Need advice for turning empty hearth into functional fire

[dundalkbob]

Hi,

I've recently moved to a house where we just have an empty fireplace now. I'm wondering what we need to do in order to get this up and running.

An all night burner should work?

What about the metal surround at the edge of the fire itself, it looks likes it's raised a little on both sides of it on the outside and the internal part of this surround looks like it has a crack around the edge of the surround. The rest of the back looks fine. Would I need to replace this surround? or repair?

Any advice is appreciated. I've linked to a few pics.

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Thanks

 

[begreen]

Welcome. No links showing. Can you post the pictures directly here?
Have you had a certified sweep out to inspect and clean the chimney and verify that it is ready to accept a stove with a stainless liner?

 

[dundalkbob]

Oh sorry, link included now
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kwn48m6qt1pbfnn/AABxreMVYaOQQO90SbjCu4JEa?dl=0
Im actually looking to have an open fire rather than a stove

 

[revdocjim]

I'm confused. You say the fireplace is empty... what do you mean by that? It sounds like you want to put an insert into an existing fireplace but the pictures make it look like there already is some sort of insert. And also you asked about wanting something that will burn all night but then in your last post you said you wanted an open fire. There is no such thing as an open fire that will burn all night. EPA approved stoves and inserts, especially catalytic ones can often get very long burn times.

 

[dundalkbob]

Sorry no, I think you've taken me up wrong. I'm just looking to know what I need to do to get it up and running as an open fire. This is what I mean by an all night burner
http://www.amazon.co.uk/16-Lattice-Night-Burner-Coal/dp/B0076YLO4E

 

[dundalkbob]

Will one of these do the trick? And what else would I need to do

 

[Simonkenton]

That is a very shallow fireplace. Either that is the ultimate Rumford, or that is a coal burning fireplace.

 

[begreen]

It could be a mulitfuel fireplace. For safety you will need to have it locally inspected. Ask if there is a fire screen option or the option to remove the stove and turn this into an open fireplace with a screen.

 

[rwhite]

I'm confused on the pics. The first 6 show an open fireplace and #7 has the door and grate installed. I'm guessing that it is intended to be installed that way. Is that a coal grate in the picture? So are you asking if you can remove the grate system and install the one that you referenced from amazon? I can't really tell but it looks as if your air vent is at the top of the door which may prove difficult to pull air under the coal.

 

[dundalkbob]

Sorry number 7 shouldn't have been included in those pics, I've updated now. So basically I have the fireplace like that in the pics and looking to know what I need to get it ready for light fires. Coal/wood

 

[dundalkbob]

Also the pic from Amazon was only an example to show what an all night burner is. I don't necessarily want that one, just wondering if that's the type of thing I need to get, or what exactly do I need

 

[rwhite]

Also the pic from Amazon was only an example to show what an all night burner is. I don't necessarily want that one, just wondering if that's the type of thing I need to get, or what exactly do I need

I agree with others that a complete inspection is in order. I'm not familiar with that type of fireplace to know whether the "crack" around the frame is significant or not. Is the insert a metal box or just a surround for a masonry fireplace? Personally I think the one that did have in picture #7 would have heated better. On the issue of an all nighter, looks like a neat gadget. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that over here. I would have to defer to the inspector and see if that device is compatible with your fireplace.

Will they actually burn all night in an open fireplace? The issue I always had with my open fireplace is that they need a lot of air. So they are sucking all the warm air out of the room while burning then drain all the cold air in when they go out.

 

[begreen]

I would visit some stove shops with the pictures and ask about options. You have several manufacturers of small stoves that we don't have in North America. There probably is a nice small stove or hearth-mounted fire with a screen option that will fit there perfectly.

http://www.stovax.com/
http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/wood_burning_stoves/Woodburning-Stoves-and-Multifuel-Stoves.html