The Psychology of Visual Heating

[ToughButterCup]

She wants a fire. One she can see. One visitors can see. FFS folks. Whassa bloke to do?

 

Make the house warm all the bloody time, - underfloor heat - and when folks come, but can't see a fire, it's cold somehow (?)

I've a good mind to put a log burner in. 🥵

[Pocster]

Photo of me - I’m hot 👍

[SteamyTea]

Give her 20 quid and tell her to take her mates to the pub.

 

Odd how smoking is going to be banned in pub gardens, but open log fires inside the building isn't.

[JohnMo]

11 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

She wants a fire.

I installed one, for the same reason. We use occasionally, have a mountain of wood to burn anyway. But house is on 24/7 WC, maybe may get loaded when we start to go sub zero.

[MikeSharp01]

36 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

 

 

I've a good mind to put a log burner in. 🥵

Create a fireplace outside ' you have that amazing veranda / lougia  We just stayed in a PH place in Skye with a log burner - we light it up and flung open all the windows stripped to our undies - not a pretty sight, perhaps marginally worse than a picture of pocster.

[SteamyTea]

26 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Create a fireplace outside

As most of you know, for a number of reasons, I think 'real fires' are pointless.

But I have often wondered why they are not fitted outside. You can have a fire and airtight windows in the wall for the visuals and a bit of heat, but all the nasties only affect your neighbours.

 

Now I seem to remember that the OP, @ToughButterCup, complained about his neighbour's cess pit smells.

 

'do unto others as you would have done to yourself'

Edited October 18 by SteamyTea

[scottishjohn]

you won,t be suprosed that my wonderful wife also has a monster fireplace on her plans for  room that faces the balcony 

made from granite as you might suspect 

 that is definately well down my list of thihgs to do

If any of you watched  the series  "yellwostone"

 she wants it made like the outside pillars on the house 

 so i wll have to make a granite tumbler as non of my granite is round and look like they came from a river .

well down the list 

[Sparrowhawk]

Got gas? We stayed in a holiday cottage in Corbridge a few years back with a modern style gas fire in the loung - like the 3rd photo on https://elainesstoves.com/gas-stoves-fires/

Very effective and didn't put out much heat so I could use it in June.

[Sparrowhawk]

Or:

TV screen. Small radiant heat source next to it for 'effect'.
This on loop

on

[ToughButterCup]

Hey lads, I've had an idea. How about one of those calor gask space heaters that you find in cafes outside on the street?

[Adrian Walker]

I have DVD of a fire burning. Would you like a copy?

[Conor]

1 hour ago, Sparrowhawk said:

Or:

TV screen. Small radiant heat source next to it for 'effect'.
This on loop

on

I have a 10year+ old 42" LCD TV I got off gumtree that gets as hot as a radiator. Genuinely warms a room. Perfect idea.

[scottishjohn]

I would go for a dimplex optimyst by choice ,but had 2 and they do not last long ,but the flame effect cannot be beaten ,the other down side is they use 4 or more  45w halogen bulbs to light up the water mist 

 the idea is great ,but not happy with the relaibility 

[Iceverge]

1 hour ago, Adrian Walker said:

I have DVD of a fire burning. Would you like a copy?

 

Can you burn me a copy? 

[Iceverge]

Visual stimulation and inflated heat.

 

 

One of these 

 

 

 

And one of these.

 

 

 

 

[G and J]

12 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

 

Can you burn me a copy? 

It won’t burn for a full evening Iceverge lol

 

 

We are planning a pointless heavy metal contraption in our snug area.  I will admit it’s more me that wants it than J.  For many years we’ve had a fire each cold night so it’s kinda built into my psyche - having three wood burners and a couple of chainsaws does that to a man.  
 

But we are making so many über sensible decisions and being all grown up about the rest of the build that I’m ok with this irrational aberration.  When we light it it will cause the ASHP to use less leccy (somehow!) and I’ve a cunning plan involving a spirit burner for when it’s not cold enough.   
 

And @MikeSharp01, I just knew there would be unexpected downsides to passive houses!

[ToughButterCup]

Well @Iceverge, we've already got a fish tank and (the equivalent of) an electric fire. £40 worth of pure joy from Aldi. An hour with it on it's lowest setting and we need to switch it off.

 

No : she needs summat to LOOK AT.  FFS. A focal point. Summat to warm cockles not flesh. We're already warm enough.

 

And all because everyone visiting - we've had more than normal this summer -asks "Where's your fireplace?" The crunch came when the electricians (two really nice lads) asked that question - after saying 

 

"Hey it's warm in 'ere innit."

 

 

[G and J]

I need a focal point in a relaxing room that isn’t a tv.  We go to great lengths to hide our AV as it’s rude and ugly to my eyes (and that’s my job so I won’t live with competition on that one).

 

I’ve been in way too many living rooms with no fire and a huge TV glaring down at me to accept such.

 

And I think somewhere deep down in my DNA is the feeling that fire means safety and survival, so one can relax fir a bit as the dinosaurs won’t get me while the fires on.   I did say it was irrational.

 

We've looked hard at various electric faux fires and they are coming on, but they’re a way off yet.

[ToughButterCup]

15 minutes ago, G and J said:

... but they’re a way off yet.

 

Exactly. 

Business opportunity for someone then?

[Kelvin]

This was the only point of contention with our build. Other half wanted one because she’s always had one and I didn’t for several reasons. In the end we didn’t fit one (not because I won the argument) We also don’t have a TV in our main living room. We do have a big picture where the cabling for a TV is. The view from our living room is terrific so that’s the focal point during the day. We have a separate dedicated TV room and we use that in the evenings. 

Edited October 19 by Kelvin

[Iceverge]

57 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

No : she needs summat to LOOK AT.  FFS. A focal point. Summat to warm cockles not flesh. We're already warm enough.

 

Put the electric fire into the fish tank.

 

That'll both warm the cockles and be entertaining to look at. 

[ToughButterCup]

2 hours ago, Iceverge said:

Put the electric fire into the fish tank.....

 

You bad man. Almost as bad as @Pocster

[G and J]

11 hours ago, ToughButterCup said:

 

You bad man. Almost as bad as @Pocster

So the fish tank has electric eels and stingrays huh?

[ToughButterCup]

Might as well have. At least they'd be a focal-friggin-point. 

 

"Oh look sweetheart if you poke that fish you get a real buzzzz"

 

I've been playing this Self Build game now for 9 years... Made stirling efforts to incorporate good design practice, included key people in design discussions , tried to build to higher build standards than needed - and still 

 

= Plug sockets in the wrong places (6)

= No focal point in the sitting room 

= 6 years behind schedule

= Absolutely exhausted 

 

And she hits me with an absence of focus . 

 

Welcome to the Principal Designer role dear. 

 

What goes where, by when and how much do you want to spend?

 

Don't misunderstand me. I'm one of the most overpriviledged people I know - all I've done for these last years is get out of bed and build a house every working day. Don't have to do a real job like most of us. 

 

I'm just thoroughly, deeply knackered. It's time to move on. Time to give others to the job and sign cheques.

 

 

 

[Sparrowhawk]

1 hour ago, ToughButterCup said:

Plug sockets in the wrong places (6)

 

Do tell.

 

We're adding sockets room by room as we work through the house. The first room we've done I've made good the chases and almost finished replastering, when my dearly loved one sticks her head round the door and says "I've changed my plans for the room, the sockets aren't now where I need them". #$@&%*!