Fire place on cool night

[Bbdakota]

So off topic! I didn't realize how much I enjoy a fire in the fire place until tonight. I put a metal roof on my place about 4 years and remember being in such a hurry I put runners against the chimney pipe. Not wanting to risk a fire, I refuse to start a fire in the fire place until I cut the boards clear of the pipe. Cut the boards yesterday, resealed the penetration and started a fire. Man I love the smell of a fire! 

[lonejacklarry]

I always liked the smell of a fireplace, too.  What I didn't like was the cutting wood, trying to dry it, making a mess carrying it in, and the probability of bugs being introduced.

 

So this time we have an electric fireplace that operates at the flip of a switch.  No bugs or mess but it surely does not smell the same.  This is our fourth (and last) house and the other three had fireplaces.  I'm a slow learner.

 

Enjoy your fireplace!

Edited January 1, 2020 by lonejacklarry

[Plymouthy Adams]

I do not miss the mess of an indoor fireplace....yet, I still have two fireplaces but it has been years since I used them.  I finally hooked up my hydronic unit a few years back and the mess, smell, bugs and risk of chimney fires is all out and good bit away from the house.  Yes I clean my chimney annually and I also utilized TSP for creosote prevention...while it does a good job..the risk is there.  With the outdoor unit I now can leave the fire burning and not be concerned if I should have to leave the house for anything.  Everything is automatic except the monkey loading the wood into the chamber.  I do still burn an open fire on the newly built patio and fire pit. I have some cypress chunks that is pure 'aroma therapy' so I still get to enjoy an open fire...

[Dodgeed]

I used to love the smell and look of my fireplace too. I used to burn one to two cords of wood each season. But, when I moved into another place, which had two fireplaces, I decided the mess, work, cost, and clean up just wasn't worth the effort and bother. I stuffed insulation into both flu areas, enclosed the opening w/glass doors, and never bothered to think about a fire again. When I sold that place 22 years later, I warned the new owner about the insulation. My place now only has the one fire place, but again, no fires, and insulation stuffed around the leaking flu.  In my rentals I've also blocked off the fireplaces, and told the tenants, no fires. ??

[keithb7]

Natural gas fire places over here in my home. Looking out the window, the snow is coming down and piling up. A rye in the one hand, relaxing on the couch...Who cares?....About anything.

Edited January 3, 2020 by keithb7

[Dan Hiebert]

Nice!  That's probably the one thing I wish our current abode had.  Haven't had a wood fireplace since we lived in NM, really miss the warmth, smell, ambiance, etc.  I enjoyed the wood gathering process, too, albeit 20 years ago.  We've got a wood pellet stove in the shop/garage that adds a nice aroma to the yard, but that's not the same.

[keithb7]

We lived farther north in Canada years ago. We installed a modern air tight wood stove in our basement. It became our single heat source for home. We had a natural furnace and never turned it on. We burned a lot of wood. Which meant a lot of work. We harvested, split and dried our own wood. From the forest to our stove. Just my wife and I. It was hard work but we were young. For about 7 years we lived in t-shirts and shorts in our home. -40 outside? Knock on my door, I’m answering in shorts. Lol. It was so cozy!

Edited January 5, 2020 by keithb7

[Bbdakota]

6 hours ago, keithb7 said:

We lived farther north in Canada years ago. We installed a modern air tight wood stove in our basement. It became our single heat source for home. We had a natural furnace and never turned it on. We burned a lot of wood. Which meant a lot of work. We harvested, split and dried our own wood. Just my wife and I. It was hard work but we were young. For about 7 years we lived in t-shirts and shorts in out home. -40 outside? Knock on my door, I’m answering in shorts. Lol. It was so cozy!

40 below! I believe this southern boy wouldn't make it! 

When I was a kid, a wood burning stove was our only source of heat. It's amazing how much wood is needed. We chopped and split wood at least every other day on average. 

Now-a-days, I buy a truck load and only light a fire for the joy of having/ smelling a fire. A truck load will last me over a season but we don't have as many cold days/ nights as you folks up north. I'm 7 miles off the gulf coast and that's almost too far north for me!

[Dodgeed]

17 hours ago, keithb7 said:

We lived farther north in Canada years ago. We installed a modern air tight wood stove in our basement. It became our single heat source for home. We had a natural furnace and never turned it on. We burned a lot of wood. Which meant a lot of work. We harvested, split and dried our own wood. From the forest to our stove. Just my wife and I. It was hard work but we were young. For about 7 years we lived in t-shirts and shorts in our home. -40 outside? Knock on my door, I’m answering in shorts. Lol. It was so cozy!

I can't even imagine 40 degrees below zero. The coldest I've experienced was minus 25, but, that was in the Pittsburgh, PA, USA area, not known especially for Arctic weather. ?

[keithb7]

After -30 or so it all seems to feel the same. Funny things happen like your breath frosting up on your face, beard, hair, eyebrows. You breathe in through your nose and inside your nose freezes up. Car tires feel square. Manual transmissions stiff and hard to shift. Vinyl car seats may crack when you sit on them. All sorts of fun stuff