Fireplace With Wood Logs?

Question

I would like to know how long wood logs last? If I only want to use it for an hour which wood size is best? Does a compress wood last a week? How does one take out a fire? Can one sleep with a fire place going? It has a chain screen.

Answer 1

Several dry hard wood pieces two to three inches in diameter will burn about one hour. A big heavy and solid piece of wood about eight inches in diameter might flicker and burn for hours on a bed of coals. The more coals the hotter.

Never try to extinguish the fire in your fireplace and do not close the damper all the way until the ashes are cold.

Just make sure burning logs are not in a position to roll out of fireplace. (They are securely held in place by the andirons) Close the damper down about about 1/3 or 1/2. Make sure the smoke is still being drawn out the chimney. The screen is secured and go to bed and enjoy the flicker of firelight in the house.

There is nothing to fear if the damper is open to allow smoke to escape and you have a working smoke alarm.

And true some heat will be lost out the fireplace.

Answer 2

dry wood is the best, always. Depending on the size of the wood is a good gauge on how long the fire will burn, this is also dependant on whether you are using soft wood of hardwood to burn. Of course softwood burns quicker. If you just want a short fire, an hour, split your dry wood into small pieces, say like 3x3 inches and add sparingly. I don't know a thing about compressed wood, unless you are talking about pellets, which are fed machinical into a contained sealer stove unit. And never take the fire out,, you are jsut asking for trouble.
I sleep all night with a fire going, it heats my home. I grew up that way and still love that kind of heat.
I would suggest you either get some one on one advice or perhaps put a gas or electric stove in your place

Answer 3

Watch what you burn, or it will cause what they call ceraso build up in the chimney, and will catch fire up inside of the chimney. Have someone check out the chimney each year, and clean it, or you might be able to do this yourself, by running a small burlap sand bag up and down in it. Make sure you damper is working right also. Not a good idea to leave fire going at night, unless your right there. Keep a small fire extinguisher around the house also. You can buy a nice large steel bucket, or a coal bucket and some prongs to put hot coals into, but make sure you dump them out quickly. Also get some good heavy welder gloves.

Answer 4

Large hardwood logs can last up to 2 hours. Do not try to take anything burning or even glowing out of the fireplace. Do Not go to sleep with a fire still going. I have a chain screen and a glass doors. I would never go to sleep with a fire still burning. You would lose heat up the flue anyway.

Answer 5

Here is a website that can answer some of your questions.

http://www.gurnee.il.us/fire/fire_prevention/home_safety/fireplaces.html