I was typing up a rant about my fireplace and my propane company, but I lost it so nobody gets to hear my whining and complaining. We are probably all better off this way.
Lost my rant, firepladce and propane
- Thread starter abbott295
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We all love a good rant. 
short version: Fireplace doesn't heat the house, fills it with smoke. Propane company only delivers in this area one day a week. Truck can't get up my driveway because grass has grown on it and it is slick when wet. Guess what day of the week the grass is wet. I'm out of gas: looking for another propane company.
A little more: This gas company took over the one I used to use. They had a driver that lived in this town. No problem getting gas delivered when you needed it.
Surely we have all seen smoke-filled houses. No pictures.
A little more: This gas company took over the one I used to use. They had a driver that lived in this town. No problem getting gas delivered when you needed it.
Surely we have all seen smoke-filled houses. No pictures.
cigmaker
ArboristSite Member
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Maybe time to throw an insert and liner in the fireplace? Not gonna get long winded but I heat my home with one. Being your in the south and of course depending on home size insulation it shouldn't be a problem for you either.
066blaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
The gas trucks go through a foot of snow around here. And the guy walks through a foot to fill it. But I hear ya, now days if people in the service industry have the slightest excuse not to do the work they don't do it.
We will see if they can get it done today. It is not raining, maybe it will be dry enough if he tries later in the day.
This is a second home that has turned out to be a bad retirement investment decision ten years ago. Things happened that were unforeseen.
The fireplace is in a room (den?) at one end of the house; the bedrooms and bathrooms are at the other end. Insert and liner would improve things somewhat, but still wouldn't get heat into the far end.
Smoke was hanging around outside last night, so it did not want to draw anyway. This is maybe the second time I have tried to use the fireplace; I'm not real experienced with fireplaces. Flue was open, but only seemed to draw kind of well when fire was burning well. If it died down a little, I would notice more smoke.
This propane company bought the one I had been using about a year and a half ago. I have had one delivery from these people before this. I guess the big complaint is about them only delivering once a week over here. They have to back up the driveway so the hose will reach the tank which is out beyond the other end of the house and they don't think they could get turned around up there. I didn't design or build this place. 20 acres and there isn't room to turn a gas truck around.
I called them two weeks ago with 10 per cent in the tank. The truck had already left the area that day. Next wed. they couldn't get up the driveway. The next day I was out there to check and the gauge was reading 0. So I turned off the pilot light. Been without heat there since. Good thing we don't have to live there and temps haven't gotten too much below freezing. If they try today, that will be two attempts in two weeks since I called needing gas. I am displeased.
This is a second home that has turned out to be a bad retirement investment decision ten years ago. Things happened that were unforeseen.
The fireplace is in a room (den?) at one end of the house; the bedrooms and bathrooms are at the other end. Insert and liner would improve things somewhat, but still wouldn't get heat into the far end.
Smoke was hanging around outside last night, so it did not want to draw anyway. This is maybe the second time I have tried to use the fireplace; I'm not real experienced with fireplaces. Flue was open, but only seemed to draw kind of well when fire was burning well. If it died down a little, I would notice more smoke.
This propane company bought the one I had been using about a year and a half ago. I have had one delivery from these people before this. I guess the big complaint is about them only delivering once a week over here. They have to back up the driveway so the hose will reach the tank which is out beyond the other end of the house and they don't think they could get turned around up there. I didn't design or build this place. 20 acres and there isn't room to turn a gas truck around.
I called them two weeks ago with 10 per cent in the tank. The truck had already left the area that day. Next wed. they couldn't get up the driveway. The next day I was out there to check and the gauge was reading 0. So I turned off the pilot light. Been without heat there since. Good thing we don't have to live there and temps haven't gotten too much below freezing. If they try today, that will be two attempts in two weeks since I called needing gas. I am displeased.
zogger
Tree Freak
Make small real dry wood kindling fires first, two in a row if you have to, get the chimney warm and drawing before adding big wood normal splits or logs. Right now though, get a flashlight and look up it for obstructions. Make sure you have a window cracked and inch way the opposite side of the fireplace as well. Fireplaces suck hugemongous amounts of air compared to wood stoves, it has to come from someplace. Once it is going good you can close the window a little, but if your house is tight, there's nothing for it, fireplaces need and will move many cubic feet of air per minute. That's why they aren't that great for heating.
066blaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
Inserts throw a lot of heat. I heat my tri level with one even if it's below zero. If it's in the 20's or 30's it can chase you out of the house if not managed properly. Mine has blowers on it, I think most do. But if your not getting much cold weather and propane is cheap, it might not be worth the investment. If you have doors on your fireplace , try leaving them open a few inches, it can increase the draft, not sure if your keeping them all the way open or closed??
066blaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
Also you could buy some little electric heaters. Years back my gas furnace broke. They repair guy left me a couple , 8 inch by 8 inch electric heaters with fans in them and they pretty much heated the house. I'm sure they weren't more than $30 a piece. Good for emergency use.
For the price of filling a propane tank you could afford a new stainless chimney and a good used wood stove form craigslist and possibly some or all of the install. Instead of putting an insert in the fireplace maybe you should consider a free standing stove centrally located in the house.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Propane truck driver afraid to chain up?
zogger
Tree Freak
chains are about non existent around here. On snow and ice days, people either slide into each other, or eventually get smart and stay home. I've been tempted over the years to get a set, I mean, I never owned a vehicle up north without them, but down here, meh, I stay home if it gets that bad. The state and county boys have plows and chains, some, but I have yet to see a single pickup with chains on the street or a pickup snowplow mounted.
I should get a snowmobile though, just to race the neighborhood jerk off kids on their quads when the roads are icy and the fields get some snow.....
Thanks for all the interest and input, guys/girls. The problem with getting up my drive is it is kind of steep, doesn't get enough use to keep the grass from growing and gets slippery when wet. That and having to back up it. Maybe more of a load on it would make for more traction, maybe less load would be better if power runs out first, but the tracks I saw looked like lack of traction, spinning out first.
Although the other time I needed to try the fireplace for heat, it was slick from snow. I noodled for a day and spread them on the drive. That worked then. I'm not stuck there this time. The best saw for noodling was an Echo 660evl. No plugging.
I need to remember next time to try opening a window to improve the draft. It might be what it needs. Still wouldn't help warming up the house though.
I need to more nearly sell this house than sink more money into it. Anyone interested? I am a farm boy and am really feel confined on a 100 x 150 foot lot, but life changed for us and this is just not viable now, but getting out of it is not that easy either. Don't mean to go there. Forget I said anything.
Although the other time I needed to try the fireplace for heat, it was slick from snow. I noodled for a day and spread them on the drive. That worked then. I'm not stuck there this time. The best saw for noodling was an Echo 660evl. No plugging.
I need to remember next time to try opening a window to improve the draft. It might be what it needs. Still wouldn't help warming up the house though.
I need to more nearly sell this house than sink more money into it. Anyone interested? I am a farm boy and am really feel confined on a 100 x 150 foot lot, but life changed for us and this is just not viable now, but getting out of it is not that easy either. Don't mean to go there. Forget I said anything.
Steep driveways are the pits for any delivery, including firewood. I dread ever having to do it, even when conditions are dry. I've almost dropped a transmission twice and/or burned out the clutch while trying to deliver a full load of firewood, even when I dropped the 4 x 4 into granny low.
Sell the house and be prepared to offer a discount to the buyer.
Sell the house and be prepared to offer a discount to the buyer.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Yeah, I've been on a few "driveways" that were more like mtn goat trails. Get a run at it and hope it goes, ignore the wood sliding over the tailgate.
Through the woods and brush from the road, never thought about that, maybe 150 feet. It takes all the hose (100 feet, I think is what they have) on his truck to reach the tank from the driveway.
Friday I went out to check after work. They had not delivered any gas. I have another gas company lined up to come out Tuesday.
They have to have a tech do a pressure test first. Good thing there is no danger of water lines freezing and we are not living there, but I could have spent today out there with a chainsaw. The house still smells like smoke from Tues. night, but I did not stay the night in a cold house.
There is an insert on Craigslist at what looks like probably a good price ($275) but I need to know my measurements apparently. But it still wouldn't heat the bedroom area well.
They have to have a tech do a pressure test first. Good thing there is no danger of water lines freezing and we are not living there, but I could have spent today out there with a chainsaw. The house still smells like smoke from Tues. night, but I did not stay the night in a cold house.
There is an insert on Craigslist at what looks like probably a good price ($275) but I need to know my measurements apparently. But it still wouldn't heat the bedroom area well.
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