Log Fires - the future?

[Erie Fred]

The kids and missus were nowhere to be seen when I was unloading the tonne of pellets in 15kg bags from the pickup to the boiler room around the back of the house.

But ten minutes after I finished, dad's taxi was required...

I do need to lose a big of weight, so probably good thing

Make it a family affair/learning experience/teachable moment, set them up in a chain to unload the pickup.
The job will go much faster, be done with before you know it.

Or don't....and you'll forever keep doing it yourself.

 

[julianthegypsy]

Log burners are great. Especially if you can process bulk logs yourself- a chainsaw, chainsaw chop horse (turns the chainsaw into a chop saw come saw horse) and a log splitter. I have a titan one which does a decent job splitting logs as long as the grain isn't too wild. You can buy or sometimes get the bulk lumber free from tree surgeons. Or if you have some land cultivate your own timber. buying logs in can still be cost effective but much less so. If your house is well insulated a downstairs log burner can heat the whole house and in the warmer parts of the UK, you won't need your central heating at all. Shame that you can't get boiler stoves anymore. New ones aren't made anymore because the boiler cools the firebox too much and causes bad emissions apparently. Not really an issue in a really rural setting but not good in a more built up area.

Actually, you can get a stove with a boiler. More expensive than they used to be but still good. The boiler isn't in the firebox, it's behind a screen and only gets hit by the flue gas so doesn't cool the fire.

 

[Erie Fred]

"Outdoor wood boiler"

 

[optima21]

wonder how long it will be before log burners banned due to carbon emissions

 

[Wildefalcon]

Particulate pollution, that's the stick they'll just to get you back to Russian gas.

I've two stoves, and two more going in. But I've free timber, sourced on site.

 

[Shedendman]

If you dig down deep in your own garden/land say and found coal,is it yours?

 

[MattF]

wonder how long it will be before log burners banned due to carbon emissions

They've been trying to go down that path for a few year now?

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

If they can burn it in power stations and call it sustainable, then they won't ban them. For the last couple of years all stoves installed in smoke free zones have to be an "eco" approved with afterburners to reduce smoke particulates.

 

[Kram]

I need a log burner as I now have an unlimited supply of fresh logs.. none seasoned yet but Im thinking I can make a crude wood kiln and burn a few dryer ones to get the rest ready ..

 

[fizzy]

They've been trying to go down that path for a few year now?

They should in cities.
A woodburner puts out far more pollution than any vehicle.
But don't ban them until there is a cheap alternative!

 

[fizzy]

If they can burn it in power stations and call it sustainable, then they won't ban them. For the last couple of years all stoves installed in smoke free zones have to be an "eco" approved with afterburners to reduce smoke particulates.

They lie

 

[Kayos]

A fair pile goes to Drax, burning wood from the other side of the world. Crazy. When they used to power it from coal 2 miles down the road, all sent from the pit to Drax by underground conveyor.

Meanwhile they are building the biggest tissue (bog roll) factory in europe just outside Goole. Of coarse they wont be taking benefit of it been sighted next to the furtherest inland Deep water port in the country to ship in the wood pulp, nor are they going to use the Canal system. No its all coming by road.

£240 for 700kg of hardwood logs last week.

Drax is going solar and getting a 150MW battery, not sure how long it will be burning wood but I would be measuring it in months

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

But don't ban them until there is a cheap alternative!

 

[Rrobson]

Epic?
Epic destruction more like.
Since Germany got rid of it's last 3 nuclear power stations their CO2 has gone through the roof. So much for all their renewables.
Germany is now putting out as much as 700gm per kw CO2
France are between 20 and 40gm. The difference is mind blowing and yet France is facing fines for not having enough renewables I thought the goal was to reduce CO2 emissions?

Epic is size, not as in amazingly awesome (although they are a sight to behold, good or bad) maybe I should have used vast or enormous instead…
That lignite stuff is horrible, I can’t believe they still burn it…

 

[8ob]

wonder how long it will be before log burners banned due to carbon emissions

Can’t see a log burner ban happening, what I can see is them being phased out over a period of time as in new installations being restricted.They have already upped the ante on newer cleaner burning log burners and put the squeeze on log suppliers with the moisture content malarkey.

Bob

 

[Rrobson]

Yes i know they're planning to shut ratcliffe because we had the contract to hardface another 16 coal grinding/pulverising rings and they've pulled the plug.

A shame, the industry hasn’t been the same since they started closing the big stations, these new ones aren’t a patch on the ones they replaced…

 

[Gareth J]

Say you buy 1m3 of seasoned wood. It's a bit of a mystery as to how many real world kWh that gets you. Especially as you loose a chunk out of the chimney. And let alone if it's not seasoned/dried. And you have to add time messing about with it.

Whatever it is, I've an inclination that it makes gas/oil look relatively cheap if you have to buy logs.

Back of envelope calculation welcome...

 

[8ob]

Say you buy 1m3 of seasoned wood. It's a bit of a mystery as to how many real world kWh that gets you. Especially as you loose a chunk out of the chimney. And let alone if it's not seasoned/dried. And you have to add time messing about with it.

Whatever it is, I've an inclination that it makes gas/oil look relatively cheap if you have to buy logs.

Back of envelope calculation welcome...

Most log burning folk have a story behind their supply that makes it very worthwhile. There are a lot of sources for cheap or even free firewood if you don't mind putting in a bit of effort.

Bob

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

wonder how long it will be before log burners banned due to carbon emissions

The main issue with a wood burner is there's no standing service charge...that will be causing a lot of upset I can imagine so something will need to be done .

I don't think it's long before there's an annual pollution tax on them or a restriction on what can be burned (more easily taxed restricted fuel source)...but there won't be any mention of it until after next year

 

[Farside]

Just in time for the green lizards or whatever replaces our feeble species to exploit them and mess up the planet again; and so the cycle will continue

I expect the cockroaches will take over.
Never trusted 'em.