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Original poster

My concern over use of open wood fire

45 replies

lovingthegiftcom · 28/09/2022 11:28

Please can I have advice
I’m trying to tell my daughter’s mum that the open wood fire & guard are not safe for kids between 2 & 10 years old.
She says it’s much cheaper than Oil fired central heating which she has problems with.
She is on benefits with PIP & oldest child has special needs.
I would have thought she would get council or government help to improve heating & house.
She lives in a private house. (No rent or mortgage)
Thank you.

My concern over use of open wood fire
OP posts:
sleepy78 · 28/09/2022 11:30

Hello, just to clarify, are you worried that they will burn themselves or that they will inhale the smoke?

onmywayamarillo · 28/09/2022 11:37

We have an open fire with youngish kids...
I'm always usually in that room when the fire is on. Kids are careful and do know the risks. But I wouldn't leave them in there alone with it on.

That fire does look a bit of mess.. and looks like they are burning rubbish/plastic on it too, which is not great for chimney fires. Fire service stick a hose down the chimney and you have a lovely flooded house.
Make sure the chimney has been cleaned properly. And the fire risk of all that rubbish lying around by the hearth is not great

womaninatightspot · 28/09/2022 11:40

I've raised my children in a house with an open fire / wood stoves although replaced open fire with second woodstove. None of them have burnt themselves. It's just a case of having respect for the very hot thing and there is a guard.

There are government schemes to improve heating but I live rurally (suspect so does she given oil boiler/ open fire) things like ASHP not really suitable for these properties and so there is a limit to what they will put in. Scottish government won't fund new oil fired boilers (they used to) so there is a gap but by all means encourage her to see whats available.

I'm relying on woodstoves at the moment as to refill the tank will be £1K. Have you considered upping maintenance to help pay for oil/ a maintenance on the oil boiler during this cost of living crisis?

MissisBoote · 28/09/2022 11:46

She needs a proper fire guard as well as the wire guard.

We had an open fire and the DC knew to stay away from the fire.

However all of that clutter and the cushions so close to the child guard look like a fire waiting to happen.

Buy her a proper fireguard that covers the whole of the opening if you want to help and make sure the chimney's been swept and she's using seasoned wood.

Dannexe · 28/09/2022 11:51

Children are not stupid. If you teach them its hot they know its hot and they won't intentionally go near it to be burned.

We've always had woodburners or open fires and neither DC ever burned themselves.

millerpie · 28/09/2022 11:58

Fires are fine and perfectly safe just not that one. Needs a good clean out, not only all the extra wood stored up the side and the cushions and toys on the outside of the guard that could easily catch but looks like they burn all sorts which is a great recipe for a chimney fire. The chimney also needs to be swept yearly.

OldTinHat · 28/09/2022 12:23

My DC were brought up with an open wood fire, never an issue and didn't even have a fire guard like in your photo.

What would concern me is all the stuff around the fire and that it looks like it needs a good clean. It should ideally be swept out before laying and using again. Also the chimney must be swept regularly, her home insurance may be void if it isn't and results in a chimney fire.

eurochick · 28/09/2022 12:40

I'd be more concerned that her kids are living in a midden based on that photo...

MissVantaBlack · 28/09/2022 13:23

My concern would be the plastic packaging, which looks as if it's being stored there for burning. As well as the risk of chimney fires, burning plastic releases all sorts of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens.

(When plastic waste is incinerated industrially, special filters/scrubbers are used to remove most of these toxins).

bellac11 · 28/09/2022 13:27

If the fire is swept and the right wood used its fine and safe

But she needs to remove the mess around it, move the toys from round it and not burn plastic. The fireguard is fine

Its not the most efficient way of heating the room though

Notaboutthebass · 28/09/2022 13:31

That's a house fire waiting to happen, a tiny spark coming off the fire could ignite them so easily it's scary!

Discovereads · 28/09/2022 13:37

An open fire is perfectly safe with young DC. However, the way your DDs fireplace is set up is completely unsafe. She needs to sweep it out and not have it jammed with wood and such like that…has no one showed her how to lay a fire? There also should not be pieces of wood or bits of paper just sitting on the hearth. It should always be clean and clear. There needs to be a proper fire screen that blocks sparks in front but sitting on the hearth right up against the opening. The wire guard she has outside the hearth is not fit for purpose and hazardous to get around for fire tending. I agree with pp too that she needs to remove all those cushions and toys- they are too close to the fire place and being flammable should be put away.

