My parents had the original tall & shallow (but not a "Rumford" type) 1927 fireplace here converted to gas over 30 years ago.
My dad could build a roaring wood fire, but I never got the hang of it, and can do without having to tend a fire once it's going anyway. Now that it's gas, all I need is a long lighter or match, and there's no need for a screen -- a big plus for aesthetics IMO. We only light it when entertaining.
Earlier this year, the Bay Area Air Quality Management group announced it was pursuing a complete ban on wood burning fireplaces. It would have required a retrofit whenever a home with a wood burning fireplace was sold. There was a serious uproar from the community and realtors, more about the costs involved than the desire to burn wood, and the plans were dropped. I'm sure that if a retrofitting incentive plan could be funded, opposition to something of that nature would be minimal.
In the meantime, we have "Spare the Air" days declared when stagnant conditions cause particulate pollution to build, and on such days burning wood is not allowed. People generally tend to observe them because they can't hide what they're doing.
The guy around the corner from me burns wood every chance he gets, and regularly on weekends. I don't know if his chimney has draft issues or if he just likes to let his fires smolder, but the smoke sort of wafts instead of billowing upward, then drifts over the surrounding homes during the better part of the day, making it hard to be outside. I can even smell it in my basement because it enters through the foundation vents. He does observe the Spare the Air alerts, though. Maybe he knows there are lots of neighbors who would be reaching for their phones if given the chance to lodge a legitimate complaint.
One thing I wouldn't mind if I had a different kitchen configuration and more room is a vintage stove with a trash burner. I've had a couple of mid-'30s Wedgewoods in the past that had trash burners, and it was a cinch to start a fire in them and keep them going.
My dad could build a roaring wood fire, but I never got the hang of it, and can do without having to tend a fire once it's going anyway. Now that it's gas, all I need is a long lighter or match, and there's no need for a screen -- a big plus for aesthetics IMO. We only light it when entertaining.
Earlier this year, the Bay Area Air Quality Management group announced it was pursuing a complete ban on wood burning fireplaces. It would have required a retrofit whenever a home with a wood burning fireplace was sold. There was a serious uproar from the community and realtors, more about the costs involved than the desire to burn wood, and the plans were dropped. I'm sure that if a retrofitting incentive plan could be funded, opposition to something of that nature would be minimal.
In the meantime, we have "Spare the Air" days declared when stagnant conditions cause particulate pollution to build, and on such days burning wood is not allowed. People generally tend to observe them because they can't hide what they're doing.
The guy around the corner from me burns wood every chance he gets, and regularly on weekends. I don't know if his chimney has draft issues or if he just likes to let his fires smolder, but the smoke sort of wafts instead of billowing upward, then drifts over the surrounding homes during the better part of the day, making it hard to be outside. I can even smell it in my basement because it enters through the foundation vents. He does observe the Spare the Air alerts, though. Maybe he knows there are lots of neighbors who would be reaching for their phones if given the chance to lodge a legitimate complaint.
One thing I wouldn't mind if I had a different kitchen configuration and more room is a vintage stove with a trash burner. I've had a couple of mid-'30s Wedgewoods in the past that had trash burners, and it was a cinch to start a fire in them and keep them going.
