Allowed open fires in chimneys? Recommended chimney sweep?

[TarahC]

Hi, we're in East Dulwich by the station and we have heard that in some areas in London you're not allowed to have an open fire - someone we know in Richmond isn't allowed. I thought it was just zone 1 - does anyone know how we find out?

Also, does anyone have a recommendation for a chimney sweep and any idea what it costs?

Thanks!

[R&A]

Yes - i just used one today. It cost ?40 per chimney and the guy was called Mr. Pearce. You can contact him on 07930 345 245

i haven't been home yet to see what he's done. Saying that i'm not sure what swept chimneys even look like...!

As you can tell, I'm new to this too but I gather that you can have open fires as long as you use smokeless fuel? there's someone on here that knows a lot more about this than me, i guess he'll pm you as he did me (he was very helpful).

[RunJHC]

Hi -we used Mr Jolly from Forest Hill and he's really nice - his number is 0775 2130577. He did a really good job with some sort of huge vacuum cleaner and cleaned up after himself etc. He also helped to remove the dodging blocking of the chimney which had been done by the people we bought the house from.

He told me that you're only allowed the fires with smokeless fuel round here not a proper open fire.

[louisiana]

You can use smokeless fuel, or you can install a stove that is on the approved list for smokeless zones (for burning wood etc). There are quite a few know (e.g. from Morso).

A stove is more expensive, but more efficient (less fuel, more heat into the room), so appropriate if you're going to be around longer term.

[BellendenBear]

Apex chimneys are excellent, really professional and knowledgable. They are registered with whoever chimney sweeps are regulated by and provide all the paperwork and certificates. They are also very safety conscious and will make sure your fireplaces are safe to use- 2 of ours weren't but the previous owners had been using them.

[skwirt]

As far as I know you have to use smokeless fuels - can be bought in several places, I get mine from the mini supermarket on Barry Road. Its a source of amusement when I see the expensive shops on LL selling overpriced logs.......

As for folk to come and clean, I have used S. Pearce for the last few years (though it has been the other half who has been in to watch him work). Try him on 0208 699 3713 or 2028857 6511. always clean and tidy, no complaints.

[Magpie]

In theory you are only meant to use smokeless fuels (ie high quality coal) in London, this is as a result of the Clean Air act from the 1950's which eventually stopped the famous London Smogs. However, logs are widely available, and given that only a small proportion of people now actually use their open fires, I doubt the law is enforced.

[Only me!]

Smokeless fuel is the legal requirement, but be careful with smokeless coal. Particularly if you are using an original cast iron fireplace.

The fuel is smokeless as most of the impurities that make the smoke have been removed. Which is good, but does make the fuel burn both cleaner & hotter than the old fashioned rather poor quality coal the cast iron was designed to work with.

Best not to allow a bed of red hot ash to accumulate under the grate as the combined heat from the fire above & the ash below will melt the cast iron & the bars in the grate will literally snap & curl up like a fork's prongs.

The horizontal front bars are not usually affected, as they have a constant flow of cold air rushing across them into the flames.

Regular sweeping is very important, particularly as some of the recycled wood/paper smokeless fuel options produce a prodigious amount of relatively cool soot that sticks readily inside the chimney..

[TarahC]

Great, thank you everyone! We're only renting so we're going to have to stick to the fires. The landlord's given us permission to use them but I'm a bit worried about melting his fireplace now. We'll keep an eye on it.

thanks for everyone's help!

[macroban]

The chance of getting to well over 1000 degrees C in a domestic grate in any circumstances is negligible.

Melting points

[TheMonkeyboy]

Would agree with you Macroban, but in the event of any damage there is an excellent fireplace shop on Lordship Lane who could help you out. I would imagine a grate would be quite cheap. The shop is managed by a chap called Bob and he has always been helpful with advice when I have stepped by.

[Only me!]

Agreed 1000 degrees is unobtainable in a domestic fire, but having bought, sold, repaired, renovated & replaced Fireplaces for several years I feel able to comment that irrespective of the actual "melting point" of cast iron, Victorian cast iron fire grates will deform (not fall into a molten puddle) when sandwiched between a fire & a bed of ash for a period of time. Rendering them unusable. this is partly due to the sometimes poor quality of the metal (poss cast in the 1800's) & as stated, due to the clean & very hot burn of modern fuels.

Regular emptying, certainly before lighting the next fire, of the fallen ash, will help solve the problem. as will mixing the fuels used in each session. Some coal, some wood, as this will also help keep the temp lower.

If the fire is a modern (1960's on) fire brick with a stand alone 4 footed, dog grate, no problem. Burn whatever you wish. But if you are lucky enough to have the Victorian originals, I would advise some caution as replacement period grates & bars are getting rarer to source & replacement may have to involve a Blacksmith, some tricky measurements & a new part that never quite seems to match the original.

[LegalEagle-ish]

I have a fireplace that was covered up when I moved into my house and I've uncovered it. The house is about 1950's I think so not that old and there are pipes at the back which I guess used to hook up to some kind of water bolier but are now not connected to the newer hot water sytem.

I would really like to get a woodburning stove put in there that can hook up to my hot water system, including being able to pump round the radiators. Does anyone know if this is possible and if so, how??

[lpool]

Worth checking Hwam - Hwam Monet has a back boiler option but not sure if it is approved for smoke free zone.

[woofmarkthedog]

Pm'd you.

[TarahC]

Thank you so much for these responses, it's been so useful!! We are only renting so cannot go for the stove option, but we'll get it swept and make a trip to get the proper fuel etc and look forward to the cold weather for a change!!