Removing Fireplace/mantle piece in home and replacing with what?

melmac

melmac

melmac

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I have 4 open fireplaces in my newly acquired, but old, house. 2 in the bedrooms, one in the Kitchen and one in the Living room. I originally planned to just seal up the fireplaces/chimneys in the bedrooms and removed the mantlepieces. Then to tidy up the mantlepieces in the Kitchen and Living room and maybe put in stoves.

However after thinking about the ever increasing regulations on burning coal/wood etc. I am now considering sealing the chimneys and fireplaces in the Kitchen and Living room and removing the mantle pieces as well. Then putting in Electric fire inserts.

I am not very well up on these kinds of things. Apart from looks, what difference is there between any of them?

Is there anything that I should be aware of before getting this done? Any other type of fire insert I could use? Something that I am not aware of.

Just for information, over the next year I plan to improving the insulation and replace the windows. And I also plan to put Solar PV panels on the roof.
 
I live in a town where half the houses have had their period features ripped out, and another half where they have been turned into a feature. The latter are much, much, more desirable.
 
dLockers said:
I live in a town where half the houses have had their period features ripped out, and another half where they have been turned into a feature. The latter are much, much, more desirable.
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This house doesn't have period features. It's a bland 1950's built by two people who cared only about function not form.
 
SimonR said:
Maybe get the chimneys swept and capped if they are not going to be used again?
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MatsyLR said:
Get it swept, capped and covered up.
Chimneys or "features" serve no purpose its just taking up space.
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Thanks Guys, yeah, that's what I am going to do. But, I am not really asking advice about that side of things. As I said in my OP, I am going to be sealing the chimneys.

What I am looking for is advice on what to put in place of the fireplaces that I am taking out. Whether electric fire inserts are a good idea. Or are there any other options that don't involve burning fossil fuels and can be inserted into space where the old fireplaces were.
 
Honestly I'd remove any mantles and surrounds and board over them if they are not attractive surrounds. Even when capped they can be a heat sink, so no I wouldn't put anything in them, just block them up.
 
SimonR said:
Honestly I'd remove any mantles and surrounds and board over them if they are not attractive surrounds. Even when capped they can be a heat sink, so no I wouldn't put anything in them, just block them up.
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That's what I am doing with the fireplaces in the bedroom.

But, I want to put something into the Kitchen and Sitting Room. I want something like this.

RCW9Hvy.jpg


And I am asking for advice about them or is there something else/better I can use instead. And if there isn't anything better, are there any better types of Electrical insert to get over others. I don't even know if there are "types" Or if even one model is more efficient than the other. And aside from the cost of running them, are there are any pitfalls to owning one?
 
melmac said:
There won't be a TV above the fire. I just found that image from google and posted to show an example of an Electric fire insert, ie what I am asking about. Since the only advice I was getting was about stuff I wasn't asking about.
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Not sure what you expected to hear. It's a fireplace. Brick it up and put an electric one in or don't, it's a hole in the wall.

Integrated floating fire place is part of the grey carpet corner sofa live,laugh,love generation.
 
dLockers said:
Not sure what you expected to hear. It's a fireplace. Brick it up and put an electric one in or don't, it's a hole in the wall.

Integrated floating fire place is part of the grey carpet corner sofa live,laugh,love generation.
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I definitely didn't want to hear you cry about modern day decor.

I was asking advice on the Electric fire itself. Is there any ones that are better than others or if there is anything out there better than an electric fire.
 
melmac said:
if there is anything out there better than an electric fire.
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Well you have gas or log burner. I have a gazco electric fire, it's decent. I wanted electric rather than gas because sometimes I just want the flames not the heat.. I have a 2 sided inset fire in a corner which I custom installed myself, tiled floor to ceiling and I like it, @dLockers probably thinks that is shameful :D
 
I am in the same position, either going to brick up the fireplace or put an electric one there. Would love to get the chimney stack removed from the roof as well, wouldn't have to worry about ventilation if there is no stack on the roof or opening into the house etc.
 
melmac said:
There won't be a TV above the fire. I just found that image from google and posted to show an example of an Electric fire insert, ie what I am asking about. Since the only advice I was getting was about stuff I wasn't asking about.
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Yep - A lot of people on here and other topics skim read.

I can't help much but I concreted a safe into my spare bedroom chimney breast then just panelled over -Left cast iron surround in place.

Ps - I capped all unused chimney pots with vented caps.
 
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Don't you end up with a void that would be prone to damp? Do you need to put vents in when you put these in?

Interested as I'd consider similar in my house
 
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