to think I should get rid of my evil woodburner and ask what to replace it with?

[Toomuchstuffwillkillme]

Just got in from work and the house is freezing, which after the glorious Easter weekend is making me think unseasonal thoughts about heating currently I've gone to hide under a large duvet in solidarity with the climate change activists.
Obviously reading my mind, the radio chooses this point to inform me that 'when your wood burning stove is lit it's equivalent to having a 7.5 tonne diesel truck idling right outside your house'.
I loathe our woodburner, though it looks glorious when lit I never light it because it stinks (even more than it should do!) and makes me feel ill. So when I chuck it out, what should I do with the unsightly hole in the lounge?
Do you all still love woodburners, or can any helpful MNetters suggest a (preferably not astronomically expensive) more eco- and lung-friendly alternative??

What do you mean it stinks? Of what?

I love mine and its been lit just after lunch. Nothing nicer than a proper fire.

I think tou need to get a professional in to service it and sweep the chimney

Is the smell not just the 'hot metal' smell? I can't think what else it could be apart from smoke? Ours smells if we burn it too hot.

Ours smelled of paint for the first couple of weeks, maybe it’s that?

I have a multi fuel stove and burn mostly smokeless coal work the odd log. I loathe it but we have no gas and it feeds a back boiler.
I hadn't realised the effects on lungs. How do you check the emissions?

We've completely gone off our Cast Iron stove (gas) it cost a bloody fortune. Chucks out enormous heat. looks fab BUT we've both decided to remove and replace with a cast iron electric stove. The constant risk of burns by either the gas or wood burners has made us think it's time to get rid. Plus, the central heating keeps the house toasty and if its too warm for that, the electric versions allow you just to have the flame on as a focal point.

BIL has wood burning stove, whenever we visit we always seem to leave feeling slightly off.

I've been wondering this same thing. We have a multi fuel burner in both our downstairs receptions rooms. However, I've been told the chimneys need re-lining before they could be swept but if I'm honest with a young baby I no longer see the appeal to them. I'm just lost on what to put in the two gaping holes if I remove them.

it really shouldn't stink, ours only smells if the door is opened on dampish wood and the smoke comes out rather than up
will get rid of it only when fracking stops and we can have coal fired power stations of our own

God it's a real catch 22 for me, I absolutely love it in the winter..but the dust when you have white Venetian blinds and have to clean every bloody row daily. I want to replace ours, but don't know what to go for!

Nuclear fuel is actually incredibly green and ecological. If we’d not got the heeby jeebies and ploughed far more time and money into developing it back in the day we’d probably not be in the mess we are now with fossil fuels

Oh that was a reply to Sancerre. Wasn’t suggesting a nuclear reactor instead of your wood burner. How about a display of dried flowers for that? 😂

To be honest as long as you don't need another fuel source you could just leave it in as an ornamental piece. We have one in our living room - one of the modern ones okay for smokeless zones. If I'm cold I tend to just put a dressing gown on to be honest rather than put the fire on. Its fine, burns burn etc but I just don't like using any fuel source unless I have to.
We light ours around 2 - 3 times a year if that, mainly christmas for the cozy snug effect or when it's snowing. However, it makes the room look warm and snug just by it being there; we have a 1900 cottage and putting anything else in the space wouldn't look right but also we still wouldn't use it so pointless to replace.

If you are using it properly, it shouldn’t smell at all after it has reached heat.

You have to have it at the correct temperature and burn dry wood.

I have a smokeless wood burner. The smoke is recirculated within the fire pit to ensure as much as possible is burnt. What comes out of the chimney is white water vapour.

Unfortunately, so many people burn wet or unsafe wood (treated or old painted wood ).

I dint understand complaints about dust either - nothing can get out, it should be a sealed box. The only dust produced is when cleaning and that doesn’t happen often, because so little is left.

Carbon monoxide monitors are a must...

Thanks for the replies... woodburners are a very marmite topic!

I know it shouldn't smell if used properly. It's a weird one as I can guarantee we don't burn anything wet or unsafe, chimney is swept, and stove burns away happily at the right temp. It's not the first-burn-paint smell (few years old now and has been fired several dozen times... till we'd finally had enough) - it's less smelly than that, though I suppose it's more of a chemically paint smell than a wood smell, if anything. The place we bought it from had no clue. Whatever it is, it makes me feel poorly if it's on. Even DH, whose respiratory system is made of sterner stuff, says it gives him a headache if he's in the same room too long. (And yes, there's a CO detector etc etc.). Was wondering maybe if there's something in our bricks or the paint or whatever that gives off fumes when hot, I don't know. Thing is, now that I'm more worried about the pollution/health aspect, esp for the DC, I suspect even if we found a way to stop it smelling I wouldn't use it much. All of you who love your wood burners, are you really not concerned about what you're breathing in?

Yes I’m concerned, but when I burn mine, there’s only white vapour at the most coming out.

It’s better than the radiators - coal powered electricity and non-renewable gas.

We have fracking starting up nearby. Awful Diesel engines.

Wood burners are nothing compared to big businesses etc.

Ps it is not my main source of heat - kept for cold summer days and winter power cuts (or to heat one room instead of the whole house)

Light it up with pretty fairy lights?

Hmm I think I would probably be happier if I had your wood burner ThunderStorms - but radiators aren't a valid comparison in this case, since they're not burning the coal in your front room! I appreciate we need to burn far far less fossil fuel full stop.
But wood burners are never 'sealed' boxes surely, air has to get in somehow? Ours has permanent vent holes in the back and a user-adjustable airflow vent at the front. I think they're nearly all like that.

Was going to suggest the same Maddening I adore my woodburners they have no smell, I would be concerned they were not fitted properly if if they did and would be calling an engineer out. We only use ours on high days and holidays as we have a very efficient heating system but they are lovely to put on on very cold days, I think they look lovely even if you never light them, they really add character so I don’t get why you would rip them out even if you don’t use them, just keep them as a nice feature, look far better than an empty hole with a bunch of dried flowers or whatever.

But wood burners are never 'sealed' boxes surely, air has to get in someho

Air has to be drawn in - one way only (like a chimney draws up smoke). If anything is coming out this way, you have serious problems!

Do you have ventilation? Over a certain size, you need permanent ventilation. Even opening the window a tiny crack.

Omg I love mine. I have two currently, soon to be 3!

Ours is ace. No smell. We only burn dried wood or smokeless coal.

Well this has been enlightening. I thought wood burners were a better green choice than gas. Need to rethink my dreams.