Sheila Made over fire?

[HazelE123]

With the massively rising electricity costs I wanted to get a Sheila Maid instead of using our heated electric drying rack. We live in an old cottage with an open fire. I wanted it hanging over/just in front of the fire - makes sense - clothes would dry in no time up there. OH says that's not safe! No point putting it in any other room as it's a draughty old place and that's the warmest room.

I thought, traditionally, they always were hung above ranges (which had fires) anyway. OH says clothes could fall off and catch fire. I say - unlikely they'd "fall off" hung over a rail and we'd put the fireguard up before going to bed.

Any thoughts?

I'm the least safety conscious person in the world and I wouldn't risk it!

Do you mean directly over/ in front of the fire? Yes if something fell off and it could fall onto the fire I agree with your DH. Smaller things can easily fall off a rack, especially as there’s no pegs. You can get racks that could go on the floor in front of a range/ fire a decent distance away which would be safer. Or put the Sheila maid in the same room but a decent distance away.

A clothes horse in front of the fire (still a fair distance away) would be safer. We have a Sheila maid in our laundry room and things do drop off it

I’m with your OH. Just because they were traditionally hung over ranges doesn’t mean they weren’t dangerous, it was just the only option pre central heating.

Lots of things used to be done before there were other options. People also used to cook on ranges traditionally and we don’t now. I know an old district nurse in her mid 80’s who, early in her career, was visiting the old farms and dressing severe burns suffered by the poor women who’s long traditional skirts had caught on the flames when they were cooking. Times change and, thankfully, there are safer options both for cooking and for clothes drying.

Don’t hang clothing over an open fire. It isn’t worth the risk.

I'm with your OH. Just because they used to do it doesn't make it safe.

Ranges are different because the fire is usually enclosed.

I'd just put it in the same room but a distance away. The heat will still rise.

Just have it on another bit of ceiling in the same room, but not directly over the fire. It will still be toasty up there but no fire hazard.

If you fire is safely working properly and has a fire guard on it when you're out of the room then I probably would. We'd put an airer up to the fire or drape things on the fire guard, tbh, my clothes were often singed, smelt of smoke and still a bit damp.
An airer o er a dehumidifier will be much more efficient and the dehumidifier will probably kick off some heat too so less need to heat( and ventilate that room.

Nope. Absolutely not.

Growing up we had a drying rack over the aga, but you can put fabric to dry directly on the range lids and they wouldn't be at risk of fire. Having it over an open fire, even with a fireguard, would be stupidly dangerous (as would having clothes drying on a clothes horse in front of the fire if you're not in the room).

You'll have a lot of warmth at ceiling height across the whole room; please put the sheila maid away from the fire.

I would, not directly above the fire but a short distance away from the hearth. Fireguard in place.

Thanks all! I should explain - very high ceilings. It would be well away from/above the area of the fire - it’s how I’d always seen them in old houses. But if things can fall off then I guess maybe not. Unless we left the fire guard up all the time. Putting it elsewhere in the room wouldn’t work - not a huge room and it would be intrusive (or drip all over the coffee table). Trying to think where else we could put it - kitchen is very small (and not that warm). The only way things would dry is in the room with the fire. If you can imagine a fireplace with a hearth, the closest end would be level with the edge of the hearth - about 1’6” from the fire - and about 8 foot up (ceilings are 11 foot high). I imagined loading it up before bed and putting the fire guard up. But seems OH safety rules are agreed with! Always wanted one but wanted it to be a feature as well as a practicality.

Another question - presumably things do drip as well! I know washing machines spin well but ….

Things shouldn't drip if they've been properly spun at the end of the washing cycle.

They won't drip over the coffee table if they've been spun.

In Glasgow tenements everybody has them in kitchens and they work an absolute treat

BUT

ceilings are 3m high

near an open fire? Nope!!

People did used to do what you propose, and a lot of fires resulted! The convected heat causes rising air currents which can easily cause small items to be blown off the airer and drop down into the fireplace. A bit further from the fire is much safer, and would be just as effective - the warmth will rise and then spread across the ceiling.

I have a Sheila maid. It’s brilliant. It’s in our kitchen, although we do have a range it’s not over the range (previous owners installed it so don’t know why). The clothes don’t drip.

Quite apart from the small fire risk, everything you dry on it will stink of smoke.

Mine is in the kitchen, high above the cooker, I've had it for 20 years and I don't remember anything ever falling off – but if I'm frying, or cooking curry etc I do bring all the laundry down because otherwise it will stink.

Good point. Although it doesn't get smoky in our room - fire draws well! Everything gets dusty in there but that tends to be lower down!

Looks like I don't have space for one then. I always thought they were above/near a heat source with heat rising to dry the clothes. Previous house I had washing all over the radiators all the time and hated that! So bought the electric drying rack which is great. It's supposed to be cheap to run but it all adds up - plus it takes up space in a bedroom.

The Sheila Maid is ideal for space saving at floor level and no electricity. OH has already vetoed having it anywhere else in the living room or it would be an eyesore.

In my home city they are really common in kitchens. Stuff does fall off.

We had one as students and it wasn't uncommon for pants or socks to do so.

We have one in the stair well. Drying is quite good.

OP, check which way the joists run in your ceiling/upstairs floor. They are heavy and will need some serious support.

Had one for years over the Aga. Worked brilliantly. Nothing dropped off but I used one of these for small items - https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwiRv6fGi4b5AhWJrO0KHTQgCsUYABAdGgJkZw&ae=2&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=CAESbeD2WXl8NL4-BuelYHNEBf6r5H3f2qHIImLqSoB-kYtjzmJsIHA7sfJlBAMsFZ0sWwTVxWYJ8deE-esG22UKk2yDKnL0HKaORfe8jPBThI6adfyCMTgfTODsu-BSIwsBCNxYnrsJfXxhVv4kH4&sig=AOD640E9ujN-sAGkFEIske38YiYTTXE1w&ctype=46&q=&ved=2ahUKEwir76DGi4b5AhXOh1wKHb5hCDMQzzkoAHoECAYQUQ&adurl=