Why do people burn fireplace fires in Los Angeles? (house, buy)

[Tony Brunolesci]

Yeegads...I just got a really rather foul breath of outside air polluted with toxins from a fire burning in somebody's fireplace. In a Los Angeles, why do people see it fit to do this sort of thing, when the air pollution is bad enough, it's not particularly cold here, and a nice gas illuminated faux porcelain and fiberglass set can be had for not a huge amount of money?

[greggd]

Originally Posted by Tony Brunolesci

Yeegads...I just got a really rather foul breath of outside air polluted with toxins from a fire burning in somebody's fireplace. In a Los Angeles, why do people see it fit to do this sort of thing, when the air pollution is bad enough, it's not particularly cold here, and a nice gas illuminated faux porcelain and fiberglass set can be had for not a huge amount of money?

My neighors burn their fireplace at first sign of any cold snap. It smells good and thats the only reason that I can think of.

[Ultrarunner]

Nostalgia... reminds them of Christmas Eve with the family or Thanksgiving

[Paula Lynn]

Originally Posted by Tony Brunolesci

Yeegads...I just got a really rather foul breath of outside air polluted with toxins from a fire burning in somebody's fireplace. In a Los Angeles, why do people see it fit to do this sort of thing, when the air pollution is bad enough, it's not particularly cold here, and a nice gas illuminated faux porcelain and fiberglass set can be had for not a huge amount of money?

Good point. My co-worker burns all her junk mail in the fire place. year round. She can actually buy a shredder for $25.00

[OutOfSoCal]

for the smell, I love the smell.

[Tony Brunolesci]

The smell is terrible, and you're doing more damage to your lungs than sitting next to a cigarette smoker.

[Sorcerer68]

I love the smell, I love to watch the flames dance and for someone raised in the subtropics and tropics...it feels good when it gets chilly. I look forward to cooler months when we can do it. I don't believe in burning trash in the fireplace.

[wolf bite]

I am not sure why people burn fireplaces anywhere. There are 2 types of heat, latent and radiant. Latent is when the air is warm, radiant is when you feel hot from fire. The fireplace gives radiant heat to those sitting around it; at least what parts of them are facing the fire. But because of the chimney and the rise of heat, all the good latent heat is flying up, which causes a negative pressure in the house, which causes outside cold air to creep in from under every door and crack.

When you have your fireplace on, the house is actually colder.

But a few pine nettles burning sure smells nice.




Wolf Bite

[Charles]

Originally Posted by wolf bite

I am not sure why people burn fireplaces anywhere. There are 2 types of heat, latent and radiant. Latent is when the air is warm, radiant is when you feel hot from fire. The fireplace gives radiant heat to those sitting around it; at least what parts of them are facing the fire. But because of the chimney and the rise of heat, all the good latent heat is flying up, which causes a negative pressure in the house, which causes outside cold air to creep in from under every door and crack.

When you have your fireplace on, the house is actually colder.

But a few pine nettles burning sure smells nice.




Wolf Bite

You could hook up one of these dudes to safely move hot air into the room:

http://www.northlineexpress.com/images/products/5GS-FHZC-xlg.jpg (broken link)


Check out Hearth Heaters

Fireplace Grate Heaters - Get More Heat from Your Fireplace!

[wolf bite]

Hehe, yup, those work well changing radiant heat to latent. They also have ones that have little fans on them, great. I have even seen full fireplaces that air chambers around them to get the full value.


Wolf Bite