real fire help

[Pompbear]

we have an open fireplace - but we've never used it. previous owners put a fake electric one in and shoved newspaper up the chimney to stop the draft. We did have some bits and bobs that were used at some point (grate maybe?) but they seem yo have disappeared.

we haven't touched it except to fill the whole with logs. I think the inside part if the fire has a slight crack in it (sorry, seriously lacking in fireplace speak!). my question is, what kind if tradespersons do I need to get in to look at it? I'd like to use it as a fire this winter. we'll obviously need a chimney sweep but who would assess the crack? a regular builder or someone else? who can advise me on what bits I need for it etc? at the moment its just a whole.

just to add, the house is only 20 years old.

I would get a chimney sweep to give it a good clean- you never know what might be up there. He should be able to advise you further on next steps and may know builders who often repair chimneys.

It sounds as though the fireback has been cracked. Ours has been cracked for years and never caused a problem. Depending on the type of fire you have it may be possible to just buy a new fireback. Not expensive. I'd ask your sweep for advice/ recommendation. Make sure you use a sweep who's a member of whatever their professional body is ( sorry can't remember)

great, thanks. I'll start with the sweep then. not looking forward to that part! assuming its quite messy...? anyone know roughly how much a sweep charges?

Hi, we started with a chimney sweep to take a look at ours. Helpful starting point. He both looked from the bottom up and then went on our roof to check out the chimney / ventilation.

After that you only need a couple of simple bits that we found quite hard to track down. The first and most essential is a cradle for the coals / kindling to sit in (not sure of technical term!) and we had cut a template out of newspaper of the space we had to fill and then spent a while trying to find one that would fit. In the end we tracked one down in an old fashioned ironmongery shop where my parents live (in rural Scotland)

Big priority is a fire guard too for sparks etc and we use this religiously if we leave the room while the fire is on!!

Good luck!

No, not messy, they drape over the area and Hoover up the soot. I pay about £35 per fire

£45 per fireplace here (Nottingham).

The chimney sweep should do a smoke test on it to make sure it's OK.

be aware than an open fire is extremely inefficient, under 20%.

sweeps are very tidy and not expensive. He/she will be able to tell you where to go next for flue inspection if needed. Do not chance a cracked flue, smoke through the walls could be the least of your problems.

Having the chimney swept is not messy at all, a good sweep will advise you about the crack and test how good the draw is (how much draft there is up your chimney).

For bits and bobs you could do with finding an old fashioned iron mongers, we have one near us with grates in all different sizes and all manner of bits and bobs.

You need a grate and a front fret of some sort. The front fret needs the little air gaps that you can open close. You can have just a grate but if you want the logs to last longer you need shut the doors on the front fret otherwise it all gets too much air.

I don't bother with an ash pan, I just have a metal shovel and a metal ash bucket (it all stays hot for ages...). A rug is good too in case you get a batch of wood that spits, and a spit guard...and a fire guard if you have DC's (don't get the two things confused, the spit guard will get hot and is not designed to keep children safe).

I did think that an open fire would save me money but it hasn't yet, all I have done is bought things for it. It is lovely though.

...and beware any wood with green on! Ocardo sell log bricks which is handy.

thanks for all the replies. its more for that snuggly feeling in the winter. house has radiators but living room is chilly in winter (probably due to chimney draft! so it would be nice if it warmed that room up a little.

so many bits to investigate!

If you measure the width of the front of the fire opening, you'll get the size of grate (the thing the fuel sits on) you need. Then you need a fret the same size.

An ash bucket & shovel.
A companion set.
A fireguard (get one with a close mesh that surrounds the fire opening - some leave the top open - not safe).

MAke sure chimney sweep goes onto roof. There won't be any mess.

Sweeps here cost £25 for the local man, £40 for the acredited one that tells you all the things that are wrong with your chimney.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bakaware-Cast-Iron-Fire-Grate-and-Fret-Set-To-Fit-16-Inch-Opening-Fires-3065-/141092940944 You will needs something like this from your local old fashioned hardware shop. (I use an ash pan, but most of it goes round the sides) A set of fire brushy/shovelly things and metal bucket. (I put coal in mine - empty the ash pan into newspaper in the morning when cold)

If you are burning logs, you can get a fireguard that fastens to the wall, in case they roll out. Otherwise, a spark guard is not too expensive.

We burn a mixture of coal and logs from the local coal merchant. We keep it in the garage, as it is best if it is as dry and warm as possible. Wood should be 'seasoned' (a year old).

If you have young children, a nursery guard is essential. DH always spreads the ashes out so they go out, when we go to bed, and puts the spark guard over.

There was a Housework book for men (out of print!) which gave good instructions on lighting fires

ps our fire back cracked fairly early on but has never been a problem. The cover on the chimney pot, fitted by the same people who fitted the fire is the wrong sort though