Rendall Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 I'm drawing up some BTU calculations for our project. Somehow my original finger in the air estimate of 80,000 has come out on my more detailed room by room calculations as....80,000. (I'm bearing in my mind the fact that I can be equally wrong twice!) Anyhow, one front room comes out as 14000 of that (it has a large bay window and a suspended wooden floor above a cellar). We'll get a couple of good sized radiators in there, but there is also a open fire. We'll not put a woodburner in that room (yet to see any that look good with the sort of Victorian fireplace surround it has) but I'm wondering if anyone has a rough BTU for what a standard size open wood fire will generate when it's going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 About 5000 BTU or 1.5Kw as 70-80% of the heat goes up the chimney 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 10 minutes ago, PeterW said: About 5000 BTU or 1.5Kw as 70-80% of the heat goes up the chimney And it will be horendous for air tightness and even when not is use heat will constantly go up the chimney. Fit a stove with a sealed flue, and ideally ducted air intake straight from outside (i.e.room sealed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Have a look on Pinterest for some ideas of stoves that may suit your fireplace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 (edited) If house is old +leaky do you have rooms big enough to make new insulated walls inside old ones and drop your heat requirements big time concentrate on getting fabric of building right and energy requirements will plummet making all your other choices much easier and cost to run a fraction of what it will be now fabric of building first --always and if trying to run off grid it is paramount to your goal can you afford to loose 6" of room space on out side walls , then mega insulation in loft space you could also wrap it on outside if that is easier . non of these would as good as building to new house spec --bu just chucking energy at old house is bonkers you will need twice as much,or more and will be doing it for ever - Edited February 17, 2019 by scottishjohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rendall Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 11 hours ago, scottishjohn said: do you have rooms big enough to make new insulated walls inside old ones and drop your heat requirements big time That's an option for some internal rooms (as are wood burners), but not for this one in question as that has ornate plaster coving (and it's listed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Rendall said: That's an option for some internal rooms (as are wood burners), but not for this one in question as that has ornate plaster coving (and it's listed). don,t know if its possible -- it sounds like lathe +plaster -- and lime mortared walls will breathe outwards could it be foam filled behind it which might also make it a VCL someone else will say if this works or not Edited February 18, 2019 by scottishjohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rendall Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 4 hours ago, scottishjohn said: don,t know if its possible -- it sounds like lathe +plaster -- and lime mortared walls will breathe outwards could it be foam filled behind it which might also make it a VCL someone else will say if this works or not Yes - lathe and lime plaster on slate walls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 6 hours ago, Rendall said: Yes - lathe and lime plaster on slate walls is this directly onto the walls ,if so that won,t work a lot of stone houses in scotland have the walls --then a gap and then a stud wall type of set-up with lathe +plaster . the gap behind stud wall goes from below ground floor up to the loft space --basically a vertical draft space which kept inner wall dry and separated from outer stone wall,which would be lime mortar and would breathe outwards knowing this detail is critical to what you can do . If it is plastered direct onto slate walls -- I don,t see an answer other than the first one of a house built inside a house in effect or another wall with insulation around the outside I suppose it is technically possible to cut out listed plaster coving with part of the wall ,cut off the old wall and refit it to the new walls --or get new look a like coving to replace it there are companies that will take moulds off your covings and make replicas .but that would not be cheap example www.plastercoving.ltd.uk/acorn-and-leaf-plaster-coving-br60mm-x-100mm---20-off-3860-p.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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