The old designs are always better

[The Dong]

On 31/12/2011 18:43, Peter Korsten wrote:
> My parents got a stove at some point, and the animals certainly liked
> it. Then, when my sister moved into their place whilst my parents moved
> to a smaller place, she took over the stove.
>
> At some later point in time, that stove caused the house to catch fire
> and burn down. Ever since, I have my doubts about wood burning.

I don't know exactly how that came about, but cast iron has limits 
before the stresses will crack it open.
That is why stove or flue thermometers exist. Also, if you're going to 
leave it unattended, it should be left in the correct setting (closed 
off air intake)
To put a scare story of a house burning down _because_ of a woodburning 
stove is nae quite right. If any electrical or gas appliance (or a 
candle) is abused or left unattended, they too can likely cause a fire.
Not to say your sister is daft, but maybe she should have had a bit more 
advice and warnings about the proper use of a stove? :)

To put things in perspective though about the 'fairer' sex, if a man 
sets fire to, say, the grill whilst making toast, he might switch the 
device off at the wall and close the door, allowing the fire to put 
itself out, maybe even use a splash of water if handy, but that's not 
required and might be even dangerous.
A woman (lol, stereotypes) however, might panic at the sight of flames 
and run out of the room and call the fire brigade then exit the building 
to possibly watch it all burn down, or the kitchen get nicely smelly and 
sooty. This is based on a real incident, in which both scenarios kind of 
happened (as in, my other half set the grill on fire accidentally and 
called the fire brigade, I was asleep, but she woke me up and I did the 
closing of the door bit and told her she could deal with the fire boys 
when they arrive whose time she had wasted ;)

So. No unattended (by me) use of the woodburner would be allowed, until 
such time as a third party understands how to use it safely utterly! :)

The weather just now really doesn't justify it! (nice day, but predicted 
weather says nasty on the way..)