OMO: Gas Fire

[-Ralph-]

We have a gas fire in the living room. Its one of these open fires which has artifical coals and is meant to look like a real coal fire and burns an open gas flame which makes the artificial coals glow.

It was never used by the previous occupant of the house, and first time we lit it it stank. Like lighting an electric fire that is covered in dust. Usually an electric fire smells like that for the first five minutes then it burns off. This fire after an hour of use still stank, so I took all the artificial coals off and washed them in the sink and washed down all the fire place.

It has improved things but the fire is still unpleasant to use and gives off a vapour that smells burnt, and gets to your eyes in a unpleasant way and makes you turn it off. It seems to bring on tiredness/mild headache, but that could just be coincidence/paranoia/imagination.

What could the problem be, anything to worry about? What can I do about it? I think I should be able to use it and it be totally odourless and vapourless.

I dont need told to get it checked. I'm intelligent enough to figure that one out for myself and will get a gas engineer with a carbon monoxide meter in. Thing is carbon monoxide is supposed to be odourless and indetectable? This problem isn't. That said I know very little about gas fires, flues, chimneys, etc.

Thanks


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[Spank86]

Don't know but if you're going to have an open gas fire you ought to have a monitor in the room constantly anyway.

Should be able to pick one up at a hardware store pretty cheap.

my only suggestion is that you say you washed the coals, have you washed everything else in the fireplace?

[dizzyblonde]

Ralph. I spent last Sunday night in a&e with my eldest with carbon monoxide poisoning. He'd been sat at his dads house with a faulty gas fire.

If it hasn't been used, the flue probably needs a good clean. My father is a retired plumbing and heating enginer with many apprentices under his belt and was sat with us on Sunday, he takes this sort if matter seriously.

Don't use the damn thing, until you have had it thoroughly checked.

[Bibio]

get it serviced quick smart and until it's serviced do not use it.

[dizzyblonde]

.....and wtf would you wash the coals in the sink for?

[andrewsmith]

Get the bugger serviced and checked!
Sounds like its not burning right, monoxide is the silent killer

[Bluefish]

the flue is blocked, do not use, and get it serviced befor using again. if you have an open chimney pot, their is probobly a birds nest in the top of it, if so chimney sweep required.

[Bluefish]

I would also reccomend a carbon monoxide detector and getting a cowel for the top of the chimney if it is open to stop birds nesting up there again.

[-Ralph-]

the flue is blocked, do not use, and get it serviced befor using again. if you have an open chimney pot, their is probobly a birds nest in the top of it, if so chimney sweep required.

OK thanks. Just the kind of advice I was looking for.

Just been outside and I do have an open chimney pot.

Will the gas engineer be able to tell me if I definitely need the chimney sweep? Or shall I get the chimney swept anyway before the gas engineer comes?

[andrewsmith]

Get both done to be sure. Sweep it before the service

sent from a phone

[Bluefish]

yeah the gas engineer will be able to tell you if sweep needed, all you do is warm the flue and put smoke in the flue and it should be sucked up, if not it's blocked, sweep should be about 60 quid ish

[Bluefish]

gas engineer may have to go first, and will confirm what's wrong anyhow, but a lot of sweeps will not disconnect gas appliances as they don't have the qual, so engineer then sweep if needed :D