The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[Mars]

So speaking of fireplaces, entrance to my house is this big double volume with a gas fireplace. The fireplace simply isn't effective as I'd like and I've been thinking of replacing with a double sided wood burner.

First problem is that there isn't an existing chimney going to the roof. Per the picture below I think brick structure is hollow so I should be able to run chimney pipes up the inside.

Next issue would be the slab which forms the floor of the room above the existing fireplace. Would it be wrong to break a hole through this for the same chimney pipe?

The pipe would be exposed in the room but we don't mind this as it would heat up that plac nicely as well.

This is very similar to our house, except that we found that the insert fireplace was almost double the freestanding and we simply could not find one to fit our opening. I ended up breaking out the bottom so we could just have a freestanding one in that space.

As for the hole in the slab, I know of people that did this without issue. The only issue was that the flue became so hot it could burn you if you touched so they had to change the bedroom around and put a trellis around it.

 

[The_Mowgs]

I'm trying to heat multiple rooms... being an open place house, from kitchen to bedroom's.

RED is the room where the fireplace goes - see corner top right of room.

View attachment 846833

You get a fireplace with duckts leading to other rooms which you can control with a remote. Its more than R100k though otherwise it is not going to happen.

The other thing is to just take a higher kw output and face the fireplace in the direction of the other rooms.

 

[xrapidx]

The biggest issue with your placement is that you are losing heat because its on an outside wall.

If you can put it against the internal wall its worth paying extra on the flue and so on. The other option if you have a ceiling is to put ducting in to move air from the fireplace to the colder rooms.
I was chatting to a salesman at one of the fireplace companies and he was saying something like simply putting the ducting from above the fireplace to the colder rooms can passively move the warm air to the colder rooms, but I think even a simple bathroom extractor somewhere along the duct would move enough air to heat the rooms nicely.

As you have it I dont think you're going to get much heat into those other rooms without some kind of help.

Another thing I saw at the hydrofire showroom in paarden eiland was a radiator system on one of their fireplaces. It looked awesome, but I think its going to cost you.

Unfortunately it can't happen - there are no internal walls that can be used - also a flat roofed house.

We do have another open fireplace in the middle of the house, I might look at converting that to gas or closed combustion at a later stage, at the moment its not feasible with my home theatre infront of it.

 

[xrapidx]

You get a fireplace with duckts leading to other rooms which you can control with a remote. Its more than R100k though otherwise it is not going to happen.

The other thing is to just take a higher kw output and face the fireplace in the direction of the other rooms.

Placing it in the corner faces it in the direction of the open plan entrance to the dining room - I also have a curtain between the two rooms - which might help if it isn't effective in heating the rest of the house.

One annoying thing - two different companies now - I've emailed them asking for pricing on specfic models, they either don't respond with the correct information - or quote on different models to what I've asked for.

So far, Hydrofire has been the most "in-line" with what I'm asking for.

 

[ElixirCoder]

I'm trying to heat multiple rooms... being an open place house, from kitchen to bedroom's.

RED is the room where the fireplace goes - see corner top right of room.

View attachment 846833

To heat that many rooms you're going to end up with one very hot room and others perhaps a couple degrees warmer than usual. Your main issue is that warm air circulates top down and also circulates quite slowly, and any low draught will actually cause a faster cool down. If you have good in-ceiling insulation then it will improve heat through motion. In your setup, you'll probably be better off with 2 stoves -- one where you have it and another in the 'Existing Lounge'

 

[xrapidx]

Anyone have experience with 220v fairy lights? My wife wants me to do the back patio in them, following the lines of the ceiling boards.

Is it actually 220v - or is it a 220v transformer?

The run in total, without spare - is 44m - I thought of finding a 50m roll, and cutting it - adding cabling where necessary to follow the ceiling boards - and terminating the different sections.

(also seems to be difficult to find)

 

[ElixirCoder]

Anyone have experience with 220v fairy lights? My wife wants me to do the back patio in them, following the lines of the ceiling boards.

Is it actually 220v - or is it a 220v transformer?

The run in total, without spare - is 44m - I thought of finding a 50m roll, and cutting it - adding cabling where necessary to follow the ceiling boards - and terminating the different sections.

(also seems to be difficult to find)

Like these?

50m decorative Fairy Light

Looking for an easier way to ensure that your patio is illuminated? Well, look no further! These fairy lights are just what you need. Its simple yet elegant design will ensure that your house stands out from the rest. Features: 8 Different Lighting Modes Easy to install and operate Perfect for...

electrogadgets.co.za

 

[xrapidx]

Like these?

