Fitting a liner for an open fire?

[d000hg]

I asked recently about how chimneys are closed off and can be re-opened, and found lots of useful stuff. One thing that came across strongly is that fitting a flue is seemingly essential.

But, most people are opening old fireplaces to fit stoves of various types, which are designed with a narrow flue in mind. I'm interested in opening a fireplace up to its original use - a nice open coal/wood-burning fire in a detached Victorian house. It's probably only been 20-30 years since it was used for this purpose.

I came across this page which, while again focused on stoves, suggests a flue liner is not mandatory.
To me, the idea of having a nice open fire with a floppy metal condom up the chimney just seems a bit weird and like it's more work - plus you lose some of the through-house heating from the hot air in contact with the chimney breasts?
Can anyone give me some more detail on the regulations, and the pros and cons here?

http://www.stovefittersmanual.co.uk/articles/do-i-need-to-line-my-chimney/

 

[motorbiking]

I started with a gas fire, open fire and then went stoves

an open fire will destroy your chimney due to corrosion unless you burn the finest wood. most of your heat is lost up the chimney. when not in use - most of your heating is lost up the chimney. stoves can be controlled and are vastly more efficient. open fires also destroy your furniture and electronics due to soot.

strongly consider opening the stove door for a real open fire experience.

 

[d000hg]

Surely people used to have open fires for decades if not centuries, up until the mid/late 19 hundreds even? A Victorian house with fireplaces in all the rooms, they would have been in use maybe 100 years... was it normal to have to get the chimneys repaired every few years then with all these people burning coal every day?

I grew up in a house with an open coal fire and I don't recall it destroying anything apart from the carpet in front of the fire (oops!) and I'm pretty sure it was the original chimney, my parents certainly never had work done on it and it worked great!

Stoves are great for many practical reasons, but there's still something lovely about a proper open fire especially in a period house. We'd most likely have a stove or two in other rooms, but the feature living room would really suit an open fireplace

 

[motorbiking]

I'm not saying you can't do it, but it comes with 21st century problems.

 

[bernardgreen]

We built a fire place in the timber frame house we built specifically to have open fires and it was great toasting bread ( and marshmallows ) on long toasting forks. Warm and cosy on chilly winter evenings.

I would love an open fire here in the massive inglenook but with a thatched roof the insurance compnay are not keen on the idea.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

My house is over 100 years old, one open heart still left in the living room, used every winter and I've no evidence of chimney repairs needing doing!

 

[vinn]

OP,
Maybe I'm wrong but you seem to be confusing the actual flue in the chimney breast with the SS liner that runs through the flue.
Liners typically connect from the appliance in the fire place to the chimney stack terminal.
With a traditional, solid fuel, open fire a liner is usually not a requirement.

If your question is specifically about opening a chimney breast and installing an appliance then you might be best off by searching some of my (or others) back posts on this subject, and then come back here with much more information about whats existing and what you propose, so that you can be advised safely and correctly?