Feathersandothers · 28/09/2022 13:42

Wheely toys are a definite no no in a room with a fire or wood burner, even one with a guard . Textiles against the guard are a fire waiting to happen too. As is debris around the hearth.
Then again this post is so weird I can’t work out if it’s some sort of staged set up put together by an angry parent in a custody battle ? Or are people actually this thick? Or is this some sort of political bot post to draw our attention to the risky things people are experimenting with in this COL crisis . I don’t know anymore .
So much on here lately is trollish and odd.

etulosba · 28/09/2022 14:21

Then again this post is so weird I can’t work out if it’s some sort of staged set up

I was thinking the same thing. It’s almost everything you shouldn’t do with an open fire. Combining a log store with an open fire and finishing it off with a random garnish of newspapers and discarded plastic food wrappers is a pyromaniacs dream.

bellac11 · 28/09/2022 14:28

etulosba · 28/09/2022 14:21

Then again this post is so weird I can’t work out if it’s some sort of staged set up

I was thinking the same thing. It’s almost everything you shouldn’t do with an open fire. Combining a log store with an open fire and finishing it off with a random garnish of newspapers and discarded plastic food wrappers is a pyromaniacs dream.

Do you visit a lot of families?

I do in my job and I can tell you that this isnt particularly 'staged', people do live like this and do this sort of thing, not specifically to fires but Ive seen things in houses that would make your hair curl and the occupants have no idea why its a problem.

AriettyHomily · 28/09/2022 14:30

What is all the shite inside the fire guard?

There's nothing inherently wrong with an open fire done properly.

NC7778 · 28/09/2022 14:46

Ehhh? We always had an open fire when I was growing up, what's the issue?

OfficiallyBroken · 28/09/2022 14:59

I grew up with an open fire like that so the fire itself isn't an issue, not one of us ever had burns and we definitely weren't supervised 100% of the time in that room...from your photo what is an issue:

  • no internal fire guard that covers the immediate opening (reduces risk of burning debris falling out)
  • highly flammable clutter near the external fire guard
  • appears to be burning noxious combustibles (plastic) - open fires should be solid fuel only, minor exception for ordinary paper
  • from appearances I'd also wager that the chimney isn't swept frequently - that's where the health hazard aspect comes in
mondaytosunday · 28/09/2022 15:29

An open fire is very inefficient- it sucks most of the heat up the chimney. She'd be better getting a wood burning stove.
She must make sure her chimney is swept every year too.
She should t leave a Two year old in a room with a fire without adult supervision.

ProlifiInProfanity · 28/09/2022 15:33

eurochick · 28/09/2022 12:40

I'd be more concerned that her kids are living in a midden based on that photo...

What a shitty thing to say. It is hardly a midden.

ThatGirlInACountrySong · 28/09/2022 15:47

Is that fireguard attached to the wall or just standing there?

Original poster
lovingthegiftcom · 28/09/2022 18:38

sleepy78 · 28/09/2022 11:30

Hello, just to clarify, are you worried that they will burn themselves or that they will inhale the smoke?

Both to be honest

OP posts:
Original poster
lovingthegiftcom · 28/09/2022 18:38

ThatGirlInACountrySong · 28/09/2022 15:47

Is that fireguard attached to the wall or just standing there?

Just standing there!

OP posts:
Original poster
lovingthegiftcom · 28/09/2022 18:45

womaninatightspot · 28/09/2022 11:40

I've raised my children in a house with an open fire / wood stoves although replaced open fire with second woodstove. None of them have burnt themselves. It's just a case of having respect for the very hot thing and there is a guard.

There are government schemes to improve heating but I live rurally (suspect so does she given oil boiler/ open fire) things like ASHP not really suitable for these properties and so there is a limit to what they will put in. Scottish government won't fund new oil fired boilers (they used to) so there is a gap but by all means encourage her to see whats available.

I'm relying on woodstoves at the moment as to refill the tank will be £1K. Have you considered upping maintenance to help pay for oil/ a maintenance on the oil boiler during this cost of living crisis?

I tried to get her to service the oil system. Says too expensive

OP posts:
bellac11 · 28/09/2022 18:46

Are you the children's father, if so why dont you pay for the oil system to be serviced?