YAY for cool mornings!

[58limited]

Carlstock

Why do new homes in the UK not have fireplaces? Are they out of style, too expensive, or is it a safety reason? I live on the coast of Texas, really doesn't get cold here but I love running my gas logs (sometimes in summer too). My house is 66 years old and has the original windows, so ventilation is not a problem. I don't want to upgrade to newer windows and these old ones are not that drafty. I just made my living room formal, as it originally was in 1940. The fireplace is the centerpiece, no TV in the room at all. I just bought a stained glass fireplace screen and it is really pleasant reading a book with the fire glowing behind the screen in the evenings. In college, my ONLY heat source in my drafty rented farm house was a reproduction (ie - not efficient at all) wood burning parlor stove. You would think that splitting wood in an ice storm to keep warm would have cured me of wanting fireplaces, but it didn't. I simply switched to gas instead of wood.

 

[alr2903]

jasonL

Jason you sure had a good morning for it it was 58 deg. in here when i woke up this morning. Your fireplace is beautiful, I cranked up the electric heat enough to break the chill, the a/c was on last night when i went to bed. after that first whoosh of burning dust smell, it got better, I have a fp but enjoy it in the evenings when really cold, im a duraflame log kind of guy, there is no gas in this subdivsion, but even when burning 1 duraflame log the electric heat never comes on. My heart sure goes out to the folks still stranded in those damn FEMA trailers around here. Suppose to warm up by the end of the week thank goodness, for those still in the camper trailers. arthur

 

[58limited]

Here is my fireplace. I'm not finished with the remodel yet, so excuse the mess.

 

[seamusuk]

Flues are not always needed lol

Although these do give off moisture so ventilation is advisable

http://www.burley.co.uk/category.php?cid=2

 

[toggleswitch]

BTW by "VENTED" as used in my writings, I am implying that the products of combustion are "escorted" out of the living space by way of flue-pipe, chimney, power-vent (fan-forced), extractor / exhaust fan , range-hood, antural convection etc. or any other effetive means avaialble.

Even a gas stove /cooker WHEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MECHANICAL VENTILATION can be safe / healthy to use.

BTW in New York City fireplaces were closed off en-masse at a time when it meant you could afford central heating. Fireplaces (for practical, utliltarian purposes) were thought to be an "anti-status-symbol" at one time.

They were believed to be a health and safety hazard as well. Picture this~ a 20 apartment residential building with 2 fireplaces and a solid-fuel cooker in each unit = 60 flames. a cental heater with one burner / flame was considered a HUGE improvement in safety.

As an aside, before electric lighting, gas, oil and candles were, by necessity, used. Yellow flame meant carbon. LOTS of carbon. This and the huge cost of paint (at first) is the resaon why woodwork amd doors and mouldings were stained a DARK color. This is the reason that many walls also had wood paneling. All to not show the dirt/soot/carbon.It was a sign of wealth to have clean electric lighting when it first came out. This clean source of light also allowed for more painted surfaces, so it was even more a sign of wealth. For these reasons it became fashonable to PAINT wooden surfaces, mouldings, doors etc.

OK sorry to hijack.. we now return to our regualary scheduled program(me)...

 

[Cybrvanr]

That is a beautiful fireplace screen there David! I bet that really does look quite cozy at night with all the electric lights out. Does it block lot of the radiant heat?

What I find interesting is the original heating system that was installed in my home when it was built. it was a wick-style fuel oil furnace that did not have any fan. The furnace was installed in the floor of the hallway, and it had a large drum for a heat exchanger. Within that drum was the large wick burner that was about 8 inches in diameter. The wick was raised or lowered with a bi-metal strip to control the heat in the house. To light the furnace, you removed the floor grate, lifted the drum off the top (heavy) and reached down and lit the wick, and then replaced the drum before the house filled with diesel/fuel oil fumes. Cool air in the crawl space entered, was warmed, and then it passed into the house. It depended on the house being a little leaky and drafty. Although this system was terribly inefficient, it kept the house pretty cozy, and it worked without electricity.

The problem is now that the house is heated with a heat pump, it's was a little bit too leaky and drafty to be comfortable. I've been putting in LOTS of insulation, including a radiant barrier in the attic, new windows, foam-blow in the walls, etc. I also went around the house with a spray-can of foam and filled in all the cracks around pipes and wires....it has helped out immensly on fuel and comfort costs.

I want to install a vent-free fireplace underneath my stairs to the upstairs when I finish off the attic. It would not need a space-consuming flue, especially since the house is still a bit leaky, and will never be perfectly tight.

 

[Cybrvanr]

Fall Jogging

One thing I LOVE about the fall is jogging this time of year! It's been in the high- fourties and low fifites in the morning, which is the perfect temp to go for a few laps around the block. It's great getting up in the morning and smelling the crisp dew. The trees are just turning around here and it also gives a great view!

 

[oxydolfan1]

Yes, I'm happy to see that, if I do wind up buying in Brooklyn, a lot of places DO have the old fireplaces I remember being bricked up when I was a kid...

I was out raking leaves before and yesterday, and it felt GREAT!

The air so clean, so invigorating...

 

[58limited]

cybrvanr

The stained glass screen does block heat, but the manufacturer warns not to let it get too hot. They recommend moving the screen from in front of the fireplace when lit or having another screen behind it to block the heat - this is what I do when I light the fireplace. This screen also came with a light kit to back light it when the fireplace is not lit.

