Log burner - would it put you off buying a house?

[HelpMeHiveMind]

Sorry another thread from me tonight!

I hadn't realised log burners were quite so controversial in terms of health risks and housefire risk...and of course the environment. The cost doesn't put me off hugely, but the other factors do worry me.

Is a log burner in a property a deal breaker or not a problem? (It does have perfectly good central heating too but would be a shame to have a log burner and not use it when it's the main focal point of living room)

Definitely a positive, though we honestly don't use them loads anyway. We just bought a house with 2 log burners (plus a gas one!). But I think context is key. We live rurally with no near neighbours and it's very standard here. In a town/city, no I wouldn't be using a log burner (or with thatch obviously).

It would be crazy for it to put you off a house! It's a minor detail and you can always not use it. I would find out how environmentally friendly the specific model is. I don't know much about it but I know they do vary. We have a log burner that was put in by previous owners . We considered it a positive at first ( we moved in 17 years ago) but over time have become more aware of the issues and use it less and less. On a similar note, we are getting rid of the (gas) Aga when we re-do our kitchen, though we have quite enjoyed it.

We turned one down because it didn't have one!

www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/09/eco-wood-stoves-emit-pollution-hgv-ecodesign
www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/01/avoid-using-wood-burning-stoves-if-possible-warn-health-experts
www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/17/wood-burners-urban-air-pollution-cancer-risk-study

I wouldn't buy a house without the possibility to install a fireplace/wood burner - a living room is soulless without that focal point - even if it never gets lit. My current house has two wood burners (both Defra approved), the house we've just bought has one - it was quite intense bidding war - so it seems enough people were happy to have one - not everyone likes the same things.

I like them so it would be a positive.
If you don't then it's quite simple, just don't use it!

It would definitely be on my list of ‘things I want in a house’.

I have three log burners, all modern Contura brand, so safe and easy to use.

One of my houses doesn’t have mains gas so it’s a no brainer for heating.

Yes it would put me off. Horrible smelly things that give me terrible respiratory problems. Our distant neighbour has one and it stinks out the neighbourhood even though they only burn ‘good’ dry wood.

We love ours and it was an extra plus to the house when we were buying. We are semi rural so no direct neighbours. Tbh we hardly ever use it as I feel guilty about the environmental issues. We light it maybe 2-3 times a year: usually on Christmas Eve and on a particularly cold day. this winter it has been on once. But I do like the option in case of power cuts or other issues.
Even though ours is barely used I think it looks cosy and gives a lovely focal point to the room. It looks beautiful at Christmas with a garland over the fireplace.
I love the idea of having fairy lights inside the log burner. This is something I am going to adopt I think. I guess any fairy lights would work

Ours sits looking pretty but we don’t use it for environmental reasons. It would never put me off buying a house though!

Handy backup when there is a power cut or boiler packed in. It could be your only source of heat. But for me a wood burner is a positive - you do not need to use it everyday.

In a rural home with no alternatives I think they are fine. In an urban home I think they are ridiculous and should be banned. Mind you I’m old enough to have grown up in a house without central heating and where a wood / coal stove was the main source of heat. I hated it and believe it’s the reason I have severe asthma now.

We've got 2 and it was a selling point of the house for us

@CurtailingChaos that dosent sound right. We have ours on frequently and the house dosent smell of smoke at all. It sounds faulty

Surely you just don't have to use it?! We have 2 in our current house and we use one some of the time, and the other never. The one we don't use is an old range in the snug so have no want to use it but it's been very handy during power cuts for cooking dinners on and heating water!

The other one is in the nice living room where the dogs aren't allowed so we don't go in there that often. The fireplace is decorated with lights and leaf bunting the DC made and we light the burner on Sundays when we all sit in there, and at Christmas and chilly spring evenings when I can't face turning the heating on. I would assume anyone buying a house that didn't want to use the burner would just not use it, it's not as though it has a mind of its own and puffs away regardless!

So if it makes a difference, the one in question is 10 years old. It was installed properly at the time by a pro and the flue is lined / chimney gets swept yearly. Is a 10 year old burner too old to be OK?

As long as it seals properly it will be fine. If you are worried about reducing particulates, make sure you never let it slumber by restricting the air too much. People often do this to try and keep the fire alight overnight without refuelling

You can’t turn the modern DEFRA approved stoves right down because of this.

Also, if it was fitted a long time ago, there may be no CO alarm fitted. If that is the case, get one. We have one fitted in all rooms with a fireplace/stove and all bedrooms regardless.

Ours stopped me having decamp to a B&B when our heating broke down in the notoriously cold winter of 2010. Just kept loading it up and manage to keep 2 rooms in the house at a bearable temperature. Have moved since and miss our log burner!

What about living in close proximity next door to one...I read they make it really unpleasant for the neighbours with smoke

This shouldn't happen. It sounds like there's cracks in any shared chimney/party walls tbh.

Don't use it. They look nice though and make a good focal point!

I only buy houses if they have one or I can put one in.

There is no time limit on them. Just get it cctv Inspected to check ok.

I bought a house with one two years ago. It's never been lit. The central heating does a good enough job. It looks nice though.

I wouldn't mind unless there was no other heating - I wouldn't use it, but they look nice. So as long as I could still heat the house, it'd be fine!