Wood Burning Stoves

[Max B Gold]

Sitting in front of one now in the bar overlooking the longest sea loch in Scotland and sipping a pint of Loch Fyne Brewery's Highlander Ale after a swim and steam room sesh and I like them.

However, in between infuriating CEB on here I flicked over on the interspazz to read that the Guardian and it appears all of London is agin them. Any of youse got a view on them?

[CEB]

We’re supposed to be getting one. And I have an ethical dilemma, which I’d be interested in discussing if we can separate the combative tone of next door from the stove chat

[Max B Gold]

We’re supposed to be getting one. And I have an ethical dilemma, which I’d be interested in discussing if we can separate the combative tone of next door from the stove chat

Should be possible. I've only had two sips out of my 1st pint.

[CEB]

So, my wife has wanted one for ages, and a while ago found some examples of the apparently more eco friendly ones (which I understand aren’t actually eco friendly)
I don’t mind either way if we get one. However, I do know that my wife stresses a LOT about stuff where she feels she might be doing something environmentally unfriendly.
We don’t have a massive carbon footprint generally (one car that hardly gets used)

Should I
A: direct my wife to the articles about how even the new fangled ones are terrible, in the knowledge that doing so gives her full control of the decision, but she won’t end up with a thing she really wants
B: not share these articles with her, so that if she finds that info, I haven’t ruined it for her

Hmmmmm

[Dunners]

I love them. Had one in a holiday cottage in Snowdonia last year, and just got back from a cottage last week in the New forest where one was installed too.

[Max B Gold]

So, my wife has wanted one for ages, and a while ago found some examples of the apparently more eco friendly ones (which I understand aren’t actually eco friendly)
I don’t mind either way if we get one. However, I do know that my wife stresses a LOT about stuff where she feels she might be doing something environmentally unfriendly.
We don’t have a massive carbon footprint generally (one car that hardly gets used)

Should I
A: direct my wife to the articles about how even the new fangled ones are terrible, in the knowledge that doing so gives her full control of the decision, but she won’t end up with a thing she really wants
B: not share these articles with her, so that if she finds that info, I haven’t ruined it for her

Hmmmmm

How long you been married? Get her what makes her happy it will make your life more bearable and as capitalism has killed the planet one more word burner is not going to make a difference.

[StillSpike]

I'm looking to install one at the moment.
For context, we already have a fireplace and burn logs in it at the moment - this is our only source of heat during the frequent power cuts when the GCH is down in our draughty cottage. The trouble with a log fire is that most of the heat goes straight up the chimney, so I'd like to get a stove installed (without trashing the existing Victorian fireplace, 'cos the landlord put it in himself years ago and loves it). I reckon I can get one to sit out from the hearth a bit and rear-vent into the chimney - I'll ask the builder who comes to sweep the chimney next time he's here.

I think that'll actually reduce our carbon footprint, as I'll be burning fewer logs to heat the place up.

I don't really think they're a great thing for city dwellers, to be honest, and it sounds like they're causing quite a bit of poor air quality down there.

[Long slender neck]

I got one about ten years ago, I use it more as a hobby rather than as a necessity for heat. Probably only use it a few times a year.

Surely there are a thousand worse things for the environment than burning some wood?

[Friend or faux]

Personally I feel that they could be as ecologically damning as coal fires. But as Mad-Dog Putin & Doddering Sleepy Ole Joe & The Tory Party are intent on nuclear destruction, I tend to not lose much sleep over the matter. There are worse things to worry about

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

I've heard that dry, used coffee grinds burn well?

[Real Al]

I think the modern stoves aren't to bad, but you need to use them correctly. It's important to use seasoned wood and not burn any wood that has been treated (old furniture, pallets etc.). Sadly, I know loads of people who put any old leftover bits of wood and even stuff like crips packets on a real fire.

[Max B Gold]

I think the modern stoves aren't to bad, but you need to use them correctly. It's important to use seasoned wood and not burn any wood that has been treated (old furniture, pallets etc.). Sadly, I know loads of people who put any old leftover bits of wood and even stuff like crips packets on a real fire.