My fireplace heated the house in a similar manner as your wick system: Notice the two grates on either side of the fireplace. Air flows from under the house, through brass pipes in the back of the fireplace and above the flames, and out the grates into the living room, allowing the original owners to run the floor heater less. I have thought about installing a little fan in the air intake to move more air. This would allow me to run my heater less.

The floor vents are all blocked off and a central A/C and heating unit has been installed in the house for several decades. I am resealing the vents because they were not completely sealed when the floor heater was disconnected.

 

[carlstock]

Fireplaces were no longer built in houses from the 1970s onwards. I think this was mainly due to Clean Air laws – many areas are designated “Clear Air” areas, including mine. This was to discourage the use of coal.

Expense probably played a part, too, and many new houses in the UK are smaller than houses built, say, 60 years ago.

My house was built in 1980, so it does not have a fireplace.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

I grew up in a 1920s colonial house with a fireplace, I love a fire in the fireplace, but they are extremely wasteful. The fire drafting up the chimney sucks cold air in through every leak in the house. It's cozy in front of the fire, but the rest of the house gets cold drafts.

Ken

 

[oxydolfan1]

I'd love to have a German-style "Kachelofen"-a large stove surrounded by ceramic tile-but unfortunately space and budget don't permit.

 

[dalangdon]

I put a natural gas fireplace in my old house, replacing the baseboard heaters that were there before, and I loved it - so cozy and warm. We're thinking of putting a gas log in the basement fireplace here, so we don't need to heat the basement unless we're down there.

 

[tolivac]

Yes-we have a good cold snap here-very unusual for October.And they are replacing the boilers in the transmitter building-it can get rather cool as I type this-only one transmitter is on and it will sign off in half hour.Then its shiver for the rest of the morning unitl about 6:30A when we start bringing up transmitters again-the heat of the 4-1000s in a RF driver cabinet sure feels good!And they look pretty too!If there was a "pot belly" stove here I would throw a log in it!What a time to replace the boiler.At home I threw on an extra blanket and got out the electric heater for the den-TV room.Usually don't have to bring that out until late November.And I have to drive out into the cold tower feild to adjust one of the antennas slew pattern-frost on the "company" car-and on the switcher components.

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Be careful with gas...

Yes you MUST have an exausted fan upper the cooktop if it's gas working...it means no free flames indoor without the CO could swap with Oxigen...

For heating... well gas is used generally in a furnace... here gas-fireplace are considered "sad"...

What about these fireplace... if you can get good burning wood?

http://www.palazzetti.it/fire/home.html

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Oh, that's mine...

We have got this one...(click on Open Right/left in the third pink box)

Obviously this is the internal system (firebox), then after you have installed it, you have to "dress" it as you want, to get your own style (fireplace)...

We did a customed firelplaces, none of the showed ones... symply two shelves of green marble above and below the firebox door...ah, and we did also the warm air puming system... it reahces 15m of distance...infact the firplace is in livignroom and the warm air pipe get until the kitchen...

I think that Palazzetti has got some representative in US too, why don't ask for him/her?

Good Bye
Diomede

http://www.palazzetti.it/fire/products/index.php

 

[aquarius1984]

My Mum and Dads house

was built in 1989 has 4 bedrooms, your regular dining room lounge etc and utility room. Its true that these day only lounges get fireplaces. The rest of the house is served by Gas fired central heating. Except the conservatory which we put a Creda electric radiator in. The living room does not have prospects for a coal fire. However it has a large fireplace with marble surround and traditional mantlepiece etc. We installed a coal effect gas fire which ironically never gets used. We use the central heating as back ground. I like a fire i must admit, real or effect but im a warm person and overheat quickly. Therefore even in winter i never have the bedroom radiator on and prefer to wear a jumper when im at home in the day. When i was with my ex, lying in bed was tortourous in the winter. She would have the radiator on full whack and snuggle up to me. Me being a warm person would soon overheat and caused many commotion by hissing "get back on your side of the bed and turn that radiator off for christs sake" if that didnt work, It was my choice to sleep in the back bedroom. One i liked i hasten to add. Well the house i now live in used to have 4 fireplaces. 2 in the bedrooms 2 downstairs and each one has been boxed in sadly. The house is a 2up 2down thats 120 years old. Nick.

 

[aquarius1984]

My Mum and Dads house

was built in 1989 has 4 bedrooms, your regular dining room lounge etc and utility room. Its true that these day only lounges get fireplaces. The rest of the house is served by Gas fired central heating. Except the conservatory which we put a Creda electric radiator in. The living room does not have prospects for a coal fire. However it has a large fireplace with marble surround and traditional mantlepiece etc. We installed a coal effect gas fire which ironically never gets used. We use the central heating as back ground. I like a fire i must admit, real or effect but im a warm person and overheat quickly. Therefore even in winter i never have the bedroom radiator on and prefer to wear a jumper when im at home in the day. When i was with my ex, lying in bed was tortourous in the winter. She would have the radiator on full whack and snuggle up to me. Me being a warm person would soon overheat and caused many commotion by hissing "get back on your side of the bed and turn that radiator off for christs sake" if that didnt work, It was my choice to sleep in the back bedroom. One i liked i hasten to add. Well the house i now live in used to have 4 fireplaces. 2 in the bedrooms 2 downstairs and each one has been boxed in sadly. The house is a 2up 2down thats 120 years old. Nick.