Cosy Charm And Romance By The Truckload
The Sunday Age
Saturday May 10, 1997
A RAMBLING, old bus depot at Robin Parker's Hampton Wood Yard is choking with stacks of different firewood.
From now until October, hundreds of people will walk out of the yard with bags of boxwood, red gum or mallee roots to fuel up their roaring log fires.
Mr Parker, who has operated the yard for 10 years, usually sells up to 2000 tonnes of firewood by October.
"People like the charm of open fires," says Mr Parker. "There's nothing like the heat that you get from an open fire . . . you can't sit over a heating duct."
Most popular firewood includes yellow or grey box, which sells at $160 a tonne, river red gum and mallee roots which Mr Parker says is the "hottest burning and longest lasting".
"To light a good fire, you should have good dry kindling for a start," says Mr Parker. "And you should always buy your wood from a merchant because we stand by our suppliers."
Other tips from the Energy Information Centre, include:
* Get a good fire going as quickly as possible when using a wood heater to allow air to be drawn in and the heater to function properly with little smoke.
* Place firewood about 25mm apart to allow adequate air, necessary for the development of hot pockets of glowing coals, to circulate.
* Close off chimneys when they are not being used, either permanently or with a damper, to stop heat loss through the chimney cavity.
To allow your fireplace to operate more efficiently, it is important to have the chimney cleaned and inspected by a chimney sweep every two years or so.
Are you one of many who love the romance and cosiness of a warm, open fire but can't be bothered with the mess and hassle? Then gas log fires are the answer.
Traditional open fire places are notoriously inefficient, but gas log fires are clean, efficient and easy to use.
Many renovators are installing gas log fires in existing fireplaces to keep the traditional look. Prices start at about $1700.
Gasmart's manager of business development, Mr Jon Onley, says the new generation of gas log fires are extremely efficient.
"Some are so hot that you can't stand next to them," he says.
He says many people are opting for gas log fires in areas such as rumpus rooms rather than extending their central heating systems.
"They are very popular because of their ability to heat large areas," Mr Onley says. "We are seeing them added to areas where people have done an extension or renovation for this reason."
© 1997 The Sunday Age