Open fireplace....worth using?

[PiKe]

Get the chimney swept and have it smoke tested where they light a smoke 'bomb' in the fire place and check the upstairs rooms and loft for leakage as well as the out side.
Check to see if you are in a smoke control zone before using logs or smokey coal. The trouble with burning just logs is getting the temperature right as you can produce tar and other oils which stick to the chimney sides and have a habit of combustion after years of build up

Isn't this why you should have your chimney swept regularly?

 

[a1ex2001]

Isn't this why you should have your chimney swept regularly?

Yes it is, once a year is more than enough unless you are using the fire contonuously day in day out then you might want to consider doing it more often.

We had our fireplace re-instated sadly the chimney linning had degraded so it leaked badly which meant we had to fork out for a solid fuel liner still wouldn't change it for the world brilliant and means in the winter we have the living room toasty and turn the heating off!

 

[Richie]

You use coal and wood for different things in a fire. Wood is for burning and giving out lots of intense heat whereas the coal is used to give the fire a good "heart". Although coal also gives out good heat, its not quite as intense as wood which burns hot and fast.