Converting gas fireplace into what... real fire or wood burner?

[Schulte]

We may be buying a house that has a gas fire, I don't like those at all so would rather have a proper real fireplace. Is it always possible to do the conversion, and if not, is a wood burning stove an option? And who do I need to do the conversion - a normal builder or are there specialists for this kind of thing? Sorry if I sound daft

We have a similar problem. We've been told that we can remove our gas fire and replace it with log burning stove, if the chimney pipe is altered slightly. You need to speak to an expert though. We looked up Charnwood (our logburner make of choice) their website directed us to their local dealer in this county, who in turn is the local specialist in all things stove/fireplace/gas/otherwise. Maybe look up a stove shop near you and get a stove person to visit and quote. They will have builder contacts etc. I think most things are possible. We don't even have a real chimney, just a pipe out of the roof. Hope that is of some help.

Multifuel burner anyday, Rollmops' household reveres ours with burning passion!

Excellent thanks. It looks like a proper chimney to me. I suppose I can also ask the local fireplace shop for advice.

We've put an offer in on a house, and it has a couple of real fires (as well as central heating).
We plan to install a log burning stove. They're much more heat efficient than an open fire. Something like 80% of the heat goes straight up the chimney with an open fire.

DP has recently been reading all about log burners, and telling me, but I've only been half-listening .

To fit a log burner I think you need to have a flue liner fitted (if you don't already have one). This involves dropping a flexible metal pipe from the chimney down the flue all the way to the fireplace.
I think you also have to have some sort of metal plate fitted across the opening to the flue (above the fire / stove). This has a hole in it, and the flue liner attaches to this plate.
I recall DP saying it would cost about £1000 to get this done, but that he could hire scaffolding and do it himself (he's quite handy at DIY).

If you Google flue liners I'm sure you'll find lots more info.

We've got a multi fuel stove and it's great, and much cleaner than the coal fire we had in our old house. It also heats up faster and is easier to light, plus you aren't stuck 'supervising' it so if you need to go out or whatever whilst it's lit then you can leave it, whereas you can't really leave an open fire once it's lit (or so DH tells me) in case it spits etc. It's also lovely in winter to stoke it up with coal just before bed and leave it burning overnight to keep the house lovely and warm. It's been brill during the serious sub-zero temperatures lately.

The guy who fitted our flue liner does mostly stove installations. He's not a builder, think actually he works on a oil rig but does chimney sweeping (which is how we knew him, as he used to sweep our chimney in the old house) and flue fitting on the side. You might need a builder to sort out chimney pots though - not sure.

We have a multi fuel stove and an open fire. The open fire is lovely for athmosphere, but it doesn't provide a great deal of heat whereas the stove pumps out a huge amount of heat.
In terms of efficiency the stove wins hands down.

Ah!!! I love a real open fire!!! IT's so cozy and intimate feeling huh??? We have this one
www.westcountryfires.co.uk/stovax-riva-66-fire-p-198.html
and love it!!!! It pumps out tonnes of heat and just listening to the crackle is better than music

Let me know which one you pick!!