Fireplace

[MrSniff]

As autumn threatens to come calling, I’m looking into installing a focal point fire/place. As an end of terrace we have the opportunity to run a flue for a solid fuel fire, as some others in the development have done (concerns over the health impact of wood burning haven’t reached Luxembourg yet), but the flue would be at a height where I suspect it would affect the top couple of floors of the apartments behind us if the wind was in that direction, which is not what I want.
 

So unless there are stove/flue combinations that are so efficient that simply wouldn’t be a problem (I doubt it, but would be so very happy to be proven wrong), I’m looking at electric or ethanol (no mains gas here), but I’d like it to look real. What have people’s experiences with these been? The Optymist fires look do good, but I’d heard there were some issues with reliability?

 

Thanks.

 

[ProDave]

Surely the flue must be a certain distance above the highest point of the roof.  That may raise issues of ownership / rights to run up there?

 

I like our WBS but I am not convinced they are a good idea in a built up area (which from what little I have seen most of Luxembourg is)

 

 

 

 

 

[MrSniff]

Sorry, I could have been clearer. We have one of the houses on the development, which consists of terraces of six houses along the river Moselle and blocks of apartments about 10m behind. So although the house is three stories, the apartment blocks behind are five stories, so in direct line of the top of the flue I guess. We love the ambiance of a real fire, but would not want others breathing in the by-products of course.

 

Outside of the bigger conurbations, and certainly Luxembourg City, which have quite a high housing densely, most Luxembourg housing is in groupings not much larger than villages - our development is on the edge of a town, but we face the river and open space (German vineyards mostly, producing some quite agreeable wine) beyond.

[ProDave]

Yes my one and only trip through Luxembourg was to get to the Moselle valley in Germany.

 

I don't think I would personally install one in that situation.  We are a very sparsely populated area here and all low rise.  It might not be much fun for the people in the apartments behind you.

[MrSniff]

Thanks, that at least confirms my thoughts (unfortunately).

 

So electric or ethanol it is then, do any Buildhubbers have experience of these, or thoughts on pros and cons of either (and the longevity or otherwise of the Dimplex Optymist fires)?

 

Many thanks.

 

[MrSniff]

So, ethanol it was - quite happy with the effect with the rain lashing down the river outside and a medicinal glass of Fursty Ferret to hand...