Fireplace and other heating options questions

[lurker172602]

We currently have pretty inefficient and expensive electric heaters and are thinking about other options.
I love the ambience of a wood fire, but realise they can be a fair bit of work; getting fire wood, cleaning etc. We used to have a slow combustion fire in our old house about 30 years ago, but I'm sure the technology has come a long way since then. I'm hearing and seeing a bit about the new Eco fires. Does anyone have one? Do they throw out much actual heat, or are they really just for "the look".
If you have a "real" fire would you reinstall one given the choice?

Any opinions gratefully received 🙂

[debra9275]

We have an open fire place, but we only use it when we feel like it, because it's a bit of work. We also have a rinnai energy saver gas heater that we love. As for electric heaters, I like them to have a fan, convection heaters just don't seem to create enough warmth IMO. We have had them but I found them expensive to run too. Not sure what state you're in lurker & how much warmth you need lol

My parents have a gas fire that is like an open fire , it's glassed at the front and throws a fair bit of heat. Can't remember what
brand it is

To be honest I've never found an electric heater that I've been really happy with .

[*crikey*mate*]

what's wrong with a blanket and a pair of slippers?

[kabarine]

We have wood heater, bought it brand new for this winter. I find it heats most of our house and we live in quite a cold area. Down side is they do make a mess and need to be emptied every few days. Ours has a draw underneath where you can drop all the ash into, then remove and empty. Unless you have access to free  wood, thye can be expensive eg $80 a metre for red gum in my area and you can go through 4/5 metres in a season. If you can cut your own wood, it's much cheaper but then you need to own a fairly good chainsaw. We also have split system in the same  room which I rarely use, plus a wall mounted a/c in the sun/family room which I do use sometimes.  Having said that, I love our wood heater at night, it's lovely n cosy to sit by and relax 🙂

[jenni200011]

We have a wood heater that heats a good deal of the house..Nothing beats the beautiful cosy heat it gives out..When we extended the house we put a split system in lounge as i didnt want dust in that room from cleaning another wood heater..That room is warmish but not cosy or pratical to run all day with higher cost..Our wood heater is really close to our plaster wall now ( older types couldnt be as the outside would get to hot to be safe and a greater distance had to be left between)..Also it has a fan which you can switch on but we find we dont need it..We have the room to store heaps of wood here so cost wise its brilliant..People give us old fence's and we take what ever is offered that burns safely..we also collect wood from forest when we are allowed and cut up any fallen trees ect we get from wind damage ..ect..Hubby has a great chainsaw & saw bench and we do all the chopping mainly in warmer season & stack away for winter use..

[debra9275]

We're whittling our way through an old fence we have stashed in our garden too Jenni, it's been great to burn

[cherples]

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

what's wrong with a blanket and a pair of slippers?

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Nothing, if you live far enough north and close enough to the sea.

[fourandsixpants]

to cherples

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

what's wrong with a blanket and a pair of slippers?

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Nothing, if you live far enough north and close enough to the sea.

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* way over the head......WHOOSH!

[crystal**flake]

I hate wood fires, they should be banned from suburbia!!!

If we need the heater on we use the airco.  Apparently it is the cheapest form of heating.