Fireplace - gas or electric or just wood burning

[LillyLeaf]

I'm keen to add a lovely cast iron fireplace to our living room. I can't decide if we should just add one as a focal point with the option to burn wood (not very eco), we could get an original one restored or pay a bloody fortune for a new high efficiency cast iron gas fire that looks old. I like the arch cast iron style.

I've seen in friends/son's friends houses that a lot of people don't have a working fire but have an open fireplace (no fire) or just originals for wood burning.

Do I need a real working gas fire that gives off heat? What do you have? I don't know what I would use.

I've got every option, having lived through a power cut when I only had gas central heating (which doesn't work if no electricity)!

When I moved to a doer upper (2 up 2 down cottage) I put logburner in one room, reproduction black cast iron fireplace with living flame gas coal fire in the other, underfloor electric heating in kitchen and bathroom as well as gas central heating that was already in situ. I cannot stand being cold.🥶

Gas fire gets used if i have company as looks very realistic and cute, logburner if below freezing in winter but probably only about a dozen days a year, underfloor most of the time if cold, gas central heating hardly at all.

Wood burner. They are so cosy - you can’t beat them.

We do already have a wood burner in our living room that came with the house when we moved in but it's an ugly one and has a horrible fake brick surround. I have never once used it in 4 years. I prefer the look of an arched cast iron fireplace but unsure whether to get a gas or a wood burning one.

How often so you think you will use it? If only a few times a year and it fits with the age of the house would put in an original cast iron one with a chimney liner which would allow you to use logs or smokeless coal.

I think that's what I'm thinking. If we had a gas one we probably would put it on in the evenings in winter as I really feel the cold but it's not a must and we lived without one just fine. A good gas fire is a good few £1000 and we still have so much to do in the house. Just don't want to regret it.

If you have a wood burner that you have not ever used in four years then I’d say that you can safely rule out a wood burner

We had a multi-fuel stove in an inglenook chimney in our last cottage - really cosy but labour intensive.

We were going to have another wood-burner/multi-fuel stove installed in our current modern house which has quite a large lounge. However when we were in the showroom they also stocked various brands of gas fuelled cast iron stoves with natural looking logs and flames. On deliberating what we actually needed it for i.e. something instantly responsive, not labour intensive and more straightforward as we get older we went for a Gazco Loft with a slate hearth. I think it looks stylish. It's burning away merrily as I'm typing this. We've had it about four years now and love it - no dearer to run than if you're buying logs and smokeless fuel. For us, the way we use it means that it saves having the heating on so much - we're home a lot as we're retired.

This. We love our wood burning stove and during several recent power cuts it was our only source of heat and a life saver. But we use it all winter. However, the mess and hassle of buying and bringing in wood is something I could do without. Also need space to store the stuff. Stoor gets over everything. Depending on where you live unless it’s generally colder and you’re prone to power cuts in your location (we are due to windy and surrounded by trees) I’d stick with gas or false. Put some pillar candles in to get that cosy fire flicker or fairy lights look great too. Doesn’t sound like you need it for heat.

I have a log burner and in hindsight I would have preferred a gas one as feel we would use it more because of ease

Please don't go for a log burner. The particulates they pump out are awful for air quality.

wood burners are being banned where I live from 2030 - some cities already ban them. very pollutive and they stink - sorry!

I heard there are new EU laws coming out restricting wood fires due to pollution.
So I would consider that before deciding

I would start by getting a local Hetas engineer to check out your chimneys and then discuss the best options.

We have a gas stove , it’s a Broseley Hereford and the exact outer iron case that is on their wood burner so looks authentic . We can’t have a wood burner as I have COPD .