Installing a wood burning stove.
Discussion
I had a gas fire installed a couple of years ago. Due to being underwhelmed with the heat output and the fact the the living room floor may have to ripped up to repair a leaking gas pipe, I am considering other options.
If I fitted a wood burning stove instead would the chimney require any modification?
If I fitted a wood burning stove instead would the chimney require any modification?
Baby Huey said:
If I fitted a wood burning stove instead would the chimney require any modification?
I understand you are supposed to have a liner fitted - basically a big silver tube they lower in from the top. And a big metal plate near the bottom so the flue is isolated - forget the name of it.However, quite why modern chimneys are unable to stand up to the heat of fires without being modified me escapes me - can any stove fitters explain?
Simpo Two said:
Baby Huey said:
If I fitted a wood burning stove instead would the chimney require any modification?
I understand you are supposed to have a liner fitted - basically a big silver tube they lower in from the top. And a big metal plate near the bottom so the flue is isolated - forget the name of it.However, quite why modern chimneys are unable to stand up to the heat of fires without being modified me escapes me - can any stove fitters explain?
freecar said:
Also the chimney needs to be hot to prevent creosote building up on the inside which leads to chimney fires. I expect a modern wood burning stove to be too efficient to get a large brick chimney up to temperature.
That makes sense, thanks.(although if the stove doesn't get the chimney very hot... what's the flashpoint of creote?)
Baby Huey said:
I was hoping I could just run the stove pipe part way up the chimney and that would be OK.
A friend of mine did just that over a year ago (with the plate jobbie) and his house is still standing. (In fact that's annoying as I bet him 50p it would burn down last November)Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 19th December 16:35
You will need it signing off by Building Regs or installing by a Hetas registered installer. If you don't and you have a fire you will have insurance problems, and you will have to remove it if you ever sell the house it will not be a legit install. The idea is to keep the flue gases hot, if you have a bog standard brick chimney or clay liner the gases will cool and condensate will form causing creosotes which may cause problems over time and increase the chances of a chimney fire, although regular cleaning will hopefully prevent this. If you do go down the DIY non legit method have your excuses ready for the insurance company if you ever have a fire.
The register plate is the word a poster was looking for. I have a pumice flue insulated with vermilucite (sp!) granules around the flue in my new build. Twin wall stainless steel liners keep the flue gases warm. I have a Hunter stove 6kw job as good as a Clearview (Rolls Royce of stoves) but half the price. Stoves keep their value very well, and vat is only 5% on a wood burner.
Be prepared for lots of log shifting and chopping.
The register plate is the word a poster was looking for. I have a pumice flue insulated with vermilucite (sp!) granules around the flue in my new build. Twin wall stainless steel liners keep the flue gases warm. I have a Hunter stove 6kw job as good as a Clearview (Rolls Royce of stoves) but half the price. Stoves keep their value very well, and vat is only 5% on a wood burner.
Be prepared for lots of log shifting and chopping.
It seems bizarre that you have to insulate the chimney from the hot stuff going up the middle (chimneys have been around since about 1000BC and only now seem to be no good for purpose) - but I see your point. Maybe if the stove is on an outside wall it would be easier and cheaper to poke the flue out the back?
Idea! Throw it away and get central heating
Idea! Throw it away and get central heating
Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 19th December 21:13
Simpo Two said:
It seems bizarre that you have to insulate the chimney from the hot stuff going up the middle (chimneys have been around since about 1000BC and only now seem to be no good for purpose) - but I see your point. Maybe if the stove is on an outside wall it would be easier and cheaper to poke the flue out the back?
Idea! Throw it away and get central heating
Except then you need insulated external flue up the hight of the building, and if you think ordinary flue is expensive just wait until you see the price of insulated stuff.Idea! Throw it away and get central heating
Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 19th December 21:13
I would get the chimney inspected by a sweep - plenty of people have woodburners going into old chimneys without any problems. One issue is that the corrosive gases will attack the lime mortar in an old chimney so make sure you do regular inspections and have a plan for how you are going to deal with any issues. Also CO detectors in the rooms around the chimney.
We have old chimneys (200 yr old house) and I've put ss liners in them. Makes it easy to sweep and I'm happier about the CO issue.
The regs are pretty tight and sometimes pretty stupid. We had to put a false wall in to create a smoke box as to bring it forward into the rom more from inside a large brick fireplace because the stove needs a certain (generous) distance around it, in front and above it.
When they came to install it they stopped work because there 'wasn't sufficient ventilation', in a room over 20 feet high with rattling old 19th century sash windows and 4 doors. In the end I had to remove the double doors from the lounge ( well Ok, just loosen the hinge screws while the fitter was there) to the porch so that the room in effect became one which opened directly to the outside. Even the fitter said it was none-sense but he also pointed out that one of our chimney pots no longer met regs despite having been up there working for the last 150 years.
The HETAS guys have a criminal liability if things go wrong if they don't follow all the rules, even the stupid ones, so they want to see the rules followed and you can't blame them for that.
Our chimney had a liner already (which prevented the open fire working properly) and was sealed with a cement skirt of some sort.
When they came to install it they stopped work because there 'wasn't sufficient ventilation', in a room over 20 feet high with rattling old 19th century sash windows and 4 doors. In the end I had to remove the double doors from the lounge ( well Ok, just loosen the hinge screws while the fitter was there) to the porch so that the room in effect became one which opened directly to the outside. Even the fitter said it was none-sense but he also pointed out that one of our chimney pots no longer met regs despite having been up there working for the last 150 years.
The HETAS guys have a criminal liability if things go wrong if they don't follow all the rules, even the stupid ones, so they want to see the rules followed and you can't blame them for that.
Our chimney had a liner already (which prevented the open fire working properly) and was sealed with a cement skirt of some sort.
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