50m decorative Fairy Light

Looking for an easier way to ensure that your patio is illuminated? Well, look no further! These fairy lights are just what you need. Its simple yet elegant design will ensure that your house stands out from the rest. Features: 8 Different Lighting Modes Easy to install and operate Perfect for...

electrogadgets.co.za

Almost - but warm white, with white cabling - which seems out of stock everywhere. (Futurelight had the exact light advertised, but out of stock - and only expecting for Christmas time)

 

[ElixirCoder]

Seems they do have that option?

Edit: Aahh sorry, I missed the bit about white cabling

 

[xrapidx]

To heat that many rooms you're going to end up with one very hot room and others perhaps a couple degrees warmer than usual. Your main issue is that warm air circulates top down and also circulates quite slowly, and any low draught will actually cause a faster cool down. If you have good in-ceiling insulation then it will improve heat through motion. In your setup, you'll probably be better off with 2 stoves -- one where you have it and another in the 'Existing Lounge'

Excuse the turned around couch...just to give more context. This braai heats up to the kitchen, you can sort of see it in the background of the second photo... I had to take my Jersey off now.

 

[alqassam]

So the bright plumbers who did my plumbing just have a 90degree 50mm PVC pipe coming out for the dishwasher.

Now we are having odour and I think it's coming from that pipe. Almost acting like a vent. The issue is, should I try to rig a p trap and out the dishwasher outlet into the pntrap or put a 50mm vent valve just outside the kitchen which is 700mm from where that pipe is.

 

[Steamy Tom]

So the bright plumbers who did my plumbing just have a 90degree 50mm PVC pipe coming out for the dishwasher.

Now we are having odour and I think it's coming from that pipe. Almost acting like a vent. The issue is, should I try to rig a p trap and out the dishwasher outlet into the pntrap or put a 50mm vent valve just outside the kitchen which is 700mm from where that pipe is.

how long has it been fine? i would start by flushing the pipe

 

[alqassam]

how long has it been fine? i would start by flushing the pipe

Have flushed it many times. New renovation has been smelling for a number of months already.

Moved in about 14months ago

 

[Steamy Tom]

Have flushed it many times. New renovation has been smelling for a number of months already.

Moved in about 14months ago

ah ok, is the pipe inside the wall?

 

[alqassam]

ah ok, is the pipe inside the wall?

Yep

 

[Steamy Tom]

Yep

and where does the pipe go? into an outside exposed drain, or into concealed plumbing?

 

[alqassam]

and where does the pipe go? into an outside exposed drain, or into concealed plumbing?

Concealed plumbing there a drain about 3m away.

 

[The_Mowgs]

Excuse the turned around couch...just to give more context. This braai heats up to the kitchen, you can sort of see it in the background of the second photo... I had to take my Jersey off now.

I have a 12 kw unit facing away from the passage leading to the rooms. The kitchen and living area gets beyond nai hot. I am sexy shirtless in shorts the entire day.

The room right at the end is comfortable to not need any thicker blanket or shirt etc then obviously the closer the rooms are to the fire place the hotter they are but not very hot but also no need for panel heaters.

I can still walk around shirtless in the house at 6am whereas if there was no fire it would have been pretty cold.

There is a calculation you can do to check which kw size you should go with but unless you feed the heat via pipes to the rooms it wont get overly hot in them.

I specced mine(12kw) 2kw higher than the recommended size and then I found a style I liked which I could afford. I bought mine about 6 years ago and the fireplace was R7000, flue was R3000 and installation was something stupid like R1800.

Remember when you burn it the first time I would suggest removing the baby from the house and burning it in nice and slow. The fireplace gives a strange smell from the paint baking and if you stand close enough you will sleep the best sleep ever later.

A word of caution, and you need to listen unless you want everyone to call you SilverPaw, DONT TOUCH THE SHINY PIPE WHEN YOU MADE A FIRE, IT IS HOT!.

 

[WAslayer]

My first home improvement question after having moved into my first house.. typing this half frozen, as this house is cold AF and I generally don't get cold..

Insulation for the ceiling is the topic of discussion.. is it worth it getting cellulose fibre insulation installed or should I just pop down to the hardware store, pickup 30 or so bags of whatever insulation they have and be done with it..?

Also, anyone have any sort of cost estimates on this..? Per sqm..

 

[The_Mowgs]

My first home improvement question after having moved into my first house.. typing this half frozen, as this house is cold AF and I generally don't get cold..

Insulation for the ceiling is the topic of discussion.. is it worth it getting cellulose fibre insulation installed or should I just pop down to the hardware store, pickup 30 or so bags of whatever insulation they have and be done with it..?

Also, anyone have any sort of cost estimates on this..? Per sqm..

I went the DIY route and will never do that again. It is very kak work to cut it to size, dragging it into the roof, crawling around with it into corners etc.

Look on gumtree etc for a little person to help you should you go DIY