Anyone have a fireplace?

[Psalad]

Originally Posted by GHS

Wood stove here, fireplace is useless. Did I read that right in post above on a "spare the air" day in Calif. the neighbors will turn you in if you start a fireplace? Sure its not 1939 in some other country?

It's a pain, but it's the price we pay for living in a beautiful area that's a bit overcrowded and susceptible to lower air quality. Personally, I'll take it.

If you care about your neighbors with respiratory problems who might suffer if we all just ignore the problem, then it becomes something that is easy to respect. When you live in closer quarters with people, it's a tradeoff.

[Twelvefret]

Originally Posted by Psalad

It's a pain, but it's the price we pay for living in a beautiful area that's a bit overcrowded and susceptible to lower air quality. Personally, I'll take it.

If you care about your neighbors with respiratory problems who might suffer if we all just ignore the problem, then it becomes something that is easy to respect. When you live in closer quarters with people, it's a tradeoff.

Seasoned wood gives off no smoke. The discharge from my chimney is so clear, all you see are heat waves. Hot fires work best for clean discharge and clean stoves and components.

Uncured wood and dampened down, smoldering fires are the ones that produce smoke.

[Psalad]

Originally Posted by Twelvefret

Seasoned wood gives off no smoke. The discharge from my chimney is so clear, all you see are heat waves. Hot fires work best for clean discharge and clean stoves and components.

Uncured wood and dampened down, smoldering fires are the ones that produce smoke.

http://www.sparetheair.org/Stay-Info...te-Matter.aspx

[seannx]

Originally Posted by Twelvefret

Seasoned wood gives off no smoke. The discharge from my chimney is so clear, all you see are heat waves. Hot fires work best for clean discharge and clean stoves and components.

Uncured wood and dampened down, smoldering fires are the ones that produce smoke.

Maybe that works in a rural area, or would lessen the negative effects, but many who live in the Bay Area will burn anything available. You will see plenty of chimneys from homes with wood fireplaces emitting smoke. Just because you think there is no problem with the discharge from your chimney, including colorless gasses or particles too small to see, doesn't mean that burning wood or wood products like pellets isn't a health hazard in a densely populated area.

[Twelvefret]

Originally Posted by seannx

Maybe that works in a rural area, or would lessen the negative effects, but many who live in the Bay Area will burn anything available. You will see plenty of chimneys from homes with wood fireplaces emitting smoke. Just because you think there is no problem with the discharge from your chimney, including colorless gasses or particles too small to see, doesn't mean that burning wood or wood products like pellets isn't a health hazard in a densely populated area.

Yes, burning wood for fuel requires education, the proper equipment, prepared fuel sources, and infrastructure. That's a fancy was of saying, you need to know what you are doing.

I harvest downed wood from the floor of our woods. I've never cut a tree for wood. I am using Cherry from a tree lightening split into a couple of years back. I cut it in round and get it in the wood shed.

The wood shed is open on four sides the wood ends facing West. Over Summer the wood becomes more and more dry. Here is a good resource that I have learned much. http://woodheat.org/

[TNTaylor414]

Originally Posted by Psalad

http://www.sparetheair.org/Stay-Info...te-Matter.aspx

I guess that applies to EPA approved stoves too? I guess you are SOL if that's your only source of heat.

There's some cool technology in stoves these days. They seem pretty efficient.

[seannx]

Originally Posted by Twelvefret

Yes, burning wood for fuel requires education, the proper equipment, prepared fuel sources, and infrastructure. That's a fancy was of saying, you need to know what you are doing.

I harvest downed wood from the floor of our woods. I've never cut a tree for wood. I am using Cherry from a tree lightening split into a couple of years back. I cut it in round and get it in the wood shed.

The wood shed is open on four sides the wood ends facing West. Over Summer the wood becomes more and more dry. Here is a good resource that I have learned much. http://woodheat.org/

I used to do the same 30 years ago when we lived in rural Virginia. One fall they put in a road near our house. The bulldozer pushed over mature white and red oak, and walnut trees, and started burning them. A total waste of premium hardwood. I went in with my chainsaws, cut them into 6-8' lengths, used poles and a cant hook to get them on the back of my truck, and then home. A couple of dozen seasoned over the winter, and then a local guy came with a small crew and a splitter, and for an amazingly low price, I had a three year supply of the best fuel for our wood stove ever.

Now where I live in California it's rarely possible to burn wood in the fireplace, when it's cold enough to enjoy it.

[Smitty70]

Built and moved in '73. Fireplace in basement, originally den. Converted to bedroom '81, installed wood burning stove I built (mama bear copy), changed to console kerosene heater, vented into fireplace. Too dirty! Installed LPG console heater vented the same way. Converted house from electric baseboard to heat pump in 80s. Just replaced heater with Empire LPG insert. It has two 3" flex pipes, one for air to fire one for flue gases, both exit chimney thru cap on top chimney. Just went thru 17* weekend and very comfortable. LPG prices down for now. Loved wood but way to messy. Impossible to clean the fire place or the wood stove without making big mess. Do miss those baked potatoes in the wood stove coals though! You gotta try em. Just wrap your spuds in foil and rake out a space in the coals. You'll figure out how long to cook em. They're great.

[Twelvefret]

Originally Posted by Smitty70

Built and moved in '73. Fireplace in basement, originally den. Converted to bedroom '81, installed wood burning stove I built (mama bear copy), changed to console kerosene heater, vented into fireplace. Too dirty! Installed LPG console heater vented the same way. Converted house from electric baseboard to heat pump in 80s. Just replaced heater with Empire LPG insert. It has two 3" flex pipes, one for air to fire one for flue gases, both exit chimney thru cap on top chimney. Just went thru 17* weekend and very comfortable. LPG prices down for now. Loved wood but way to messy. Impossible to clean the fire place or the wood stove without making big mess. Do miss those baked potatoes in the wood stove coals though! You gotta try em. Just wrap your spuds in foil and rake out a space in the coals. You'll figure out how long to cook em. They're great.

I've been cooking potatoes in camp fires for years. I agree.

[fazool]

Finally got my parts in today. Tore apart my entire fireplace, replace the refractory panels, installed new tracks and new doors.

Need to pick up a new log holder rack and some chimney cement for some last patches then I can finally start a fire - running about 1-2 weeks behind schedule here.