Wood Burning Stove

[xruthie]

I have read that I cannot put a wood burning stove in a kitchen with an extractor fan. Is there any way of getting around this problem other than a recirculating cooker extractor which I believe are ineffective.

 

[jeds]

No. The regulations are clear. A solid fuel stove must not be fitted in the same room as an extractor fan. The usual question I get asked is how Aga etc. Overcome these issues. The basic answer is that Aga's have complicated extract and air supply systems that are specifically designed to work in relation to extract fans. These are set up and tested within fail safe parameters by qualified engineers. There is no such regime with solid fuel stoves.

 

[Richard C]

Hi jeds; by coincidence I’m also very interested in this one & have been looking into it for someone I know wanting a similar installation in what is basically an open plan ground floor living space. I’ve been browsing several websites & looking through Part J but I can’t really find anything that specifically excludes having an extract fan & an open flue appliance in the same room. The only reference I’ve been able to find so far (in Part J) just states that “the appliance must be capable of operating safely when either the extract fans are running or off”. It goes on, “a way of showing compliance would be to follow the manufacturer’s installation guidance (whatever that means) & demonstrate by conducting spillage tests that the appliance operates satisfactorily both with & without the extract fans running”. If you can demonstrate by these tests that the appliance has sufficient air supply to maintain draft either through permanent ventilation &/or have a mechanical draft inducer in the flue, would this not demonstrate compliance?

You say the regulations are clear & I’m not questioning your knowledge at all but I would appreciate it if you give specific information where this is stated; it would at least save me wasting even more time on this one

 

[jeds]

I looked into this extensively about a year ago because it's a popular request in kitchens of rural developments. I definitely agree it's not an easy one to get to the bottom of.

Part J gives certain circumstances where a fan can be in the same room for gas and oil appliances but for solid fuel it just says something like 'should be avoided' and refers to HETAS regs.

HETAS regs are slightly hazy but do refer to appliance manufacturers installation details. Presumably because not all stoves are the same - i.e. different sizes etc. I've looked up several of the major manufacturers and they all say either do not fit in same room as an extractor or they say something like fitting in the same room as an extractor can lead to spillage of dangerous fumes. Either way means the same thing to me. I even spoke to several manufacturers at the time but they were a bit cagey about it. I think probably because they know tens of thousands of people have them with no problem but they obviously can't say that.

What I do know is that I've never been able to get a HETAS installer to sign one off. As I said, I get asked for it a lot, but unless I can get somebody to certificate it, it can't happen.

 

[Richard C]

As I said, I’ve just been asked by someone wanting to do the same thing to “have a look into it for me”. I’ve already spent quiet a few hours virtually going around in circles & having read Part J quiet thoroughly, concluded it didn’t specifically rule it out providing you could demonstrate enough positive air pressure to maintain sufficient draft. But it additionally refers you to “manufacturer’s & HETAS guidelines” which is a bit of a cop out &, to me, they seem very woolly indeed. They seem to be sitting on the fence but with open plan, ground floor settings becoming more popular, it’s going to be an ever increasing problem & if it satisfactory spillage tests are OK for oil & gas burners, why not solid fuel?

Anyhow, thanks for passing on your experience & the additional info, you’ve saved me a few more hours searching but I’m still not convinced it doesn’t need pushing to get clarification. I suppose it’s a question of who has the time or knowledge to do the pushing &, as you say, it’s getting that certificate of compliance that closes the deal! Thanks again John.

 

[mikric]

Personally as a BCO, I would not have a problem with anyone doing this as long as a suitable air supply for the stove is available,I usually ask for air brick in rear of fire place if possible, the trouble with a spillage test is that everything is all ready in situ and functioning to do the test. If manufactures instructions on AGAs etc say no extract then I would not insist on one being fitted.

 

[Richard C]

That's interesting

 

[jeds]

if it satisfactory spillage tests are OK for oil & gas burners, why not solid fuel?

I don't fully understand that either - being that gas and oil are a lot more potentially dangerous. The only thing I came up with was that the regulations on gas and oil are much tighter so when the regs were drawn up it was felt that it would be fully covered by Gassafe/Oftec etc.

As you say, the deal breaker is getting the certificate. I've come across the Aga situation several times and BCOs are normally fairly relaxed about that. But they don't seem to have as much confidence with open flued appliances.

 

[barber]

how do you carry out a spillage test on a wood burning stove? Do you just warm the flue up, bung a smoke bomb in, shut the door and check no smoke escapes from the applaince and flue system?

Many thanks