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Original poster

Fireplaces and logburners - have you got yours lighted yet?

79 replies

TheTecknician · 29/10/2023 17:39

I'm in West Yorkshire where it's still quite mild for late October. However, apart from today, it's been miserable, wet and foggy since Thursday, making a nice fire quite inviting nonetheless. I wish I had one.

Pictures appreciated, especially with cats and dogs monopolising the hearthrug.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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SiblingFights · 29/10/2023 19:00

Me too @pilates - I did move him when DD sent me the pic, he was very grumpy about it.

Gardeningtime · 29/10/2023 19:01

We have had 2 so far, the nights it was frosty, but it’s still a bit mild, and once it’s lit it pretty much is on for the night and too hot. A quick blast from the heating is better when it’s really mild. Once it gets colder it will be on every night.

Jitterybugs · 29/10/2023 19:07

Loving all your beautiful fireplaces. I’ve got mine on. Very cheap to run but but it doesn’t give out much heat

Fireplaces and logburners - have you got yours lighted yet?

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Gardeningtime · 29/10/2023 19:08

AnnaMagnani · 29/10/2023 18:36

Honestly I'd rather I lived in a house that was warm enough without the logburner.

It's a faff, you need to store all the fuel so tripping over it in the garage, your basket has always run out when it's raining and worst of all it sets off my asthma.

We have three log stores, two for seasoning and one just outside the back door for this years using. So no tripping over.

filling the basket is easy and we tend to keep it topped up, it’s huge and holds about 3 nights of wood, the log store is also just out thr back door.

it shouldn’t set off your asthma, my husband has asthma, it has genuinely no impact on him, modern stoves are defra approved and effectively sealed when the doors are closed.

no house is warm enough in the uk with no heating source. That’s not a thing. But many folks have central heating and a log burner, and can choose.

funbags3 · 29/10/2023 19:13

Had it on a few times already. I hate the cold and damp weather. I've had mine for a decade now so it needs updating.

HappiestSleeping · 29/10/2023 19:22

AnnaMagnani · 29/10/2023 18:36

Honestly I'd rather I lived in a house that was warm enough without the logburner.

It's a faff, you need to store all the fuel so tripping over it in the garage, your basket has always run out when it's raining and worst of all it sets off my asthma.

Part of it is watching the flames. Hypnotic.

flufferknutter · 29/10/2023 20:30

Dh has lit our smokeless stove, but I'm still warm enough without it on and I get too hot unless it's very chilly. Dh feels the cold though.

Gingerlygreen · 29/10/2023 20:33

I love seeing all the cosy fires, it's been quite warm here today in Staffordshire so I've had all the doors and windows open, I'm making the most of it before the storm arrives on Wednesday.

Cellotapedispenser · 29/10/2023 20:39

Here's ours. Cats refuse to pose but it's kicking out some amazing heat so all cosy here. Usually only light the fires at weekends otherwise it's a waste.

Fireplaces and logburners - have you got yours lighted yet?
Original poster
TheTecknician · 29/10/2023 20:56

Fires are a joy, environmental considerations notwithstanding. More so with family pets to appreciate them.

OP posts:
poshme · 29/10/2023 21:00

@PinkRoses1245 presumably you have mains gas? So easily & cheaply heated home on a timer?

For those of us without mains gas using solid fuel can be really quite important.

Burning oil - that's been delivered by a diesel emitting heavy lorry... is that better than burning logs that have been cut & seasoned locally? Everything we burn was grown within 2 miles of where I live. All being replaced with new growth.

PepsiMaxLime · 29/10/2023 21:03

Ours went on for the first time this evening as one dog was cold…the other isn’t the least bit interested

Petrine · 29/10/2023 21:10

We’ve had our log burner on for the last week or so in the evening. We love it, as does our dog!

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 29/10/2023 21:14

We've had ours on a few times, north-east Scotland, very, very wet recently!

We're rural in a fairly new build, we had it put in as a back up in case of power cuts. We're not on mains gas, but LPG, and have a whole shed we can fill with foraged wood to be used next year.

