On 21/11/2019 12:35, alan_m wrote:
On 21/11/2019 11:34, Martin Brown wrote:

I have never used firelighters. If you build the fire right it will
always catch from newspaper unless your wood is too damp.

Friends have a dual fuel burner and when moving into the property was
told it was very difficult to light. The chimney sweep told them that it
was a common problem because the first time after being left without a
fire for a lengthy period the metal flue liner (in a traditional chimney
stack) was too cold and had more of a down-draft rather than an
up-draft. He advised using firelighters for the first lighting. The

I've never had that problem even from first install when they tested it
from new in midsummer it lit first time with minimal effort.

The only time it can be difficult to light is when the fire has been
laid but not lit for weeks and then is needed on a particularly cold
evening. Even so opening the door a crack usually gets it going.

advice was ignored at first and the fire was lit with newspaper, small
dry sticks etc. and it refused to catch or stay alight for more than a
few minutes. Firelighters were obtained and these kept the flames going
long enough for the flue liner to heat up and then there was a
transformation with air being drawn up through the system. Subsequent
lightings were no problem probably because the latent heat from the
brick chimney stack kept the flue warm enough.

Never had any problems with the draw on the chimney. That is unless the
baffle needs cleaning which is weekly routine maintenance in season.

Mine is a Charnwood with a back boiler. You don't get as much heat
directly into the room but it can supply hot water and power the
central heating system too except in the coldest weather.

The stove mentioned above did not heat water nor support CH but pushed
out a great deal of heat when wood/coal consumption was high (air vents
fully open and a roaring fire). Wood could not be stored beside the
stove because after around an hour it started smoking!Â* I suggest not an
ideal heating method if you have small children around.

That is what fireguards are for. Mine has one of the TEC powered fans on
top which moves the trapped warm air out of the fireplace enclosure into
the main room. They make quite a difference.

You get a fair bit more power out of it when burning coal. To keep it
going overnight it isn't a bad idea to put a couple of pieces of dense
smokeless fuel in even when the grate is configured for burning wood.
Mine quite often gets relit from the embers in the late afternoon.

If coal was used overnight and the stove turned it down it could relight
logs from the embers in the morning, if required.

The stove (in a kitchen) is somewhat redundant now that oil CH has been
installed.

Although I have oil CH the oil is more expensive than scrap wood.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown