Coal fire

[maisiemog]

Anybody got one?

Just took out old fire out as it was dead and found we have the original fireplace there. We got someone out and he said that if we get it swept and buy a grate we are pretty much good to go. I am very excited as I've always wanted a real fire...

But how does it fit in with minding. Not keen on a massive fire guard if I can avoid it. Was thinking of a screen and obviously not having it lit when working. Would be interested in people's opinions and ideas to minimise risks.

[WibbleWobble]

Anybody got one? Just took out old fire out as it was dead and found we have the original fireplace there. We got someone out and he said that if we get it swept and buy a grate we are pretty much good to go. I am very excited as I've always wanted a real fire... But how does it fit in with minding. Not keen on a massive fire guard if I can avoid it. Was thinking of a screen and obviously not having it lit when working. Would be interested in people's opinions and ideas to minimise risks.

This was my first ever question on here!

I have a coal fire. We have a fire guard and a spark guard. I don't put it on when I have little ones. Sometimes do it when just schoolies, they love lying on the sofa watching a film with the fire blazing.

I don't leave then alone in the room

Wibble x

[dawn100]

I have a log burner, there is no way I want a fire guard around it because on the evening I want to look at it and it be a feature not hidden behind a guard. I don't lite it when I'm working and if I have young children I put big cushions in front of it to stop them fiddling and bumping into it but odd times when I have had over 2's who I can trust I don't put anything I front of it. My own children were 3+ when it got installed and were just taught not to touch it and have been fine.

[appleblossom]

Anybody got one?

Just took out old fire out as it was dead and found we have the original fireplace there. We got someone out and he said that if we get it swept and buy a grate we are pretty much good to go. I am very excited as I've always wanted a real fire...

But how does it fit in with minding. Not keen on a massive fire guard if I can avoid it. Was thinking of a screen and obviously not having it lit when working. Would be interested in people's opinions and ideas to minimise risks.

This is exactly what happened here, the old gas fire removed and the open fire hole revealed. My son said oh let's have an open fire. The main problem I had with that is that when the lounge radiator was on the heat would go up the chimney.
So we got a multi fuel burner. It's only lit evenings and weekends when I'm not working. The minded children only go in the lounge under supervision so I don't have a fireguard to keep them away from the coal, wood, tools, ash can etc.

(My own DS and DD are 26 and 17)

[FloraDora]

I have a open coal fire with a nice fireguard: don't intend to use it when LO's are here as we also have central heating so ofsted and LA were happy that I did not need a child guard.

My own children grew up with an open fire and knew not to touch, but was a lovely relaxing occupation just to watch the flames - also learn't dangers and advantages ( crumpets, skewers of bread, marshmallows , chestnuts toasted) of fire early.

Gives a lovely homely relaxing feeling in the winter, curtains closed snuggled in, listening to music.

Trouble is recently we have had new windows and cavity wall so house very efficient in retaining heat- we sit around in t shirts ....as open fires are a little more difficult to turn down the heat! Christmas jumpers will only get a very short wear I feel this year!

[clareelizabeth1]

I have a multi fuel burner and although I have a fire guard it has only just gone up since my ds started moving as the flames act like a magnet to him.

Before that I never had a guard up as I didn't use it when mindies were there and they learnt not to touch the coal. The matches were kept well out of reach.

[critch]

I have 2 log burners in the house, the one in the lounge doesn't have a guard and only gets lit when lo's have gone home, and it's just the after schoolers, the one in the kitchen heats the back of the house including the playroom, I light it at 7 and it goes out whilst on the school run but keeps the place warm until after school and the lo's have gone and I light it again, I do have fireguard a for both but not using them, the only one that would need a guard is the kitchen one as the lo's are not aloud in the lounge unsupervised, the one in the kitchen also has quite a big step up to it so the lo's need to tackle that too before they can touch but none of them bother with it, I find log burners much better as if they spit the door is closed and can't hurt anyone!

[PixiePetal]

I have an open fire - we burn wood cos we get it free from our farm wood

I have a spark guard but no big fire guard as I don't light it when I am working, it is in the sitting room which is only for TV or books on the sofa with me - a quiet supervised room.

Was fine with Ofsted. The tools are hanging beside it and children are taught not to touch.