BCCoach · 29/10/2023 21:21

PinkRoses1245 · 29/10/2023 17:57

OP, appreciate that you are not filling your home and the environment with pollution.

Firewood is carbon neutral, sustainable, locally sourced, and free. The same can hardly be said for heating oil. We’ll carry on making as much use of our woodburing stoves and as little use of the boiler as possible.

Curlygirl06 · 29/10/2023 22:01

AnnaMagnani · 29/10/2023 18:36

Honestly I'd rather I lived in a house that was warm enough without the logburner.

It's a faff, you need to store all the fuel so tripping over it in the garage, your basket has always run out when it's raining and worst of all it sets off my asthma.

We have a Calor gas heater that is designed to look like a log burner, has flames and makes a lovely burbling sound when it's lit.
We can't have a log burner for a variety of reasons so this is the next best thing. Kicks out some heat!
My daughter has a log burner and she says she has to dust a lot more.

Gardeningtime · 29/10/2023 22:07

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 29/10/2023 21:14

We've had ours on a few times, north-east Scotland, very, very wet recently!

We're rural in a fairly new build, we had it put in as a back up in case of power cuts. We're not on mains gas, but LPG, and have a whole shed we can fill with foraged wood to be used next year.

You really should burn seasoned wood, buy a moisture meter, they are a few quid on Amazon, you need below 20 percent moisture.

if you do it properly you can season soft wood in about 6 months , but hard wood takes about 18 months. The difference is softwood is evergreen trees and hardwood is deciduous . Most folks go for a two year cycle.

if not seasoned properly it can be really dangerous. It gives off a lot of smoke, causes sticky residue in the chimney, which can cause chimney fires and damage the chimney and flue,

you can also tell it’s too wet if your stove glass blackens. We usually get it to about 12-14% and it burns bright and clear.

its now illegal to sell wet wood due to the risks, but it’s not illegal to burn it, but sadly a lot of folks do forage and burn too wet wood.

everyone with a wood burning stove should also have a carbon monoxide detector close to thr stove, it’s really important as it ensures the stove is sealed and operating correctly and no gases leaking out. As well as obviously having the chimney swept annually and the stove checked over/serviced.

Crazymadchickenlady · 29/10/2023 23:10

We do all that. You can see the co2 monitor on this photo and actually you’ve reminded me that the chimney sweep is coming tomorrow😳 We have three different log stores in the garden and rotate the wood around them to dry and we have a moisture meter which was also useful to prove to the builder that the window was leaking!! The cat hasn’t moved all evening 😂

Fireplaces and logburners - have you got yours lighted yet?
bellac11 · 30/10/2023 07:14

God the minute you mention that you have your own wood source on these threads you get someone explaining all the things that most stove owners know anyway.

Gardeningtime · 30/10/2023 08:31

bellac11 · 30/10/2023 07:14

God the minute you mention that you have your own wood source on these threads you get someone explaining all the things that most stove owners know anyway.

Why is that an issue for you?

DogInATent · 30/10/2023 08:38

We've had it on a few evenings, and at the weekends. The central heating system isn't very effective in the living room, and the escaped heat gives the rest of the house a boost in the evening whilst keeping the CH on short morning and evening timers.

Could a PP please tell me the best way to suck eggs, I've been meaning to ask.

BigDahliaFan · 30/10/2023 08:40

North west, it’s mild here, but a.ready lit it a few times for general cheerfulness and taking the edge off with the rain.

Foreverdecorating · 30/10/2023 08:44

PinkRoses1245 · 29/10/2023 17:57

OP, appreciate that you are not filling your home and the environment with pollution.

You do realise that nearly 40% of the UK's electricity is from fossil fuels and burning biomass right? If people using logs burners were to switch to using electricity it wouldn't be coming from renewable sources

gravitytester · 30/10/2023 08:58

I put mine in to get the washing dry last week 😆 it's been so wet and we don't have a tumble dryer.

Greygardenz · 30/10/2023 09:22

We've got an open fire, only lit it once this season so far. We have a farm so all our wood comes from our own trees during coppicing season