wrote in message
ps.com...
Hi Folks,

We currently have a gas fire in our living room, its an imitation with
life like coals etc. We never really use it and have a great fondness
for our parents open fires at home. They of course live on a farm and
have access to turf and wood and such. We are now thinking about
replacing the gas fire with either a stove or just an open fire grate.
The stove we're looking at is a waterford stanley as seen he

http://www.waterfordstanley.com/stanley_stv/oisin.htm

We arent going down the back boiler route as we dont want the hassle of
running pipes etc. The fire would probably be mainly used during the
day as my wife is at home with the kids each day. Currently we have the
gas central heating running which is expensive enough. We're in a 4 bed
semi detached. The idea would be the stove would heat the living space
and spare the gas heating for evening/early morning. Its not really an
energy saving idea though. We just want the warmt of a real fire in the
house.

We're in a bit of a dilema of whether to go for an open fire - buy a
grate/fire back and put that in or to go with the stove. My impression
of the Stoves are they would be more effecient and possibly cleaner but
I dont know.

Any advice on which option to go for would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Mick

As posted above (or maybe below), a stove is V much more efficient than an
open fire.
Both require solid fuel and space to store that fuel.
I installed a woodburner in 1984 which continues to provide all my CH & DHW
from Sep/Oct through to Feb/March, it burns 24/7. I have never had to
purchase any fuel but it does take a good weekend to cut, split and stack 5
tons of wood/year also you would want to acquire next years fuel in order
for it to season.
Just a few thoughts:
Your wife is at home with the children all day; presumably they are young.
They won't stay that way for long. Cherish them.
Back to the point. A stove will have a glass door (doors), it can be turned
right down and left safely, you can't do that with an open fire.
Safer for children too, if they are taught not to touch.
I don't know the ecofriendliness of a woodburner these days but I live in a
semi-rural area close to an airport and a huge incineration plant. I imagine
my output is negligible to the local area.
If you go the stove route and put it around locally that you are looking for
logs you might be surprised at the qty available. This of course involves
time in cutting, gathering & transporting. Then preparing & splitting etc.
In short, I give a big thumbs up to a good stove. In my case it takes at
least a long weekend of hard work per year. In return I get very friendly
heating & hot water, negligible gas bills, proper roasted chestnuts and,
perhaps best of all, decently toasted crumpet occasionally!
hth