Coal fire versus gas fire?

[mrs.chappie]

Anyone lived in a house with a coal fire, then moved to a house with a gas fire? Or vice-versa?

We had a coal fire then moved to a gas fire. My OH misses the coal fire and wants to get the gas fire removed and a fireplace built, to give us a coal fire again. We've got central heating so it would really only be for additional heat, he just likes to watch a real fire burning.

Anyone any views/opinion please? Thanks. x

[mike11111]

When I was 8 we went to stay for a month with my mother's aunt in Eire. Most houses had peat fires, or 'turf' as they called it. Coal was only for the very well-off. I remember passing a shop in Castlebar with the sign 'Turf Accountant'. I assumed it was the Irish equivalent of 'Coal Merchant'. My mother had to explain as at the time betting shops were illegal in Britain.

[naomi24]

It depends whether you mind cleaning it out and setting it, Mrs C. Personally I don't mind at all. It takes just a few minutes. I love my real fire, I light it every day (well, at least the moment the weather gets a bit chilly), and I'd never buy a house without an open fireplace or two. There's no comparison between a real fire and a gas fire.

[RATTER15]

We have the "Clearview Vision 500 in ludwigs link" but ours is gas fuelled, a great fire!! and we also have it in a fireplace almost identical to that one as well :-)

[Diane1954]

We have everything. We have a gas fire in living room but a wood/coal burning stove in kitchen which also heats radiators.The stove doesn't heat downstairs as well as I thought it would but does keep upstairs warm.We also have a gas back boiler to use as a boost or early morning when fire has died down.Wouldn't be without any of them.Love the stove but also love the instant gas fire heat.

[Count-A-Strong]

Just sat here in front of a roaring fire with the snow coming down ( fast n thick) outside. Marvelous.

[tigerlelly]

With the price of gas as it is and with the threat of the gas supply being cut off or running out we're going to have a multi-fuel burner put in as back up. No more shredding either which is a bonus.

[pastafreak]

Oh gosh...do I miss having a fireplace!..whether gas-fired-we had a very realistic one...or a proper open fire with tons of somewhat smelly logs in it...lol
Go for it...you are 90% there anyway-you don't really need us to convince you. ;-)

[mrs.chappie]

Hey, thanks for replies peeps, much appreciated. x

Does anyone know if we would need planning permission/building inspector checks?

Pasta, you're right ... I was hoping for some positive feedback and I'm soooo pleased to have got it.

Ludwig, that link made very interesting reading. We have a short break booked in a cottage with a woodburner, was looking forward to it but I'm not sure if we'll be able to go - I'm worried about driving in the snow and ice. :o(

[rhinoinyork]

we took our gas fire out and went back to an open fire. lot of messing about cleaning it on a morning, but WELL WORTH THE MESS. Wouldn't go back to gas fire

[askyourgran]

I'm on the fence here. My daughter has a real fire, it's lovely, logs crackling, and you can get rid of your rubbish at the same time. Except the next morning you have the ashes to clear out and the fire to re-lay, when it's cold. Today my central heating hasn't come on, and we are waiting for the engineer. It's cold and I've put the gas fire on for instant heat. lovely.

[mrs.chappie]

Thanks rhino and gran.

Gran, I know what you mean. The coal fire used to be our only means of heat when we lived in North Yorks. We used to get up to a freezing house in the winter. This time it will be for additional heat as we have central heating in our new place.

Hope you've got your central heating fixed. It couldn't have gone up the spout at a worse time, eh? What a bu88er. :o(

[welshlibranr]

We have gas central heating, but I wish we had a coal fire too!...........really miss having one!............You can't beat sitting in front of a real fire in weather like this!.....

[mrs.chappie]

Agreed, welsh. It'll be quite an upheaval, I think, but worth it in the end.

[welshlibranr]

I'm sure it's worth it Mrs C, my neighbour has just opened up the chimney and installed a multi burner, he can burn wood or coal, he swears by it!.......Downside is that every weekend he's out there with his chainsaw cutting up his logs, he makes a hell of a din!..................

[mrs.chappie]

Welsh, have you got a fireplace you could open up?

Then you could ask the neighbour to cut up some logs for you. Would make it easier to put up with the awful racket. :o)

[welshlibranr]

No Mrs C, our fireplaces were all sealed off before we moved in here!.......So no way back!.................