"Huge" wrote in message
...
We have an open fireplace in our sitting room.

But ... after my efforts in draughtproofing the house, it doesn't
really draw properly, so now we have to have the sitting room door
open and it sucks in a chilly gale from the hall. And it was
always the case that I suspected it actually cooled the house
down by sucking nice warm oil-heated air out of the sitting
room and blowing it up the chimney.

Are you sure you have the necessary ratio of fire opening (3' x 4' in your
case) to flue cross sectional area.
The flue should be 15% of the opening, so that means you need a flue of 16"
x 16". Which is pretty huge.
If not, then you need to reduce the opening size with masonary.


Or ... I was also thinking about a wood-burning stove. Can you
get those with an arrangement to pipe their air in from outside? And
how much do they cost (installed)? You have to sleeve the flue, don't
you?

You may well not need any additional ventilation with a wood burner, or just
1500mm²

--
Mike W