Open fires a hot potato

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Open fires a hot potato

1 yr ago

As temperatures gradually drift downwards and we add another layer of clothing and shake out the fleece wear, it’s also time for the wood fire heating debate to heat up.

There is increasing pushback on open fires in suburban areas, with claims they are a major source of pollution and dangerous for asthma sufferers. in fact Asthma Australia is calling for a gradual phase out of wood heating. It wants any existing open fireplaces removed any time a home is sold and wood heaters banned from new builds.

And while it does kind of make sense – in the way that banning backyard incinerators and burning leaves in gutters makes sense – even talking about banning wood heaters, backyard barbecues and fire pits gains the sort of backlash that no politician anywhere, ever, would consider taking on.

I’m not going to remove my open fireplace anytime soon, are you?

5 comments

Burgo8888

1 yr ago

I reckon its unAustralian to suggest such a thing! ????????

Dave R

1 yr ago

I think it would be un-Australian too. In fact I see it as another sign of a world gone mad.

Oma

1 yr ago

That is a ridiculous suggestion. We don't have a wood fire inside but love our wood fire pizza oven. We use it for roasts, pizzas and anything that would benefit from being cooked in a wood fire oven. NOT getting rid of it any time soon.

Sue Ridge

1 yr ago

What is this country coming to? We have a vocal minority dictating to the silent majority as to how they want all of us to run our lives. We have asthmatics in our family and we deal with it. We don't have an open fire but our neighbours do and good luck to them. We refuse to make our problem theirs.

Just today I read that a group which lives near the SCG want parking on grass to be stopped as they want to walk their dogs. The state government has caved in and is legislating the change with the proviso that alternative parking is built. The alternative is replacing 2600 parking spaces with 1500 spaces. The grass parking has been a feature of the SCG since Bradman played there but the vocal minority wins again.

Lucca

1 yr ago

Can't believe the crass comments here. No care for the environment, no care for sick people, no care at all for those with lung disease. Wait until it gets you!!!!

I have an imitation fireplace, it looks good and we love it.

No one is allowed to park on my grass. Do so at your own peril!

If you want to live in a community follow the community rules.

Am I the only decent citizen here ?????

Viking

1 yr ago

The government doesn't care about the sick with lung disorders! If it did it would hasten the closing of polluting coal fired power stations and invest more into public transport to reduce vehicle noxious fumes.

Winter temperature inversion traps and exacerbates all of this plus essential hazard reduction burning, wood heaters would represent a small fraction of this.

We use a wood heater but the timber used is a minute proportion of the trees we grow. They filter the air, produce oxygen and reduce carbon throughout the rest of the year. The alternatives are increased bushfire hazards, burning in the field or living in a desert. Some people who might take up the latter option would no doubt complain about the fumes from those cooking with camel poo!

ronjohn

1 yr ago

I care desperately for the environment but those who eschew wood fires are only environmentally friendly are those who use solar or wind driven electricity. If you use gas or grid coal fired, forget it.

Wood burned properly in an efficient heater generates about the same emissions as wood rotting in the environment, so we are generating energy without having rely on gas or coal, and putting about the same into the atmosphere. Nett positive

Brian

1 yr ago

This is not a simple issue. Open fireplaces are more inefficient but do not generate high levels of smoke that cause issues for surrounding residents. The modern "efficient" fireplace has a damping mechanism that does not operate to maintain heat generation from the fireplace but maintains the operation of the remaining fire (with a higher level of smoke from the chimney). This is the major issue for surrounding homes and it is the major issue recognised by the EPA. The simple solution is to leave the damper fully open, enabling the fire to die down during the night (this is also the EPA solution to the issue). Sadly, many with theses fireplaces are either ignorant of the problem they cause or, they just do not care. We have had a number of occasions where, even with most windows closed, our house has been inundated with smoke.

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Open fires a hot potato

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