Lord Herbert wrote on Jul 6
th, 2014 at 8:18am:
austranger wrote on Jul 5
th, 2014 at 9:27pm:
All those problems are solved by use of a combustion heater, they are contained and easily cleaned, efficient burners of fuel and great for heating. Toxic gasses are vented safely, and as long as you choose to use natural woods or coal/coke products you won't bother anyone.
... as long as ... if if if ....
What a load of pre-conditions, 'buts' and 'ifs' to ensure you're not going to force your neighbours to choke on your heating effluent.
The law states that you can use your old inefficient pot-bellied wood-fire heater for as long as it is still usable in your lounge-room, but when and if you buy a new one you then must buy one of the modern double-combusting ones that re-burns the particulates in the flue.
And so ... we who live in the Sydney suburbs will have to wait at least a couple of generations before these old crocks finally go past their Use By date.
Meeeeanwhile we'll just have to keep sucking in the neighbour's carcinogenic toxic fumes ... and there's not a damn thing the law can do about it.
At least it's not as bad as my Italian neighbour's backyard burning bin where before she left for other parts used to burn her granddaughter's disposable nappies and the family's sanitary towels ... with the smell being so disgusting that it could euthanase birds flying over her property.
I was under the impression we
were discussing the purchase of a new one, so we're
both right, in a sense.
Buying wood for a fire is cost-effective for heating, as long as you approach it the same way as any other household purchase. You don't do your regular shopping at deli's and service-stations do you?
There are proper places to buy good firewood and with a little looking around anyone can sort out which is cheaper and/or carries an appropriate supply. I found that it worked out cheaper going into the rural area to buy too, even with the costs of transport included, better wood for lower prices.
If you buy in sufficient quantities most places will deliver too. Chopping up your own wood is also d*mn good exercise, a health plus.
Another tactic that worked for me as an occasional thing, get to know any local tree removalists, they often have wood they're willing to sell cheap, if you have the space to store it as it dries that is, unless it's already well dead and suitable for immediate use, that can and does happen too.
I was lucky with my wood stove, it was a true monster that was installed in the original build and had been set up as the heat source for the whole house from the beginning.
When the house was demolished they had to tear down walls and bring in a crane to remove it! It was shipped to Sydney for auction, I'd love to know what it sold for, people in the supply side suggested it would be several thousand at least! The antique enamel-tin tiling around it was sold at nearly a $thou per square metre, it's a rare antique now! That house also had three beautiful Art-Noveau fireplaces which were sent to auction, in England!