Wood burning Stove questions

con1_uk · 17 Mar 2011

Hello, We live in a C1900 mid terrace and want to install a wood burning stove

I have a few questions please

Should I go for a mulifuel or just a wood burner?
Will my existing chiney do or do I need a chiney liner etc?

How do you know what output to buy?

Where is the best place to buy the wood from?

How is it best to store the wood? I have a garage is it ok in there?

Can you burn any wood or is it just logs?
Thanks for reading so far.

hotrod · 18 Mar 2011

1. Depends what you want to burn.
2. Only way to tell is to get your chimney/stack tested. Get an RGI / Hetas guy to smoke bomb it.
3. Depends how big the area you want to heat is.
4. A wood log seller - you will find it much cheaper to buy by the m³.
5. Dry wood burns better. The wood for next winter is "seasoning" in the wood shed now.
6. Any wood. But hardwood seems to burn better.

RichC will know doubt add his wisdom

Richard C · 18 Mar 2011

As this comes up so often, I’ve put together this generic post; read the links but not all may apply to you.

You can DIY but you need to understand the Building Regs (which changed in October), submit a Building Notice & pay a fee. Your LABC will inspect &, assuming everything is OK, issue a compliance certificate; the BI may want to witness smoke & spillage tests.

Lots of archive threads on this, & other things you have to watch out for, here a few links for you to read:
http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/stove_building_regulations.html
http://www.hetas.co.uk/public/certificates.html
http://www.solidfuel.co.uk/pdfs/buidling_regs_consumer leaflet.pdf
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=183614
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=211524
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=242738
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=224751

& some more sobering just in case you think it’s all a load of old tosh:
http://www.solidfuel.co.uk/main_pages/news.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...wood-burning-stove-leaks-carbon-monoxide.html

Also get at least 3 quotes from local independent HETAS installers:
http://www.hetas.co.uk/nearest_member

You might be pleasantly surprised & you should ask yourself if you really want all the hassle & risk getting it wrong; climbing onto the roof with an 8M stainless steel snake on your back is not for the feint hearted!

con1_uk · 18 Mar 2011

Hello thanks for the replies so far,

So I have a choice of using the chimney (if its safe) or using a flexible steel chimney, Is it true the fire will be more economical with a flue but without it will heat the whole chimney better?

My builder will prep all the fireplace ready for the HETAS dude, whats a ball park installation figure for this type of work with and without a flue please?

con1_uk · 18 Mar 2011

Oh yea nearly forgot to ask this one and it could be a show stopper,

I live in a smoke free zone, are wood burners still allowed and are you allowed to burn wood? I have seen some low smoke versions

nordberg73 · 19 Mar 2011

I would recommend you get a proper flue liner installed...

There are plenty of Defra approved woodburners around that are suitable for smoke free zones. We had a Handol 51L installed a couple of months ago and we line in a smoke free zone....

con1_uk · 19 Mar 2011

Hello thanks for your post,

I am leaning more towards the chimney liner/flue liner/metal chimney jobbie, once installed how oftern do they need to be swept?

How do these new clean burn stoves work? Can you still burn anything in them and they dont smoke?

Ta

big-all · 19 Mar 2011

another thing to keep in mind
if you duel fuel stove is rated at say 7kw this will be with solid fuel burning well
burning soft wood and only stoking the fire say every 30 mins you could be nearer 1kw-1.5kw output

con1_uk · 7 Apr 2011

Hello, Me again.

Because of the way I am arranging the back room work we are getting in a builder first to do the other room work like plastering and fitting new skirts etc. I want the builder to prep the fireplace ready for the 2nd fix being the woodburner. So basically my builder will be getting the fireplace ready for the HETAS guy to fit the fire once all finished.

Is this OK to do it this way? Can the Flue liner (if required) be fitted from mostly outside etc? Can my builder make sure the hearth is to the regulations and the inside of the fireplace the correct materials?

From reading the links above have I thought of everything here?

Fireplace size and internal materials
Hearth materials
CO2 alarm
Info plate

Basically I want the woodburner fitted by the HETAS guy after the room is finished but with all the messy prep work done by the builder.

I know this may sound weird but this is the way I need to do it because of the finances involved.

Thanks for reading

hotrod · 7 Apr 2011

The flue liner will be dropped down the flue from the top of the chimney stack. Tie a big heavy weight to the end of it and let gravity take it's course.

Don't rely on your builder to know any of the regulations re stoves (ventilation / clearances etc). The guys here can help and you can be the go-between between the HETAS installer and the builder but you will have to project manage the work and make sure the builder's work will comply.

con1_uk · 7 Apr 2011

Brilliant that sounds good,

I need to read up on the regs as my builder has already mentioned he does no know about them.

Assuming the HETAS engineer will fit the flue liner if required and will do all the regulation work on the chimney pot, he will also fit the warning plate and approve the CO2 alarm that just leaves me to look into the rest?

I was thinking having either bricks or stone down as a hearth is this allowed and is the cement used standard? how thick will this have to be?

For inside the fireplace I want it to be plasteboarded and skimmed, is this standard boards and skim?

From a clearance prospective, the outside measurement of my chimney in the back room is 69 inches, I want my builder to open it up as much as possible, does this sound big enough to leave me lots of choice for a good sized stove? Is there an easy to understand picture with clearance measurements available please?

Thanks

mointainwalker · 8 Apr 2011

"..chimney in the back room is 69 inches, I want my builder to open it up as much as possible, does this sound big enough to leave me lots of choice for a good sized stove "

The biggest single determinant of stove size will be the size of log you want to burn. I'm not in UK but here standard log sizes from merchants are 30 cm and 50 cm so you should check what log-dealers sell as standard.

My large stove has a max output of 14 kW and measures 70 cm across and takes 50 cm logs. There will be a mutltitude that will fit: you have the diffficult decision to choose style,manufacturer, what size of flue you want/need, side/top-exit ( flue) and finally cost which varies dramatically !

con1_uk · 8 Apr 2011

Evening,

Can anybody help me with these questions please?

I was thinking having either bricks or stone down as a hearth is this allowed and is the cement used standard? how thick will this have to be?

For inside the fireplace I want it to be plasteboarded and skimmed, is this standard boards and skim?

From a clearance prospective, the outside measurement of my chimney in the back room is 69 inches, I want my builder to open it up as much as possible, does this sound big enough to leave me lots of choice for a good sized stove? Is there an easy to understand picture with clearance measurements available please?

Ta

con1_uk · 9 Apr 2011

OK, sorry, one question at once.

I have read through the Hearth sizes and regs and I think I am clear on the size, as long as the hearth is 300mm away from the front of the fire then i'm ok? I am hoping the fire sits fully within the chimney space.

Quote Stovesonline

If the hearth is on a combustible floor it must be at least 250mm thick

My floor is black ashfelt (Spelling??) is this classed as combustible? can we build up the floor to 250mm with stone flags on the top? Can we use standard stone and mortar here?

Thanks.

mointainwalker · 9 Apr 2011

Asphalt is very combustible and will also give off unpleasant/toxic gases if heated

If the hearth is on a combustible floor it must be at least 250mm thick

can we build up the floor to 250mm with stone flags on the top

Since stone is clearly non-combustible, I think you have answered your own question.

I don't know max working temps for normal cement. If nobody answers, try the tech services of Lafarge or Hanson.

Just my opinion, but I think the idea that a 250 mm thick stone/concrete hearth is deemed to be necessary shows the total lunacy and rank stupidity that now exists in people responsible for making regulations.

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Wood burning Stove questions

hotrod

hotrod

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