Fueling Fires

Many of our Johnstown chimneys are now smoking but many came fitted with gas fires so why are people making the change to solid fuel?

Have you changed yours?

There is something comforting about an open roaring fire on a cold winter night. The smell of wood, the crackle, the flickering light of flames coupled with the warmth they emit is highly appealing.

The most convenient but we're not going to attempt to defend this since it can be up to 8 times more expensive per delivered kWh than Wood.

How many remember this parental scream from our childhood? Our parents knew back then that electric heating was too expensive and it still is.

Very convenient and clean burning but it doesn't quite match up to the atmosphere of a solid fuel fire and with fluctuating fuel prices many have started to take these out. Costing around €150 to include gas pipe disconnection, a grate, fire guard and to have the chimney swept.

Often less messy to handle than coal and a popular fuel producing a characteristic aroma. Ultimately the unsustainable source of peat is going to mean that one day this practice will end.

Turf is simply peat extracted from bogs, cut into a brick shapes before being naturally air-dried.

Briquettes are formed by milling peat which is mechanically dried then pressed under high pressure into it's more familiar briquette shape.

Newly cut logs don’t burn well or give out much heat because they are loaded with sap which is largely water. Therefore if it does actually ignite it will ‘steam’ and spark producing dense thick sticky smoke that will coat the inside of the chimney.

If you have a local fresh supply, possibly from the recent storm, then leave these dry out for several months and when the bark falls off very easily it’s good to use.

The basic rule of thumb is that any untreated Soft Wood is only good for outdoor ‘camp fires’ and kindling if you leave them dry out over several months. Timber from pallets or construction yards do not work well in home fires - save these for the outdoors and be wary of toxic fumes.

A quick local tree guide obtained from several sites on the internet:

• Willow, Pine, firs, and cypress all burn hot, fast, leave few coals and smoke horribly.

• Sycamore, Ash and Birch performs better.

• Cherry, Oak, Elm, Beech and Maple would be my preference.

Essentially obtain dense seasoned hardwood for longer lasting and more efficient heat output.

Finding a home for ash from Coal and Peat Briquettes is a daily dilemma. It has no use in the garden and the day that ‘Pay By Weight’ reappears for bin collections it's going to be a financial shock. A fortnight of ash weighs a lot and so choosing the coals that produce the least waste ash is a start.

Wood ash, provided it isn't from chemically treated timber, is useful in the garden so look up what to do with it and reduce your waste bin content.

Read next months article about how to burn the fuel more efficiently via a fuel stove and you'll not have so much waste to worry about.

Traditionally we all shop alone and this doesn’t gain any discount at any shop. Join forces with a few neighbours and get significant discounts by making regular bulk purchases.

Follow their Facebook Page and do the usual Share, Like and Tag and look out for regular flash prizes and deals like these

When you spot a great offer tell people - everyone benefits!

Open Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm