Property/DIY
Wood burner
lovemycar · 17/03/2023 12:59
I have an open fire but lose a lot of heat up the chimney. I am thinking about investing in a wood burner. For anyone who has a wood burner what are the positives, negatives, and potential cost of making this change. TIA for any advice.
Fragrantandfoolish · 18/03/2023 15:47
Diyextension · 18/03/2023 15:24
“It’s also Illegal from this year to burn it in your home. From feb 21 it become illegal to sell it and from 23 it becomes illegal to actually burn it in your home.“
who is actually going to police this ? Is someone going to poke a moisture meter into it just as your about to put it into your stove ? It’s also illegal to burn (smoke) drugs ( heroin ) in your home but I’m sure plenty of people do it.
I’d guess your neighbours. They can then report to environmental at the council.
Diyextension · 18/03/2023 17:57
Fragrantandfoolish · 18/03/2023 15:46
I think it’s quite easy to spot and report and no if it’s a false report… they can video the black acrid smoke from your chimney, also a chimney sweep would be able to tell if it was dry wood being burned or seasoned wood when a chimney was swept. So the council can check if reported. Wet wood makes a real mess of both the appliance and the flue.
if you sweep our chimney you would know immediately it was seasoned wood. You’d also see by our log stores. Of which we have three. Where the wood is rotated until use. Any filming of our chimney would show very little to no smoke when it’s on. It’s the moisture that produces the soot and smoke when it’s burnt.
so you can tell very easily if someone is burning wet or seasoned wood.
The council have no powers to enter anybody’s house, let alone send a chimney sweep in to sweep your flue🤣. They can come round and see if your belching out smoke then send a letter out. The owner can choose to throw it in the bin. Councils have already said they have no budget to police the government guidelines on smoke emitted from burning fossil fuels.
bellac11 · 18/03/2023 18:01
Fragrantandfoolish · 18/03/2023 15:46
I think it’s quite easy to spot and report and no if it’s a false report… they can video the black acrid smoke from your chimney, also a chimney sweep would be able to tell if it was dry wood being burned or seasoned wood when a chimney was swept. So the council can check if reported. Wet wood makes a real mess of both the appliance and the flue.
if you sweep our chimney you would know immediately it was seasoned wood. You’d also see by our log stores. Of which we have three. Where the wood is rotated until use. Any filming of our chimney would show very little to no smoke when it’s on. It’s the moisture that produces the soot and smoke when it’s burnt.
so you can tell very easily if someone is burning wet or seasoned wood.
Yes same here actually, theres nothing coming out of our chimney after the first light when it gets started and we always get a good soot report!
Fragrantandfoolish · 19/03/2023 12:37
Diyextension · 18/03/2023 17:57
The council have no powers to enter anybody’s house, let alone send a chimney sweep in to sweep your flue🤣. They can come round and see if your belching out smoke then send a letter out. The owner can choose to throw it in the bin. Councils have already said they have no budget to police the government guidelines on smoke emitted from burning fossil fuels.
Fragrantandfoolish · 18/03/2023 15:46
I think it’s quite easy to spot and report and no if it’s a false report… they can video the black acrid smoke from your chimney, also a chimney sweep would be able to tell if it was dry wood being burned or seasoned wood when a chimney was swept. So the council can check if reported. Wet wood makes a real mess of both the appliance and the flue.
if you sweep our chimney you would know immediately it was seasoned wood. You’d also see by our log stores. Of which we have three. Where the wood is rotated until use. Any filming of our chimney would show very little to no smoke when it’s on. It’s the moisture that produces the soot and smoke when it’s burnt.
so you can tell very easily if someone is burning wet or seasoned wood.
I’m afraid you’re wrong, the council, enforcement officers to be exact, have authority to enter your home without permission for a number of reasons, demolition, inspection,enforcement, non compliance etc. it’s actually a criminal act to prevent them doing so.
Shellingbynight · 20/03/2023 14:27
lemoncurdcrumpets · 18/03/2023 08:51
Thanks for the thoughts on pet guards. I was partly concerned because I’d heard they could misjudge how hot it is after it’s been switched off?
We have had a woodburner for about 15 years. Initially we had older sensible cats and we didn't have a fireguard for it. However one of the old sensible cats did exactly what you say - it was cooling down and he jumped on top of it. Hurt his paws a bit - never did it again!
When we got a couple of kittens we put up a fireguard because they were barmy and would definitely have got too close/on top of it. They are older now but we still keep the fireguard in place, I forget it's there nowadays.
So it depends how daft your cats are, but you may find you need a guard.
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