Off-cuts as log burner fuel

[Minky]

I was the same as most of you.  We burnt any and everything...  Until we had a new Rayburn multi fuel installed with a SS liner. Basically the chimney filled up with tar.  There was so much tar that it was running out of every joint.  We could have redone the shed roof with the stuff.!!  AND the Mrs had a few incidents where when she opened the burner door there was a  violent flash over to the point that she nearly lost her eyebrows.  The chimney flue caught light and I  had to kill it with a nitrogen fire extinguisher.   After this fun and games we decided that enough was enough and I  got a set of glass fibre rods and swept a load of soot ect and we now get a ton of smokeless coal delivered direct by carrier from online. It's more efficient than messing about with wood and a Damn sight better than burning the house down. The house  insurance doesn't pay out if you have contributed to a loss because you burnt random wood. Burning wood is a false economy. especially when the wood is nearly as expensive.

[henry d]

10 hours ago, mel b3 said:

...I've never had a liner , as I've never felt the need for one. 

Always a difficult one when you put a log burner in and have a chimney. As long as it is in tip top condition and have CO detectors you and your neighbours should be fine. We had a call out to a farm house that recently put in an were running in a log burner as there was smoke coming from floorboards, skirting and power points. The lining of the chimney was cracked and the smoke was escaping into the cavities in the house setting off the smoke and CO detectors, this could have been a tragedy but thankfully they had the detectors and were a detached house, if they had been a semi they could have filled the other house with CO and killed them.

[London Best]

10 hours ago, team tractor said:

Unfortunately I run a business tho  👍. I give it my friends in the summer but come winter it pays for my diesel to get to work 😎

Obviously, I quite understand that. 
My (ex) hardwood supplier is a mate who runs a bespoke joinery business but he fitted a wood burner in the workshop. No brainier. I am now using off cuts from roof joists but, being soft wood they burn very rapidly.

[mel b3]

6 hours ago, henry d said:

Always a difficult one when you put a log burner in and have a chimney. As long as it is in tip top condition and have CO detectors you and your neighbours should be fine. We had a call out to a farm house that recently put in an were running in a log burner as there was smoke coming from floorboards, skirting and power points. The lining of the chimney was cracked and the smoke was escaping into the cavities in the house setting off the smoke and CO detectors, this could have been a tragedy but thankfully they had the detectors and were a detached house, if they had been a semi they could have filled the other house with CO and killed them.

Before I fitted the log burner,  I did a fair bit of digging around on the Internet,  and had a good talk to a guy that fits log burners . Following his advice , and a chimney inspection with a camera(by my ex fire service mate , that was old enough to remember chimneys fires) , I made and fitted a register plate , and fitted the log burner . His main advice was  , don't burn wet wood , burn it hot , and sweep regularly. I did contact my insurance company to make sure that they were OK with it , they were fine with it( and sent me a letter confirming it) , and they're also happy for me to sweep both of my own chimneys (I also have an open fire), and they advised that they should be swept every year . I'm a bit paranoid over chimney fires , so I aim to do them three times each year.

[henry d]

Good to hear Mel 👍

5 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

old enough to remember chimneys fires

Used to be our staple, I wonder how many roofs I have clambered about on? Used to enjoy it if the can was cracked as we used to remove it for the home owner, by lifting and throwing. Made a lovely noise 💥

[Duckandswing]

18 hours ago, mel b3 said:

I'll burn anything that'll burn 🔥 😳.

Ditto - even Argos catalogues

[mel b3]

1 hour ago, henry d said:

Good to hear Mel 👍

Used to be our staple, I wonder how many roofs I have clambered about on? Used to enjoy it if the can was cracked as we used to remove it for the home owner, by lifting and throwing. Made a lovely noise 💥

My ex fire service mate has a theory on chimney fires . His theory is . It was always xxxxxxx council houses , because the xxxxxxx lazy xxxxxxxx were too xxxxxxx lazy to sweep the xxxxxxx chimneys . He's a very easy going sort of chap 😄.

Him and his mates made something that went up a chimney after a chimney fire had been extinguished  , so that water got into every little nook , as chimney fires would sometimes reignite after the crew had left . He also said that chimney fires were ferocious. 

1 hour ago, Duckandswing said:

Ditto - even Argos catalogues

Yep , anything that will burn is fair game in this house . I'd be too embarrassed to mention some of the things I've burned ☺.

[henry d]

2 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

He also said that chimney fires were ferocious

Yep, sometimes the owner would be outside waiting for us and it was easy to see which house it was by the mini volcano 🌋

[strimmer_13]

Had our chimney set on fire about '92 on Christmas day. Probably more exciting than the presents as a kid, can specifically remember mum gushing like a flustered goose with all these men in the house. 

As a side note, I've always burnt anything and everything (in my 20s was a truss cutter so had access to loads of offcuts) and wouldn't hesitate to do it again,as soon as I find a place with a fireplace I will. Slightly annoying as this year, I easily gave away 30+ tonne of dead Elm, never mind the Ash die back and the tonnage I've chipped or bonfired as we can't be bothered to deal with it. 

Edited December 23, 2021 by strimmer_13