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Original poster

Draughty semi : any point in getting a woodburner, gas stove or multi fuel stove fitted at this point?

78 replies

bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:04

I would only have access to expensive wood
Currently, we are ill so we are heating all day at 14 degrees but we really don't need to heat everywhere. There are too many radiators to turn on and off individually.

OP posts:
Justellingthetruth · 13/12/2022 18:10

@bakalava

most wood burners are on back order for six months

Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:11

No, you need to deal with the draughts not add sources of heat

Threadkillacilla · 13/12/2022 18:14

Solid fuel is more effort than turning radiators on and off. Gas fire maybe but not lighting, fueling and cleaning a stove.

Owlcat42 · 13/12/2022 18:20

I've just bought a draughty semi, which has electric radiators and a woodburner.

It's absolutely freezing, especially as I'm only putting the radiators on in the living room and a bit in the bedroom I'm using, for fear of the cost. But the woodburner is a help, and if the house didn't have one already I'd put one in. I don't need to put the radiator on if the woodburner's going. Also means there's back-up for heating if we have any power cuts.

Guessing by 'expensive wood' you mean the sort you have to order rather than getting it from friends or having it in the garden and then seasoning it? Me too. You can bring the cost down by ordering a large delivery rather than the small nets or sacks, but it does mean shelling out a few hundred quid all in one go.

Really my house needs serious insulation, but it'd be a very expensive job because some of it would have to be external rather than cavity wall. Don't have the budget for it at the moment.

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:21

I have dealt with some of the drafts but I have a wind tunnel effect on the unjoined side. I would be willing to do the work if there were major cost savings to be made, not for a couple of pounds a week though or even ten pounds.

OP posts:
JennyForeigner · 13/12/2022 18:22

MNers were recommending perspex secondary glazing the other day, saying it's affordable and quick. Anything that helps right?

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:24

I've had secondary glazing before and it was good for noise insulation but I was in a flat sandwiched between two conversions so it was never that cold.

I have also lived in a detached and not found it to be cold because I had a large plot. These semis seem to be the worst.

OP posts:
Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:27

Owlcat42 · 13/12/2022 18:20

I've just bought a draughty semi, which has electric radiators and a woodburner.

It's absolutely freezing, especially as I'm only putting the radiators on in the living room and a bit in the bedroom I'm using, for fear of the cost. But the woodburner is a help, and if the house didn't have one already I'd put one in. I don't need to put the radiator on if the woodburner's going. Also means there's back-up for heating if we have any power cuts.

Guessing by 'expensive wood' you mean the sort you have to order rather than getting it from friends or having it in the garden and then seasoning it? Me too. You can bring the cost down by ordering a large delivery rather than the small nets or sacks, but it does mean shelling out a few hundred quid all in one go.

Really my house needs serious insulation, but it'd be a very expensive job because some of it would have to be external rather than cavity wall. Don't have the budget for it at the moment.

That is interesting. How much is a large bag on the open market if I may ask? I am also due to have a large tree cut down - would there be any point in having the trunk sliced into logs if I only have a very basic understanding of how to dry them out?

OP posts:
Merlott · 13/12/2022 18:29

What do you mean there are too many radiators to turn on and off?

Sort the draughts out first. It's not neccessarily expensive just time consuming!

Maxifly · 13/12/2022 18:39

I just paid £140 for 3 large builders bags full of small logs, I guess it will last about 3 months. But gas central heating also which at the moment is on for only 2 hours a day. Living room is vv warm, I like this system. But you need storage area, covered up if outside or a shed/garage. 5 minutes cleaning in the morning, 5 minutes bringing logs indoors for that night. So yes it's work, you have to decide if it's worth it. Most older houses have draughts somewhere, higher ceilings etc.

PaulineBrady · 13/12/2022 18:44

If you can, buy a multifuel stove. Wood is expensive and can be hard to come by. Smokeless fuel can always be had, for the moment. A stove is a very effective and efficient way to heat a single room, and a lovely comforting focal point too.

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:44

Maxifly · 13/12/2022 18:39

I just paid £140 for 3 large builders bags full of small logs, I guess it will last about 3 months. But gas central heating also which at the moment is on for only 2 hours a day. Living room is vv warm, I like this system. But you need storage area, covered up if outside or a shed/garage. 5 minutes cleaning in the morning, 5 minutes bringing logs indoors for that night. So yes it's work, you have to decide if it's worth it. Most older houses have draughts somewhere, higher ceilings etc.

