Has anybody got a fire or logburner lit at home today?

[TheTecknician]

I haven't as there's no provision for one in my modest home but it's certainly the right weather. Could we please see pictures? Thankyou.

Yes it's on all day in this weather! We just had a lot of seasoned tree wood logged up today so nicely stocked.

Fair enough!!😄

Here’s mine complete with cheap plonk.

This is taken out of my kitchen window.

it stinks. My whole downstairs smells.

it’s fine when your house is nice and toasty and all the smoke is going up your chimney. Not so nice for your neighbours.

Loving seeing all these pictures. Wish I could have one too as I remember from childhood how much it used to heat up the bones of the house unlike central heating.

And a cat on my lap into the bargain.
We live rurally not on mains gas and have an oil tank for heating water and some heating and a very efficient log burner for the main room

Either that fire has just been lit or they are using damp/high moisture fuel. It shouldn't be producing as much smoke as that if its at temperature.

Unfortunately people do sell damp logs (usually at petrol stations or similar).
If it's regularly like that then you can report to environmental health to investigate.

It shouldn't be filling your house with smoke.

So if it’s just been lit it’s ok?

if it’s normal for newly lit wood burners to smell like this do those with them really think it’s ok for their neighbours?

This is true, my dog loves when I put my fire pit on in the summer.. she sits as close as she can 😌

If it's just been lit it will make a bit of smoke for the first few minutes as this is kindling and wood starting getting going it should go quickly and followed by a low amount smoke as the wood burns hot.

If its smelling absolutely loads or constantly producing large amounts of smoke then it indicates something isn't right with the fire or fuel source.

The smoke smell from having a bbq lasts longer then just starting a wood burner. Or if someone has a firepit in their garden etc as much lower down then a chimney stack. That would be more annoying then someone lighting a wood burner as generally if someone is having a bbq it's warm enough to dry clothes outside. It's -5 here this morning reaching the dizzy temps of 0-1 degrees today.....I don't think any of my neighbours will have washing out I think they will be putting their fires on again.

So it’s acceptable for a neighbours house to be affected by someone else’s wood burner? Because it’s only for a short time each day while it gets going?

when you’ve got half a dozen houses close by all starting up their woodburners at different times in the day that’s a big chunk of time.

the difference between a wood burner and bbq’s/outside fires etc is they’re usually a few times a year. Woodburners are every day in winter. I am fine with one day on occasion, it’s the everyday thing that causes an issue.

i usually put my washing out on dry days regardless of temp. Airs it out, sun bleach and takes the worst of the wet off.

If you want to make a complaint to environmental health about a few minutes a day then by all means do so your within your rights to and they can look at the height of the chimneys or what is going on. I would be more concerned that your whole downstairs is filled with smoke smell that shouldn't be happening but it also indicates that your property has issues with drafts and is poorly insulated.

In these temps your clothes aren't going to get the wet off they are going to freeze.

It depends on the neighbour to how many bbqs they have but the smoke from a bbq is a much longer time effect to someone then a few minutes even with a few neighbours.

You clearly have a bee in your bonnet though so take it up with your neighbours. I live in the North of Scotland in an old house, all the houses that are nearby are the same age and ilk (built with big thick stone walls, a fireplace in each room etc) and we regularly have winter power cuts for days at a time. So yep I'm going to keep using my wood burner for my house the same that all my neighbours do.

In the interests of keeping this thread positive, which many of us are, can I add that used tealights and candle stubs make good firelighters. Thankyou.

In terms of smell
I am more affected by bbqs as a vegetarian.
Nothing worse than inflicting the smell of burning flesh on your neighbours.
Shall we ban them?

Apologies OP
but really!

I’m a vegetarian but smelling cooking meat doesn’t mean days of taking an asthma inhaler and not being able to exercise. The latter is definitely worse…

Lighting a fire can produce a bit of smoke for the first minute or two while fire lighters/cardboard/kindling are burning, but as soon as the wood catches, there shouldn't be any visible smoke.

Just the same as when you start your car, a cold engine can be slightly smelly until the exhaust is warm. That's normal.

But it should be short lived, not long enough to cause anyone an issue.

Do your neighbours bbq for several hours a day, every day, for 5 or 6 months of the year?

Luckily I don’t have any neighbours now. When I lived in Tottenham though, yes, it seemed someone somewhere was always burning flesh

I tagged a PP that was talking about the smell
Thats why I started my post
’in terms of the smell’

Love mine. So does the cat.

Temperatures in double figures this weekend so maybe fewer fires on the go.

😂 it's -3 here already due to drop to between -7 and -10 tonight.

Think we get to a balmy 7 degrees on Sunday! We have barely been out of zero all week.

Mines on 🤣 it’s been on since half 7 this morning

If log burners smell when they’re on they’re either just been lit or the owners are burning something they shouldn’t.

You wouldn’t know mine were on when you’re outside the house. My neighbours is the same.