Woodburners / Stoves

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doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Woodburners / Stoves

Post by doodles »

We are looking at installing a wood burner or stove.

We have done quite a lot of online research but it's like wading through treacle, every time we think we are getting somewhere another option pops up. The local "shop" looks rather costly but Countrykilns (online) has some nice looking ones. Any recommendations for a stove or burner to go into a room without a chimney (does have two outside walls) or a hearth so we will need to go through a wall and have a flue installed.

Thanks.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
booellesmum
Posts: 611
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by booellesmum »

Sorry I can't help, but I did read something a while ago about needing to declare on your house insurance if you have one installed.
mad?
Posts: 5621
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by mad? »

We have one. Found the same problems as you re:online research being a minefield. Installation and fitting of a liner etc cost more than the stove an the fitters were very expert. If I had was doing it again I would find the fitter first and then get their advice on which stove a where to source it etc. As it was we went via the expensive local store who did a home visit to check what would work and then managed to process. Also check whether your local smokeless fuel regulations require you to have DERA approved model, that hikes the price up as well. That said I LOVE it. The amount of heat generated is huge (don't order too large a model or you will never be able to sit comfortably in your room! Good luck :)
mad?
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by Hera »

Doodles it sounds as if we did something similar to what you are looking to. We installed a woodburner, external flue and granite for a hearth which sits on top of the wood flooring. I am always keen to buy British so we went for Burley Brampton which we love. It burns with an amazing fireball effect. We also chose it, as over 5 kW you need an air vent and rather than venting through the floor this one allows you to do it behind the burner though a sealed unit. We paid a bit more to have the external flue in black so it looks like a large drain pipe as opposed to an outlet for a pizza restaurant. The one issue we have experienced with the external flue is if you don't warm the chimney well before you light the fire it is easy to smoke out the room. I now use a blow torch as it works wonders and then you can use it to light the fire, although that's not how it is supposed to be done! The stove was £800 to £900 and the whole job including chimney etc was just under 3k but worth every penny.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by Tinkers »

Going through the process of having one fitted. Ours is under 5kW so no vent required. Fitters couldn't get the liner down the chimney (partial collapse of chimney when the neighbours had their fitted. However a smoke test revealed it is safe to fit without one so we are just waiting for a special adapter to be made to finish the job.

Look carefully at the max size of log you can fit inside too, espcially if you have an existing woodpile.

Most of the ones we looked at were very similar tbh. We've ended up with an ACR oak dale as that would fit the space, allow 1ft logs and is under the 5kW.
Yamin151
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Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by Yamin151 »

I agree that you find a fitter first. The chimney/flue installation can be the most expensive thing.
Lots choices yes but queen of stoves is probably Clearview, with a price to match. But they do a lovely little model for individual rooms. As someone else has said, don't be tempted to buy big as you will have to back out of your room!
We have two. One in the snug which is an old one but a they are essentially mechanical, it does a good job, though not as pretty as a Clearview.
We also have a wood burning Esse in the kitchen. This is not the ironheart but a model that looks the same as an aga, but burns wood. Two overs, two hot plates etc. I bake a cake for a joinery once a week and get 5 sacks of off cuts so we never have to buy wood. We also have no other heating on downstairs as its so warm.

The secret to lighting, as someone else has mentioned, is to get the chimney really hot. For this its a good idea to have a clue thrmomenter and get it into the 'silver zone'. The best method for this with both of our stoves is to light with thin wood, then keep putting on just a fe sticks and not put anymore on until they are roaring. Keep going and don't switch the heat to the room, or shut down the Fire, or fully close the door, whatever, until you are in the silver zone, or til you cannot touch the flue it is so hot. Your wood burner will then act as the radiator it is meant to, as opposed to relying on the flame, whcih is how a conventional fire works.
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by doodles »

Thank you, I knew I could rely on you lot.

I will find a local fitter first and get his recommendations. It's not a huge room but relatively cold, however, it sounds as if I don't need the monster ones we were looking at.
RedVelvet
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:06 pm

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by RedVelvet »

Honestly they do kick out a lot of heat, ours is a Clearview about 70cm high and it warms our lounge nicely, it's definitely been worth the investment and is lit most evenings. If I'm at home during the day I just leave it on low, they are very controllable.
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by Amber »

There was a thread about this a while ago:

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... er#p379531" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Love ours. Currently got my Easter branches and Scandinavian decorations and things in front of it on the hearth though - I always think flowers look nice in front of it when you don't need it on.
DC17C
Posts: 1197
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Re: Woodburners / Stoves

Post by DC17C »

I'd agree with using a local specialist fitter- ours sent someone out to do a survey to work out what was possible. We ended up have a Parkray Chevin Inset stove fitted into an existing fireplace with chimney. We were pondering having the fireplace opened up to have a traditional style stove but in the end are pleased with the result. We have a much bigger window with an inset stove but still a 5kw output. Anything more would be too much heat.
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