PREPPERGIRL.UK: FIREPLACE CONVERTED FOR COOKING

Fireplace i converted for cooking. A working fireplace can not only give you an additional heat source but can be used for cooking too. Firstly i burnt a little in the bare hearth to establish smoke would actually come out the chimney and it wasn't blocked at the top, you can buy smoke pellets to test although i used a heap of leaves and such. I had a chimney sweep out who checked, swept and tested the stack.

Knocking down a little wall i used the bricks to construct the hearth, base and the front. This stage is where things went downhill a little, using my hands with the cement being unaware of the effects of cement on human skin, i now know this from experience ha !

Mounting a tube across the top of the fireplace to hang pots, drill holes, 'hard as steel' putty in holes, screws in, slight cut one end insert and turn, easy to remove for chimney sweeping. The pot/kettle hanging hooks, kidnapped a metal coat hanger from the wardrobe. I painted the back of the fireplace although that was a waste of time.

Cut two pieces of tube, flat the ends to prevent rolling, for pots to sit, griddle and such. The vent i purchased, air gap goes to centre of fireplace, i used a piece of mesh to prevent it from getting clogged through and a cut and shaped tin provides the route through. Not really sure if it actually helps but hey the principle makes sense to do.

DEFRA health / safety link:

Open fires and wood-burning stoves

Completed

Total cost using dumped and reclaimed materials and a sweep just under sixty pounds.

Cooking a fish, first test cook.

Marshmallows always a favourite

The essential brew up, control your fire and make it work for your requirements.

Build a directed source especially in summer.

No reason, sometimes it is just nice to have a fire.

Safety, i have since wire meshed it in case of smaller 'spits' Lucky find, found this in the loft

The addition of both a fire (heat) detector and a carbon monoxide detector provides additional safety.

LINK - Fireplace safety

LINK - Cooking in a fireplace

This was a success and cost relatively little, a form of both heat and a cooking methods and to some extent although not for the sole purpose of light.