Recommendation on flue system for multi-fuel stove -New buid

[shagty]

Hi everyone

My friends are building their new home and I would like to get your opinions on the most appropriate flue system.

The house is a dormer type and will be heated primarily by two multi-fuel stoves fitted back to back on an internal wall. One stove includes a boiler with a flue outlet of 125mm dia. The chimney is straight and approximately 5 metres high. The preferred stove is a stand alone unit with top outlet. The rooms housing the stoves are quite small as well so floor space is limited.

Clay liners, flexible steel liners and pumice blocks are being considered but I'm not sure which would provide the optimum solution for solid fuel multi-fuel applications.

I would be grateful if you could share your recommendations in terms of performance & cost. In light of space restrictions, some advice on integrating a practical cleaning solution would be appreciated as well.

Thanks for reading and any tips you can share.

Shagty

 

[DeltaT2]

Hi everyone

My friends are building their new home and I would like to get your opinions on the most appropriate flue system.

The house is a dormer type and will be primarily heated by two multi-fuel stoves fitted back to back on an internal wall. One stove includes a boiler and the stove flue outlet will probably be 125mm dia. The chimney is straight and approximately 15 metres high. The preferred stove is a stand alone unit with top outlet. The rooms housing the stoves are quite small as well so floor space is limited.

Clay liners, flexible steel liners and pumice blocks are being considered but I'm not sure which would provide the optimum solution for solid fuel multi-fuel applications.

I would be grateful if you could share your recommendations in terms of performance & cost. In light of space restrictions, some advice on integrating a practical cleaning solution would be appreciared as well.

Thanks for reading and any tips you can share.

Shagty

Shagty mate, a Class 1 twin flue chimney, with two clay liners is by far the best thing to fit. A good Brickie would have it up in a matter of a couple of days. A concrete block chimney will last for 100s of years.

I was in a house yesterday that was built pre WW2, the fire is used every day & the chimney is in first class condition.

 

[shagty]

Hi delta t2

Thanks for your comment. Do you have any suggestions for cleaning access from within?

Rgds S

 

[dcawkwell]

By far the best thing is to forget the idea of having a multifuel stove
in the first place.

 

[Kev F]

Best using a liner, you won't need to clean often if at all

 

[DeltaT2]

By far the best thing is to forget the idea of having a multifuel stove
in the first place.

Why?? A well maintained stove burning seasoned wood or good quality house coal is a great way to heat any home.

 

[FiremanT]

Why?? A well maintained stove burning seasoned wood or good
quality house coal is a great way to heat any home.[/quote]

If you have the time and ensrgy to feed the thing, and don't mind a box of wood and garden insects in your lounge (or wherever). Not to mention the cost of fuel.

But the flames do look nice and mesmerising. Don't forget the ventilator and CO alarm.

 

[DeltaT2]

Hi delta t2

Thanks for your comment. Do you have any suggestions for cleaning access from within?

Rgds S

Good quality Soot Doors are a very good idea, they can be built into the chimney structure. Regular chimney cleaning is very important, so having a chinmey Soot Door in the Living Room is not very wise.

 

[dcawkwell]

By far the best thing is to forget the idea of having a multifuel stove
in the first place.

Why?? A well maintained stove burning seasoned wood or good quality house coal is a great way to heat any home.

But a lot of mess and hassle.
They will soon get bored of getting up to
a cold house and having to light the boiler.
While the idea may seem romantic in practice
they are a pain.
Got 4 fire places myself. Never use any of them. Easier
just to flick a switch.
They might be retired and have a lot of time on their hands.
What they gonna do if they fall ill. Still got to get up
and light the fire.

 

[dcawkwell]

Why?? A well maintained stove burning seasoned wood or good
quality house coal is a great way to heat any home.

If you have the time and ensrgy to feed the thing, and don't mind a box of wood and garden insects in your lounge (or wherever). Not to mention the cost of fuel.

But the flames do look nice and mesmerising. Don't forget the ventilator and CO alarm.[/quote]

Someone else who sees the light.

 

[Norcon]

Some people fit a bland combi which gives a lot of trouble...
People with a sense of "homliness" and creativity fit something like this...

Brother has one of these in his home...

Well its quite similar. Hangs from the apex of the roof on a fully revolving 8m section of flue. Very impressive.
His home layout is also quite similar to the image above except no surrounding brickwork.
And fired up every day in winter and belts the heat out in all directions. And can stay lit all night.
Any home with features like these is in a different league that the peasants with their cheap tatty combi's can only dream off.

 

[Tibbot]

But a lot of mess and hassle.
They will soon get bored of getting up to
a cold house and having to light the boiler.
While the idea may seem romantic in practice
they are a pain.
Got 4 fire places myself. Never use any of them. Easier
just to flick a switch.

Some of us like using a real fire or stove. We tend to be the same people who also appreciate:

Real music, real weather, real ale, real sports and activities.

As one who prefers fake fires, you may also favour:

Manufactured pop acts, strategically marketed p*ss water lager, watching overpaid fairies masquerading as footballers on big screens as well as those fake celebrity ar***les from Essex.

 

[shagty]

Thanks for all your contributions.

I think multi-fuel appliances are very practical for heating and/or cooking, especially where rural home owners are remote from the nat. gas network.

Anybody who has used a solid fuel alppliance, including myself, will know they are not as convenient as their gas/oil fired counterparts, and require more maintenance to get the best out of them.

However, with proper care, multi-fuel stoves are quite efficient (80%), not very dirty (IMO), and can be carbon neutral depending on fuel unlike gas/oil. In addition, solid fires create an ambiance that is very difficult to replicate with other fuels. I have a gas fire (spanish basket type) ''for convenience'', and while it does comes close in terms of effect, its alot more expensive to run.

Just coming back to the issue of cleaning access for the solid fuel system, does anyone have any ideas on the best arrangement for a top outlet stove? Or would a back outlet stove with a soot box be more practical?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks S