Coal fires in Sheffield

[carcrash 11]

Does anybody know the rules on having coal or wood fires rather than coke fires in Sheffield. I have nothing to do today and as it is so cold I facncy having a proper coal fire. Coke fires give off heat but I want flames which you only tend to get with coal

[muddycoffee 10]

Sheffield is classed as a smokeless zone so you can only burn coke, which is a smokeless fuel in your fireplace. Not coal or wood. Or you will fall foul of the law and get fined when someone notices the smoke coming out of your chimney.

 

In decades past, sheffield used to suffer from horrific smogs, and all older stone buildings are black coloured, unless they have been blasted clean.

This all changed with the clean air act.

[Strix 11]

It's supposed to be a smoke free zone here, but if you're not getting anybody's washing sooty, the chances of anything nasty happening are zilch

 

Hmmmm, wood fires...... Ahhhh.

 

(I've been in Scotland recently )

[owdlad 10]

I am fairly certain that it is also an offence for the coal merchant to sell coal in a smokeless zone.

I agree that nothing looks better than the flames from a coal fire on a cold winters day although you can stick the going outside to get another bucket of coal business

[spiffymonkey 10]

Originally posted by owdlad

I am fairly certain that it is also an offence for the coal merchant to sell coal in a smokeless zone.

I agree that nothing looks better than the flames from a coal fire on a cold winters day although you can stick the going outside to get another bucket of coal business

 

I used to have one of those 'living flame' gas fires. All the flame effect, none of the going outside. The perfect combination!

[Greybeard 10]

Originally posted by owdlad

I am fairly certain that it is also an offence for the coal merchant to sell coal in a smokeless zone.

 

Last time we called in Law Bros at Hillsborough to fill up they had 22kg bags of ordinary housecoal on sale, - though it's probably illegal for a coal merchant to deliver housecoal directly to a consumer in the zone.

 

We have an open fire and solid fuel [anthracite] central heating...had to fill the scuttles in a blizzard this morning

[RoyalRegular 10]

We use ordinary housecoal as we live outside the smokeless area, and it's marvelous when it's roaring up the chimney. Only trouble is, you can't turn it down when it gets too hot.

 

 

Greybeard, if you're at Bradfield, you can use real coal and have it delivered. Try Wesley Nichols at the old Wadsley Bridge station on Penistone Road North.

[alchresearch 215]

You can also buy logs and packs of kindling from petrol stations.

[Bilge 34]

So if you are in a smokeless zone, how are you supposed to start your smokeless fuel fire in the first place? I usually use junk mail, freebie newspapers, cardboard food packaging and old bits of wood to get it going. Is this forbidden? Must I use firelighters instead?

 

Anyway, the council can hardly moan too much given that huge city-centre waste incinerator they've got. A few bits of offcut wood among the few remaining solid fuel fires of Sheff can't make that much difference these days.

[Strix 11]

Originally posted by RoyalRegular

Only trouble is, you can't turn it down when it gets too hot.

Doesn't yours have an adjustable vent at the front to adjust the air intake over the coals. That prevents it burning so fiercely

[RoyalRegular 10]

Nope, 'fraid not. It's a case of moving as far away from it as you can so you finish up with everyone sat around the outside of the room. It's always worst when my mum comes up......I think she must've been a stoker on the Flying Scotsman!

[Greybeard 10]

Originally posted by RoyalRegular

Greybeard, if you're at Bradfield, you can use real coal and have it delivered. Try Wesley Nichols at the old Wadsley Bridge station on Penistone Road North.

 

Thanks....we get our coalite etc. from Maws in Ecclesfield, I would think they stock coal as well. Is there a map somewhere of the smokeless zone - I'd just like to be on cerain ground