plans to, in only to years time, a total ban on the sale of all loose coal. This has significant knock on effects for anyone who uses coal, be that domestic homes, for heating or leisure, private steam enthusiasts, preserved steam, etc. Combined with reducing in coal fired power stations we could loose supply completely.


Daniel