Our apartment came equipped with a wood burning fireplace. It's your standard brick fireplace. No accessories were provided. What all do we need to run this safely (aside from wood)?

Poker?

Do we need a screen or 'door' type thing? Our apartment has carpet floors that run adjacent to where the brick starts.

[Edited on January 11, 2011 at 5:24 PM. Reason : I will not come get free 'wood' from your place you creepy craigslist TWWers]

1/11/2011 5:23:32 PM

Check with your landlord first and make sure that it's operational.

1/11/2011 5:24:45 PM

Same idea, different question:

This apartment is essentially a townhouse, with 2 stories, etc. When we crank dat heat it gets really hot upstairs but doesn't do shit for the downstairs. Advice on ways to consistently keep downstairs warm? Wood burning fireplace =/= ideal way to keep warmth in the living room. Space heaters? Too much of an energy hog?

1/11/2011 5:28:42 PM

Close the vents upstairs? That might help though admittedly the only 2 story house I've lived in had no central heating so I have zero experience with this

ClassicMixup, pick up a standard fireplace poker set at Lowes or somewhere similar. That's a good starting point. Does the fireplace not have a screen built into it?

1/11/2011 5:33:26 PM

1)open damper
2)light fire
3)profit

1/11/2011 5:34:46 PM

are the downstairs vents in the floor or ceiling?

1/11/2011 5:38:17 PM

Quote :

"Check with your landlord first and make sure that it's operational. "

Yep.

It may not have been cleaned in forever. It may be shut. It may be just for decor.


If it IS operational,

-get one of those wire screens to keep embers from popping out


-get some tools, so you can manipulate the wood


-get a log cradle




you then should be in business




This message brought to you by the council on DON'T BURN YOURSELF THE FUCK UP

1/11/2011 5:39:46 PM

If you'd like, I can send EMCE out to show how to manipulate the wood. First time is free!

1/11/2011 5:44:30 PM

YOU BASTERT!


THAT WAS A GIFT THAT I GAVE TO YOU, AND YOU ALONE

1/11/2011 5:45:26 PM

The damper/flue is most certainly closed. you need to open it, or your house will fill with smoke.

other than that, the fireplace is part of the rent and if there are any problems with it, it's your landlords responsibility to ensure it is operational. they're liable for it if it doesnt work.

if it were me, i would just open the flue and start a fire. the house fills up w/ smoke, put it out. you should have a fire extinguisher at all times, anyhow.

1/11/2011 6:06:39 PM

Psh, I used one for two years without a screen or pokers. I kept saying I needed to get some, but I never did. And I totally didn't burn the building down. So you're good. Just poke it with a stick.

1/11/2011 6:11:13 PM

Gracias EMCE. We have a craddle so I guess it's just the wire screen and wood manipulation extravaganza that is mising. Our neighbors on both left and right have been using theirs and we are all a part of the same leasing company so maybe I'm good to go? Worse case scenario I can sue for $$$$$. Or I'll call and ask...

Also, the vents are now closed upstairs and the vents downstairs are in the ceiling. Also put a towel over the bottom of the living room window that was drafty as mcdrafty drafty draft. Will report back if it still is the sucks.

[Edited on January 11, 2011 at 6:12 PM. Reason : fire extinguisher sitting outside apt]

1/11/2011 6:11:18 PM

ya know, just for safety and stuff, buy a fire extinguisher and keep it relatively close by.

If you're not sure about how good your wood is you can always get one of those composite logs at the grocery store for about $4. Just light the bag they come in on fire and toss your wood on top once it's going. Heck of a lot easier than trying to get wet wood to light up.

1/11/2011 6:21:17 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Dimplex-DFI2310-Electric-Fireplace-23-Inch/dp/B002CN0S0U/



[Edited on January 11, 2011 at 6:26 PM. Reason : ]

1/11/2011 6:23:57 PM

we cut down a tree behind our last apt and used that. no one ever said anything about it

1/11/2011 6:29:40 PM

well, that's a fucking hillbilly thing to do.

and green wood makes for really nice fires, too

1/12/2011 11:26:46 AM

hahahaha niiiiiiiiiice

When I had an apartment fire it had a screen we could slide across. We used it maybe twice.

1/12/2011 11:27:58 AM

Quote :

"log cradle "

1/12/2011 11:34:58 AM

Quote :

"When we crank dat heat it gets really hot upstairs but doesn't do shit for the downstairs. "

check the flute in the living room. If the flute is open, all of the heat downstairs will just rise out of the chimney. If you're not going to use the fireplace, then close the flute.

1/12/2011 12:03:21 PM

our flue is stuck in the open position (the door locker is rusted open). And I never think to go get some WD40 or other rust remover and bang it shut, but we really need to (especially since we never use our fire place)

1/12/2011 12:14:00 PM

^If the vents are in the ceiling, then then it really doesn't make a difference. The heat will go straight up regardless. I have this problem in my house.

To the OP...where is the thermostat?? I ended up having to get a second unit put in my house just for the downstairs. It still sucks that the vents are on the ceiling, but with fans going in reverse to circulate the heat, it's bearable when it's really cold outside.

1/12/2011 12:16:14 PM

big lots may have this stuff $cheap

1/12/2011 12:22:10 PM

Quote :

"well, that's a fucking hillbilly thing to do. and green wood makes for really nice fires, too"

it is what it is--free firewood. the tree was already dead anyway

1/12/2011 12:40:08 PM

Thermostat is downstairs

1/12/2011 2:51:44 PM

Quote :

"When we crank dat heat it gets really hot upstairs but doesn't do shit for the downstairs. "

turn on a a ceiling fan at a really low speed.

it will push the hot air down towards the floor.

just make sure the fan is turning the right way to push air down...the highest part of the fan blade needs to be the leading edge or the one cutting into the air.



[Edited on January 12, 2011 at 3:23 PM. Reason : g]

1/12/2011 3:21:58 PM

Science 101 with JT3Bucky

Coming later this week: Why blankets keep you warm

1/12/2011 3:24:09 PM

thats Fridays edition.

1/12/2011 3:24:50 PM

no ceiling fans

1/12/2011 6:10:53 PM

Hire a gaggle off hookers to stand around you in a circle breathing their hot breath while saying OOOHHHHHHHH PACK PACK PACK POWER PACK

1/12/2011 6:19:11 PM

Quote :

"This apartment is essentially a townhouse, with 2 stories, etc. When we crank dat heat it gets really hot upstairs but doesn't do shit for the downstairs. Advice on ways to consistently keep downstairs warm? Wood burning fireplace =/= ideal way to keep warmth in the living room. Space heaters? Too much of an energy hog?"

i have the same problem in house. the vents are in the 9' ceilings on the bottom floor. i'm willing to bet there's a good 15 degrees temperature gradient between the floor and the ceiling. i run the ceiling fans to help, but when it gets really cold, i have to use one of these I bought two but just run one in whichever room i'm in. they kind of freak me out though, because i've read about more than one house in the paper this winter that burned down due to "space heater in close proximity to combustibles".

1/12/2011 8:12:01 PM

your downstairs is probably plagued with air leaks. check windows and doors for drafts and then fix them.

1/12/2011 9:09:55 PM

ironically, the most likely culprit is the fireplace

1/12/2011 9:12:59 PM

usually not that kinda of space heater though

1/22/2011 6:05:46 PM