Thanks. That doesn't sound too bad considering what is happening to gas prices. How many logs would you burn on a typical day? I have a knocked through room so I would really be heating two rooms. Some advice online says 5kw is enough, others say I would need 8kw. It is so confusing when you are coming to it with no experience!

OP posts:
Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:44

Wood takes at least 18 months to season so your tree won’t help you for a good while.

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:46

Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:44

Wood takes at least 18 months to season so your tree won’t help you for a good while.

I am taking a long term view but I don't know if a sycamore tree is suitable anyway. Do people sometimes take their logburners if they move house?

OP posts:
Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:47

For guidance we have a wood burning stove. We also have oil central heating. I try to use the stove as much as possible since we have free wood. In a day of burning we will get through about two wheelbarrow loads of wood. That will heat our living room.

the poster saying a bag will last a month can’t be burning gif long each day

carefulcalculator · 13/12/2022 18:48

I wouldn't get a wood burner, so unhealthy. Especially not if there are children.

I can't understand why you would waste money on more heat before insulating/draught excluding. Very irrational!

Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:49

A log burner is a fixture. people don’t take them with them if they move.

sycamore is fine to burn once properly seasoned for about two years bug it will cost you more to take down the tree than to buy wood in.

Soontobe60 · 13/12/2022 18:50

bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:27

That is interesting. How much is a large bag on the open market if I may ask? I am also due to have a large tree cut down - would there be any point in having the trunk sliced into logs if I only have a very basic understanding of how to dry them out?

Show quote history

Things to consider: what type of tree is it? Ash, elm, oak are good. Fir not so good. Do you have a covered space to store the wood for a year? It takes that long, or more, to fully season wood. It needs sawing to length (about 12 “) and split into ‘wedges’. Then stacking up in a dry, open space. We store ours in our garage so it seasons quite quickly as the garage is like an oven in summer!
trust me, unless you have access to free, seasoned hardwood, wood burners aren’t as cheap as people think.

Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:50

Plus £140 for three bags is not a representative cost at all

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 18:52

carefulcalculator · 13/12/2022 18:48

I wouldn't get a wood burner, so unhealthy. Especially not if there are children.

I can't understand why you would waste money on more heat before insulating/draught excluding. Very irrational!

I would be getting a defra one. There are limits to what I can do re insulation which hasn't already been done. Internal walls I suppose. The external ones would spoil the look of the house. I have taken the brush out of the letterbox to prevent letter theft which is a genuine problem in our area because the postman never pushes them through. A door curtain/second door would help but it is quite a depressing look. I would welcome other ideas for insulating the letterbox. Loft insulation is all up to date.

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 13/12/2022 18:54

Ciri · 13/12/2022 18:47

For guidance we have a wood burning stove. We also have oil central heating. I try to use the stove as much as possible since we have free wood. In a day of burning we will get through about two wheelbarrow loads of wood. That will heat our living room.

the poster saying a bag will last a month can’t be burning gif long each day

We get through about 5 / 6 logs a night at the moment as it’s just below freezing outside. That’s lighting it at 4pm.
OP, we will most likely burn through £300 of wood this season - so 5 months.

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 19:03

Quite a variation there! I don't think I will keep the tree trunk as I only have a small storage shed. The fitter thinks I should just go for the gas stove on cost grounds.

OP posts:
bloodywhitecat · 13/12/2022 19:06

Soontobe60 · 13/12/2022 18:54

We get through about 5 / 6 logs a night at the moment as it’s just below freezing outside. That’s lighting it at 4pm.
OP, we will most likely burn through £300 of wood this season - so 5 months.

Show quote history

Likewise, I light the log burner about 4 most evenings and burn 5-6 logs, when it is really cold (like now) I will also burn one heat log which kick out an amazing amount of heat. I am in an old, draughty, single glazed, semi as well that is situated rurally.

Original poster
bakalava · 13/12/2022 19:08

We are usually upstairs before nine so we would be looking to have it burning during the daytime. I am not sure what a heat log is but it sounds lovely!

OP posts:
Ciri · 13/12/2022 19:16

We burn all day from around 9am until tenish at night. But we have free wood. Wood here is about £100 per builders bag