If it wasn't burnt it would go into landfill. If not, the old furniture would turn up on that show where the woman goes round the middens and begs people for their burst settees. Repurposes them and sells them to morons for stupid money. Terrible programme almost as bad as Bargain Hunt.

PS Read Monboits confession and outpouring of guilt about his addiction to wood burners. According to him they're all killers.

[CEB]

I should probably add the caveat that if my wife gets a wood burning stove, that’s leverage for me to indulge a whim elsewhere in the renovation.

[Dunners]

Monbiot's gonna Monbiot.

[StillSpike]

I should probably add the caveat that if my wife gets a wood burning stove, that’s leverage for me to indulge a whim elsewhere in the renovation.

Don't drag us into your sordid horse-trading !

(although I would add that it'll give you the perfect "well I never wanted to get that environmental catastrophe in the first place" as the nuclear option in any future disagreements.)

[CEB]

I should probably add the caveat that if my wife gets a wood burning stove, that’s leverage for me to indulge a whim elsewhere in the renovation.

Don't drag us into your sordid horse-trading !

(although I would add that it'll give you the perfect "well I never wanted to get that environmental catastrophe in the first place" as the nuclear option in any future disagreements.)

We’ve been sharing a small room for three months most of the time, I think my nuclear options are exhausted if I want to stay married

[Max B Gold]

Monbiot's gonna Monbiot.

I note he has finally been shamed into writing about the AS scam and the fake Panorama "investigation*"

*not an investigation.

[Fisch]

Plenty of them hereabouts, not to be recommended as your primary source of heat. Very inefficient, you'll need a mutli-manifold chimney immediately above the stove in order to extract decent heat from it, that's ugliness personified unless you box it in somehow. They burn oxygen and thus remove it from your living space so you need plenty of ventilation (aka: cold draught), your room will look like the inside of a smoking tube train carriage in no time, even the best damper system will not keep a fire all night so someone will have to get up at least once in the wee hours (pun intended), someone has to clean the bloody thing out and, a big pain, if you fill it with wood which is only slightly green or damp, you'll need a chimney sweep every month. Apart from that.....

[Fisch]

?

[Max B Gold]

Plenty of them hereabouts, not to be recommended as your primary source of heat. Very inefficient, you'll need a mutli-manifold chimney immediately above the stove in order to extract decent heat from it, that's ugliness personified unless you box it in somehow. They burn oxygen and thus remove it from your living space so you need plenty of ventilation (aka: cold draught), your room will look like the inside of a smoking tube train carriage in no time, even the best damper system will not keep a fire all night so someone will have to get up at least once in the wee hours (pun intended), someone has to clean the bloody thing out and, a big pain, if you fill it with wood which is only slightly green or damp, you'll need a chimney sweep every month. Apart from that.....

I am aware this whole thread may be a WUM and I've completely missed the point .... again.

Have you ever read any Magnus Mills?

[Max B Gold]

I love them. Had one in a holiday cottage in Snowdonia last year, and just got back from a cottage last week in the New forest where one was installed too.

Missed this the first time. How many "homes" you got now?

[Omygawd]

Whatever happened to the countryside squire’s pastime of incinerating peasants?

[Fisch]

Have you ever read any Magnus Mills?

Not since she gave up playing the piano.

[slacker]

Funnily enough I’ve spent most of the day sawing up branches, that I’ll season/dry and use in the 3 wood burner stoves here next winter. We’ve got plenty of trees here (including Ash showing signs of dieback) so it’s just recycling for us. Can see why there’s an issue in urban areas, because they can throw out a fair bit of smoke even with good, prepped logs, mind.

36C3DE12-FB1A-42A3-A083-E6366DC97590.jpeg (189.64 KiB) Viewed 1010 times

[Max B Gold]

Funnily enough I’ve spent most of the day sawing up branches, that I’ll season/dry and use in the 3 wood burner stoves here next winter. We’ve got plenty of trees here (including Ash showing signs of dieback) so it’s just recycling for us. Can see why there’s an issue in urban areas, because they can throw out a fair bit of smoke even with good, prepped logs, mind.

36C3DE12-FB1A-42A3-A083-E6366DC97590.jpeg

Another one ticked off.