Log Fires - the future?

[reb78]

Especially if the timber is managed and regrown. .

It's still cabron positive but better balances the books than burning fossil fuels.

Thats how I like to think I manage mine. I manage my hedges and trees to provide firewood. The hedges always regrow. Trees are replanted. I have a number of ash trees with dieback. They need to come down and will go on the fire but I will replant in their place.

 

[brewdexta]

We coppice our small woods and get about an IBC or two a year from it. We have 500 or so hazels coming on that will be ready for coppicing in about 10 years, maybe less. Stuff grows slow in the Pennines.

At the moment, I can't use our own timber on the boiler that we are receiving RHI payments on unless I register as a self supplier with BSL for about £20 +VAT. They seem to have simplified this and made it cheaper, I think it was closer to £200 a few years ago, but I only have about 18 months left on the RHI scheme, after that I can do what I want so will probably wait and save the cash/hassle. Besides, we use mainly pellets at the moment as I'm still working away every week and I just top up the hopper weekly. Once I retire I'll burn more logs, they have to be loaded/lit manually.

 

[bricol]

Friends have an ancient wick burner Rayburn in the kitchen. On all the time in winter, house is always toasty. Heats the water too, and she cooks on it. The cooking requires a different technique than a standard stove, but I think its brilliant.
Dries the washing too.
Hotplates good for warming bearings prior to fitting, and oven good for ring gears !

My Granny swore by her Rayburn - ran on anthracite until it got a bit expensive, and then it ran on off-cuts from my uncles farm gatemaking business.

When they died, the neighbours commented they had to add heating into their kitchen in the adjoining semi - the heat used to permeate through the wall and keep them warm too!

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Have a mate that moved into a rural new build with an electric aga, it uses ~ £10 a day in electricity.

 

[JimmyS]

The idiot across the road burns chipboard and the like. The smell is horrible and gets in every where. It is nothing like timber and is an irritant.
He has had several complaints made about it, he stops for a while then off we go again.

Probably formaldehyde you are getting a whiff of. Nasty stuff.

 

[Welderpaul]

Are you allowed to burn old pallets? Do they stink?

I've access to any amount of old pallets...

 

[JimmyS]

Are you allowed to burn old pallets? Do they stink?

I've access to any amount of old pallets...

I think they are generally OK. I burn them as easier than chopping up crappy sitka spruce. Some of the ones coming over from abroad I think may be treated but I think they are supposed to be stamped or marked.

 

[Richiew]

Go for the ones stamped HT. Heat treated. No chemicals used on those to kill bugs. They are pasteurised, sort of, instead.

 

[Smallfry]

Have been out today, gathering winter few ooo el.

We do not have central heating, just the two small woodburners. Second one in the lobby only goes on when its REALLY cold. All our wood is free from the woodland out the back, and whatever we collect from anywhere else. Pallets and offcuts in skips. Roof replacement is a favourite. Its a lot of work though, and not for lazy busy people. We heat water in pans on it, and SWMBO cooks on it sometimes, but its not physically big enough to this properly.

Also got an oil boiler, but that only heats the water. 1000 litres has lasted more than two years.

 

[Barking Mat]

Are you allowed to burn old pallets? Do they stink?

I've access to any amount of old pallets...

Pallets just burn quick is the problem.

 

[magnet]

I've just made a quick cuppa on my boiling ring. Using free fuel. Happy dayz

 

[Barking Mat]

Try to make a point of not lighting the fires, till the end of October, but wife lit the fire in the living room this afternoon, it's not the cold, it's keeping the house at a reasonable temperature, and the damp.

 

[Erie Fred]

The idiot across the road burns chipboard and the like. The smell is horrible and gets in every where. It is nothing like timber and is an irritant.
He has had several complaints made about it, he stops for a while then off we go again.

now you know where to get rid of your old gas (petrol) and used motor oil.....pour it all over his pile of chipboard.....

 

[fizzy]

My mate is a kitchen fitter and he brings me old kitchen units and worktops for free. I cut them up on a circular saw so basically free wood for the last 17 years. Three 45 gallon barrels full heat the house for a week.

I hope you aren't burning mdf or chipboard? It stinks to high heaven - most be as toxic as hell.

 

[fizzy]

Are you allowed to burn old pallets? Do they stink?

I've access to any amount of old pallets...

They are fine. Not chemically treated in the UK.
Just watch some of them have composite wood blocks - chipboard basically. They stink I refuse to burn them. Solid wood blocks much better.
Quickest way to cut up full pallets is to stand on edge - get someone to help. Cut down with a chainsaw near the end. Then cut by the next set of blocks etc. Then put long bits on a saw horse.
I don't have to do that any more and I get the big chunky side bearers from 2 way pallets which are great.

 

[Shox Dr]

Try to make a point of not lighting the fires, till the end of October, but wife lit the fire in the living room this afternoon, it's not the cold, it's keeping the house at a reasonable temperature, and the damp.

Ours has been lit on and off from the start of Oct. It was lit yesterday beofre I went out for an hour, just as Im leaving my son turns up with his little one.
Comes back 2hours later to find 3babies and their parents sitting in front of the fire.

Turned out they (both) had rung Josh, he'd said Im not at home, I am my dads house he's got the fire on. Seems that's all the info they needed

 

[julianthegypsy]

I hope you aren't burning mdf or chipboard? It stinks to high heaven - most be as toxic as hell.

I had a customer call me once because he couldn't get his stove door open. I said that's impossible, it simply cannot jam shut. Unless you burn pallet blocks and literally glue it shut from the inside. He basically had to rip the door off and I had to send him some stove rope, because his was glued to the front of the stove, instead of inside of the door where I'd glued it when I built it...

 

[prepman]

I had a customer call me once because he couldn't get his stove door open. I said that's impossible, it simply cannot jam shut. Unless you burn pallet blocks and literally glue it shut from the inside. He basically had to rip the door off and I had to send him some stove rope, because his was glued to the front of the stove, instead of inside of the door where I'd glued it when I built it...

Plastic is same.....push it to back of fire....

 

[8ob]

Burning the more resinous timber can cause problems in a stove when its damped right down, flame needs to be going a bit to burn off that tar.

Bob

 

[prepman]

Burning the more resinous timber can cause problems in a stove when its damped right down, flame needs to be going a bit to burn off that tar.

Bob

With our multifuel stove...once hot, I close in the grate vents and keep the down draught open which burns off the smoke. But, even, slightly-damp wood is really bad news...creoste and formaldehyde. Never burn coal on it anymore...filthy stuff. The soot is oily if it lands on the cars outsde.