# Chimney suitable only for gas fire?



## eoinoc333 (5 Jan 2009)

Hi,

I have a gas fire. I'm interested in replacing it with a wood burning stove in the next couple of years.

I read that a chimney built only for a gas fire would not be suitable for a solid fuel fire. So, is there a way I can tell whether or not my chimney could take a real fire? It's a 10 y.o. house, semi detached.

Eoin


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## eoinoc333 (6 Jan 2009)

Bump  I wonder if anyone has an idea.


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## Rois (6 Jan 2009)

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=95911

This thread should help - not sure if I copied it in properly but if you search under "want a real fire" you should find it.


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## galleyslave (6 Jan 2009)

my understanding is that it's the chimney flue you need to be concerned about, not the chimney per se. A thin flexible metal flue is fine for gas but not suitable for solid fuel.


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## Concert (6 Jan 2009)

Have had a gas fire and natural gas for past ten years but now I want to change because I find that there is very little heat from gas fire and our downstairs is open plan so impossible to heat.  Disconnecting the gas is the easiest part.

I got somebody from the company who installed our fireplace to look and was told I would need to make adjustments because fireplace inside is not cement, he said it would cost us 1200 euro to do the job, thought it a bit expensive.  Removal of gas would be 80 euros.


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## eoinoc333 (6 Jan 2009)

For €1200, I'd probably just stop using the fireplace and plug the chimney with a chimney balloon!


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## fmc (8 Jan 2009)

If you guys can post pictures I may be able to tell but generally if you look up and see a 8" orange liner then its hould be ok for S/F the fireplace insert and possibly hearth would need to be filled though.


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## eoinoc333 (9 Jan 2009)

fmc said:


> If you guys can post pictures I may be able to tell but generally if you look up and see a 8" orange liner then its hould be ok for S/F the fireplace insert and possibly hearth would need to be filled though.



Well, here goes nothing!


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## DavyJones (9 Jan 2009)

Pull out the fire, stick a hearth in and light a fire. The chimney is lined to take whatever you want to burn. the fire back states something like start with small fire etc. Clearly meaning a solid fuel fire.


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## eoinoc333 (11 Jan 2009)

Good stuff!


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## dubchimsweep (12 Jan 2009)

They will do a posi fit, that means that they will fit an insulated liner with the stove. I take it you have a standard 8" flue, so it should be no problem.


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## noelf (20 Jan 2009)

DavyJones said:


> Pull out the fire, stick a hearth in and light a fire. The chimney is lined to take whatever you want to burn. the fire back states something like start with small fire etc. Clearly meaning a solid fuel fire.


  Right and also correct, do a smoke test too to check the draft, should be ggod though especialy if it has a gas inset fire,smoke matches available from most good plumbing merchants.


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## boogaloo (21 Jan 2009)

Hi, 

I'm in vaguely similar position to OP, with one big distinction - we are only renting our house.
However we have discussed with the landlord and he is willing to allow us to change the gas fireplace to a 'real'/solid fuel fire so long as we put it back to gas when we are moving out.

A few questions please:

First of all, the house has a gas tank in the back garden as opposed to piped gas - should this cause any extra problems?

The gas fire that we currently have is almost purely for ornamental purposes - it never heats up the room, so bad in fact that we've had a superser in the room for the last few months instead   I must go & look to see if there is an orange piping, not sure if there is as the fire seems quite 'shallow'.  

If it could be done, is the cost really 1200?  And similar to put it back to gas when we were moving out?

Lastly, I hope that I am right in saying that an open fire would def be warmer than the current ornamental gas one - it'd nearly have to be!

Other option would just be to move to another rented house that has an open fire but we're quite fond of where we currently are - though spending approx 50 euro on gas a week is def knocking the gloss off it in these tough times....


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