Open wood fire versus wood stove

[martyng]

Just moving to our house near Lalinde (24) and although there is a lovely corner fireplace in the lounge, the current owner has had an electric fire there to date.  We would like to put in a wood fire - but should it be an open fire, for the ambience, or a closed wood stove for efficiency (?) of heating etc.  What are the pros and cons? Any recommendations for good economical stoves?

Martyn

[Quarmby]

An open fire looks nicer; it will also burn up your wood faster, draw cold air into the room, and no matter how good your chimney, it will gradually darken your paintwork etc. A stove is more efficient in converting wood to heat, easier to control, and will keep your room cleaner. Do you want efficiency or aesthetics?

[Anton Redman]

Assuming you do not also have central heating and only want fire for the effect then it has to be a stove. You waste about two thirds of the heat when just burning logs in a fire place.

[PeterG]

I agree with the above posts. If it is your main residence then go for a stove....more efficient. However, if you bought one with double doors you could, if you wanted, leave the open for the aesthetics.

Our is a holiday home so for our winter visits we use an open fire. We use a stere every winter so at € 50 a stere we have 10 years worth of wood to equal the price of a stove. If you understand what I mean. 

[Cendrillon]

I think a stove is the best bet, as the others have said, open fires can be more messy and not as safe.

You can light the stove, leave it and go out for the evening then return to find it is still alight and the room warm when you get home, you can't leave an open fire. Also if you light an open fire, go to another room to eat a meal the chances are the open fire will have died by the time you return to sit down.

 

There are some good looking stoves around these days. If you buy a stove from an official outlet / shop and get them to fit it you will qualify for a tax rebate.[:)] (that's if you fill in a French tax form of course)

Do a search on this forum there are other posts on this subject.

[Val_2]

Cleanliness is the main thing I can think off as well as safety aspects with stray sparks and spitting timber. In all the houses I have been in with open fires, everything always seems to be ash covered and grimy as against my own home with an enclosed stove that keeps the paintwork far cleaner.

[Hoddy]

It was cleanliness that made me choose an enclosed stove too. If I were doing it again I'd have one of those that have a couple of cooking rings on the top too. That might not quite fit with the kind of room you're planning though.

Hoddy

[Dave&Olive]

hi ok

                  At best an open fire is 30% efficient  at worst a wood stove is 70% ...

         Dave[I]

[Owens88]

Of course you can have an inset wooden fire fitted into the fireplace. Flames behind the glass window of a door, but without the 'standing proud' aspect of a stove.

 

Go for a big window and effective air flow controls and you don't lose any ambience.

 

John

[martyng]

Many thanks everyone - wood stove it is.  Probably an insert into the existing fireplace.

Martyn

[woolybananasbrother]

Be very careful putting an insert into an existing fireplace. Best to seek professional help on the installation.

[Wilko]

Hi WBB,

Why do you say that ?

Rgds Wlko

[Wilko]

Hi WBB

I should have added; is there a difference between the installation of a stove and an insert in terms of professional help ?

Rgds

Wilko

[woolybananasbrother]

Inserts are much more powerful and demanding of a chimney and an old chimney may not be up to the job because the stone work wont take the extra heat and may have roof or floor beams too close to the heat highup which might cause a fire. Just look at the KW of a stove compared to the potential of an insert.

[Wilko]

Thanks for that

Wilko

[Rob Roy]

You could go for one of these :

http://www.nunnauuni.com/english/

They are incredibly efficient, use very little wood for the amount of heat generated and you can get money back on your tax return. Mind you they are quite expensive to buy initially. Friends have just put one in over here and only need to light it for 3 or 4 hours a day for it to heat the whole house, and stay warm for 24 hours (as long as you have good insulation of course)

[Gyn_Paul]

WWB - all that (added heat load on chimney etc) rather implies that a stove is no more efficient than an open fire. Surely - closed verses open fire - more of the heat ends up in the room and less goes up the chimney, or am I (as usual) missing something?

paul