abwsco Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Does anyone have one and if so are they expensive to run? We have two in the house ( the style that look like proper open coal fires not the modern ones ) but we've never used them in the 14 years we have been here. We'd have to have them serviced and also buy new "coals" but are wondering if it would be worth the expense. We've no idea how much that would cost either. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 My house had one when I moved in, but I whipped it out as it was so expensive to run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 Thnaks Clare. I had the feeling they would be. Other option we could do in the lounge would be to get the chimney sweep in (assuming it would be him) to see if we can run a real coal fire in the house again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 We have one, its got a glass screen in front of it, but we can't have it on because Cookie sits on the hearth and doesn't think that the burning smell is anything to do with her! She had a yellow tinge on her coat for ages I'm not sure how expensive it was to run, we used to have it on before we turned the heating on at winter time just to warm the room up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 We have one with a glass screen and balanced flue as well as we don't have a chimney and it soon heats up the room so we don't need to use it for more than half an hour on cold evenings to warm the room up beautifully. Ours is cast iron and keeps the heat for a long time after it's been turned off. The flames aren't huge either so it doesn't use a huge amount of gas when it's switched on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 We have one without the glass and have it in our lounge but it has only ever been used about 3 times. It looks really good when lit but we don't use our lounge so it's surplus to requirements. It is expensive to run for the heat it outputs but we knew that when we put it in. We knew we wouldn't use it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 Thanks everyone I think we'll leave it as is with loads of logs stacked in them so they look like unlit real fires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Sounds nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 We have one with a glass screen and balanced flue as well as we don't have a chimney and it soon heats up the room so we don't need to use it for more than half an hour on cold evenings to warm the room up beautifully. Ours is cast iron and keeps the heat for a long time after it's been turned off. The flames aren't huge either so it doesn't use a huge amount of gas when it's switched on. We also have one of these - I only ever have it on very low as it warms up very quickly and heats the whole room really well (21' lounge) I've never really thought about it's efficiency before, but I suppose it must be quite efficient as well as effective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 If it hasn't been used for 14 years, please please get a carbon monoxide checking device - alarm, or colour changing stickers, or wahtever. We had an LPG heating system in our old house (which we ultimately replaced) and the fire there had a lovely soporific affect..... a carbon monoxide test sticker thing showed why. Fortunately the house was old and very draughty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Lucky escape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 If it hasn't been used for 14 years, please please get a carbon monoxide checking device - alarm, or colour changing stickers, or wahtever. We had an LPG heating system in our old house (which we ultimately replaced) and the fire there had a lovely soporific affect..... a carbon monoxide test sticker thing showed why. Fortunately the house was old and very draughty! Sounds like you were very lucky! Good reminder to everyone. Ours are properly capped off and safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 If it hasn't been used for 14 years, please please get a carbon monoxide checking device - alarm, or colour changing stickers, or wahtever. We had an LPG heating system in our old house (which we ultimately replaced) and the fire there had a lovely soporific affect..... a carbon monoxide test sticker thing showed why. Fortunately the house was old and very draughty! This obviously worried all the parents of the girls house that my daughter shared at uni last year. We all turned up on moving in day with plug in carbon monoxide alarms. It was great because they had them all over the house. Well you can never be too carefull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Having a stove, I have them all over the house too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 There was an open one here when we moved in - the man delivering the bulk LPG said we might as well leave the cap off the gas tank........... ....so, we replaced it with a very efficient multifuel burner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I know! It's daft really becuase in every rented place I always put a carbon monoxide sensor or tester on the boiler and fire. But it was months before we did it in our own house . I don't think it could've been sending out that much or else I wouldn't be here to tell the tale, but am now practically evangelical about getting people to use them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
