Fireplace Upstairs

[TirNaNog]

We are currently in building a two storey house and are thinking of building a solid fuel fireplace upstairs in one of the bedrooms. I would be interested in hearing opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of doing this and any potential problems to watch out for if anyone has done this before?

Thanks.

 

[sydthebeat]

the more open flues you have in a house the less energy efficient it will be... open solid fuel fires may only be 25-30% efficient... where as a stove would be 75-85% efficient......

are you installing a timber first floor or concrete???

 

[TirNaNog]

We are putting in concrete first floor using 210mm hollowcore slabs with a 3" structural screed over the slabs.

 

[secman]

Just musing here, logging all the kindle, coal, etc up the stairs.......... and carrying the ash remains down ............... Eh no thanks .

Yours

Secman

 

[Towger]

Just musing here, logging all the kindle, coal, etc up the stairs.......... and carrying the ash remains down ............... Eh no thanks .

That was my thought as well, in the days when all middle class Irish houses had fires in their bedrooms, we also had maids to do the look after them. I would go for gas with a balanced flue, you can get 86% efficiency with one of these [broken link removed] . I was looking at them recently, the styles have all have different names and more are available than in the link, but the Gazco Logic E-Box is the most efficient fire/internals I could find. It is a convector with a glass screen in front, they run at about 1100 euro.

Another advantage is the 'Thermostatic Remote Control', easy to control from the bed with no getting up to upen a window when the room gets too hot and when waking up freezing in the middle of the night after the fire goes out!

Towger

 

[TirNaNog]

Would there be any reason to be fearful of having gas piped to an appliance in a bedroom?

 

[sydthebeat]

as long as the bedroom complies with the proper ventilation regulations for gas fires then no....

 

[Towger]

Would there be any reason to be fearful of having gas piped to an appliance in a bedroom?

No. Once you have the required ventilation and I don't think you need a vent of the type of fire suggested. Many an older house would have gas files in all the rooms and before that gas lights.

 

[nam76loc]

I put a kedco bio ethanol fire in mine, looks the part and you get a real flame.