Discussion
so the gas fire decided to stop working this afternoon.
so i disconnected it from the mains, pulled the old fire out, popped to the local hardware shop and bought a grate, fire poker, shovel and some coal,
then took it all back, chopped up some kindling, and now im sat infront of a rip roaring open fire with my little boy, its crackling and popping and the smell of the roast dinner is in the air and we got beverly hills hillbillys playing on the tv
its made my day tbh
i bloody love open fires, my last two houses had them, and ive missed being able to sit on the floor, soaking up the heat!!
i love manly sundays!
so i disconnected it from the mains, pulled the old fire out, popped to the local hardware shop and bought a grate, fire poker, shovel and some coal,
then took it all back, chopped up some kindling, and now im sat infront of a rip roaring open fire with my little boy, its crackling and popping and the smell of the roast dinner is in the air and we got beverly hills hillbillys playing on the tv
its made my day tbh
i bloody love open fires, my last two houses had them, and ive missed being able to sit on the floor, soaking up the heat!!
i love manly sundays!
Yip, love getting up to a freezing cold room when it's 10 below outside, cleaning out the old crap from the fire, having to go outside to get the coal, spending half an hour getting the fire going and spending the next half hour almost sitting on top of it to defrost while it catches.
Great days
Great days
We've got a woodburner with back boiler.
As we live in the sticks, we have a good supply of free wood.
I've just lit ours up, and enjoying the warm glow,and the nice smell.
It's a pity I have to pay for the 25 watts the circulation pump is using
Oh, it's rather nice having a "special cuddle" in front of a nice fire as well. Not the same in front of a radiator!
As we live in the sticks, we have a good supply of free wood.
I've just lit ours up, and enjoying the warm glow,and the nice smell.
It's a pity I have to pay for the 25 watts the circulation pump is using
Oh, it's rather nice having a "special cuddle" in front of a nice fire as well. Not the same in front of a radiator!
Laurel Green said:
Famous Graham said:
Cue another couple of threads : "Anyone know any good chimney sweeps?" and "Does contents insurance cover water damage from the fire brigade dousing my chimney?"
Laurel Green said:
I do hope your chimney has been swept.
Well we'll know in a little while if a thread pops up asking whether he should call the fire brigade due to the flames coming out of the top of his chimney and flaming twigs dropping into the grate 
And OP the answer is yes, and typically it ruins your carpet
ETA Damn beaten to it.
we live out in the sticks too, out local shop is aroud 4 miles away, and its all single track roads roud here
the chimneys ok, had it inspected a few months ago, checked out fine!
luckily we have got central heating here, so the fire is a luxury really!
going to have a word around the local farms etc to see if we can get wood, theres plenty of forestrys and stuff round here if not!
it does make you feel manly though, sort of a caveman thing i guess, being a hunter/gatherer ad providing the basics for loved ones!
the chimneys ok, had it inspected a few months ago, checked out fine!
luckily we have got central heating here, so the fire is a luxury really!
going to have a word around the local farms etc to see if we can get wood, theres plenty of forestrys and stuff round here if not!
it does make you feel manly though, sort of a caveman thing i guess, being a hunter/gatherer ad providing the basics for loved ones!
one of our previous houses that we rented for a little while was a little welsh longhouse up on anglesey
it had a big fat woodburning stove in the living room, i used to build it up so it got glowing red, then plonk a metal kettle full of water and teabags on the top
add a bit of sugar and milk whenever u poured a brew, was lovely!
add the fact we had a really slobby sofa, and super thick walls made it super cosy, i really did love that house!
i agree with some of you though, the smell, heat and noise is just fascinating!
it had a big fat woodburning stove in the living room, i used to build it up so it got glowing red, then plonk a metal kettle full of water and teabags on the top
add a bit of sugar and milk whenever u poured a brew, was lovely!
add the fact we had a really slobby sofa, and super thick walls made it super cosy, i really did love that house!
i agree with some of you though, the smell, heat and noise is just fascinating!
Brought up on a farm. There has been a house on the site than mum and dads house stands on since Cromwell was kicking about. The beam they took out of my bed room was at one time the mast in a sailing ship. It had 3 open fires and a Rayburn in the kitchen. Always cold, one of the fires was always out. The wind blows in a certain direction and the smoke blows back down the chimney.
My house needs double glazing, but I was cold earlier and turned the central heating on and now I am warm.
f
k old houses and fk open fires, it's 2011
My house needs double glazing, but I was cold earlier and turned the central heating on and now I am warm.
f
k old houses and fk open fires, it's 2011chim said:
Yip, love getting up to a freezing cold room when it's 10 below outside, cleaning out the old crap from the fire, having to go outside to get the coal, spending half an hour getting the fire going and spending the next half hour almost sitting on top of it to defrost while it catches.
Great days
I reckon most people these days have a real fire in addition to central heating, to be honest.Great days
catso said:
And that the gas feed pipe is not still in the fireplace... 
Might help getting the wet wood going though?We have loads of firewood from work so have our stove on a lot. We knocked through the old breast into teh dining room from the lounge and have a double sided pot belly stove thing. Lovely looking and heats both rooms - infact we are open plan so it heats all of downstairs!
I have a woodburning stove and simply love it.
The answer to getting a fire going quickly is to have a good supply of dry wood - I buy kiln dried hardwood to start it off, then top up with whatever else I have to hand.
I also ensure that I've cleared it out and set everything ready for lighting as soon as I walk in the door. Clearing out ash is a horrible job at the best of times - never mind when it's dark and cold.
The answer to getting a fire going quickly is to have a good supply of dry wood - I buy kiln dried hardwood to start it off, then top up with whatever else I have to hand.
I also ensure that I've cleared it out and set everything ready for lighting as soon as I walk in the door. Clearing out ash is a horrible job at the best of times - never mind when it's dark and cold.
chim said:
Yip, love getting up to a freezing cold room when it's 10 below outside, cleaning out the old crap from the fire, having to go outside to get the coal, spending half an hour getting the fire going and spending the next half hour almost sitting on top of it to defrost while it catches.
Great days
You're starting your fire wrong then, obviously. To be honest, most days I wake up to embers, and can chuck some kindling on, and a few small logs, and it will happily start again in a few minutes. If you have insulation, the rooms should retain heat throughout the night. My main room is stone wall so retains heat quite well, despite snow, and subzero outside. Great days
As has been said, the secret to starting a fire is the kindling. Dry, small, and a decent amount of it. I normally tear up some cardboard and have the kindling on top, and that will do. Throw some decent chopped dry logs on and let it do it's thing.
Melvin Udall said:
chim said:
Yip, love getting up to a freezing cold room when it's 10 below outside, cleaning out the old crap from the fire, having to go outside to get the coal, spending half an hour getting the fire going and spending the next half hour almost sitting on top of it to defrost while it catches.
Great days
You're starting your fire wrong then, obviously. To be honest, most days I wake up to embers, and can chuck some kindling on, and a few small logs, and it will happily start again in a few minutes. If you have insulation, the rooms should retain heat throughout the night. My main room is stone wall so retains heat quite well, despite snow, and subzero outside. Great days
As has been said, the secret to starting a fire is the kindling. Dry, small, and a decent amount of it. I normally tear up some cardboard and have the kindling on top, and that will do. Throw some decent chopped dry logs on and let it do it's thing.
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