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Wood burning stoves
CitySlicker
Posts: 10,414 Forum Member
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I've read up a lot about these and I think I will take the plunge and fit a wood burning stove.
I have a few questions and would really like any input from people who already have one of these installed.
What sort of cost did you pay for the stove and for it to be fitted? If you did it yourself, how hard was it and since it's building controlled what was the council like? (There is a chimney so I am guessing all I need to do is line this and put a cowl in).
How do you store the wood, is it okay to keep outside with a bit of corrugated plastic over it or is something more substantial needed? Where do you tend to get the wood from?
Is it worth the effort compared to flicking on a gas central heating system?
Also does anyone have experience of linking this in with an existing central heating system? I've seen lots of manufacturers wax lyrical about this but then lots of negative comments online about this. Or how well does it heat the house generally if doors are left open?
All comments much appreciated.
I have a few questions and would really like any input from people who already have one of these installed.
What sort of cost did you pay for the stove and for it to be fitted? If you did it yourself, how hard was it and since it's building controlled what was the council like? (There is a chimney so I am guessing all I need to do is line this and put a cowl in).
How do you store the wood, is it okay to keep outside with a bit of corrugated plastic over it or is something more substantial needed? Where do you tend to get the wood from?
Is it worth the effort compared to flicking on a gas central heating system?
Also does anyone have experience of linking this in with an existing central heating system? I've seen lots of manufacturers wax lyrical about this but then lots of negative comments online about this. Or how well does it heat the house generally if doors are left open?
All comments much appreciated.
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http://www.pgfireplaces.co.uk/aidan.htm
http://www.aarrowfires.com/our-range-of-stoves/ecoburn-range/ecoburn.html
(I'd either be installing it myself or getting someone in to do it, but either way I'd get the work certified, it's not worth risking lives for a bodge job on this as I'd say carbon monoxide's likely to be the bigger risk than anything else).
Oh and I store the wood in the outhouse (the former outside toilet)
We actually have 2. One in the lounge and another heating a large open staircase hallway.
Had them installed 3 years ago and paid about £4500 for both (one needed work on the fireplace prior to install).
Store all our wood outside in an open front mini shed.
They put out an incredible amount of heat and are a great centre piece.
That burner is a free standing radiant type and will not heat water for a heating system, CO is no more of a problem for a woodburner than any other type of heating including gas but as with any type of heating a CO detector is always a bonus. The size and output of the burner is dictated by the number of and the size of your rooms, there are small woodburners available with a boiler but you need to be at least 8-10 KW output to make it worth your while and to be on the safe side go as big as you can which means you have to put wood in less often.
this link will calculate the size of burner you need...
http://www.tradeplumbing.co.uk/btu-calculator
Have a simple woodstore in the garden, some in the garage. I get hardwood only [makes less tar] from a local tree cutter and if I run out get some kiln dried stuff. Wood cost me £200 last winter.
Good point about the hardwood, avoid pine at all costs even if it is free.
But above all it must be well seasoned and totally dried. I now plan 2 years ahead, cut it and store alone side the house where it seasons.
People who own wood burners tend to become scavengers, I often see felled trees and just stop and load the boot, got some nice chestnut the other day which I'll be burning in 2 years time.
Scavengers is right:D I collect old broken pallets and take them to a local quarry in 7 ton loads to be crushed in a rock crusher for the price of a few cans of beer, nice little hand sized bits of wood and well seasoned.
You're right, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing you are heating your house for free.
I would never buy one of those net bags of logs they sell in garages for £8 each - absolute madness or shire laziness.
You will be surprised how much wood you can go through so I'd suggest you make sure your stove is a true multifuel and that you burn smokeless fuel to supplement your wood.
Make sure its installed by a reputable firm. You won't recover the cost of the stove (if you buy wood) for many years but they are just something nice to have and use.
I think using wood burning as my sole source is something I'm not quite up to, instead I think it is better for me to suppliment my central heating with it. With that in mind, what are people's thoughts about a stand-alone wood burner but with a HRV system to recover heat installed in the house? That stops me needing to open windows and would get the warm air circulated.
Do it annually, and I would personally let an experienced chimney sweep do it. Cost roughly £35
Clean once a year, if your stove has a top flue outlet it is an easy job as an inspection hatch is built into the short piece of flue pipe for easy access to the chimney, a rear flue outlet is more difficult. a top flue outlet is also more efficient as it also radiates heat into the room.
top flue outlet with inspection cover...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-250mm-Length-Vitreous-Enamel-MultiFuel-Wood-Stove-Flue-Pipe-with-Door-/271259283605?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Other_Fireplaces&hash=item3f28503095
you can also buy a heat circulating fan than sits on top of your stove and uses the heat of the stove to turn the blades, no electricity needed....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ECO-STOVE-TOP-WOOD-BURNER-FAN-GAS-FIREPLACE-WOOD-BURNING-FANS-GOLD-OR-NICKEL-/271152432598?pt=UK_HG_FireplacesMantelpieces_RL&var=&hash=item3f21f1c5d6
We have a Clearview 650 in green which we installed ourselves about five years ago.
The amount of heat it puts out is amazing and quickly warms up the bungalow.
We store all our wood outside uncovered as long as it is seasoned there is no problem.
Paid £1,500 for wood burner and installation. Just be sure that whatever model you get is Defra approved - there's a list on the Defra website. The first one we had designs on turned out not to be Defra approved, despite the supplier insisting that it was. So be sure to check it out for yourself.
Generally, it's ok to store wood outside, but you need to be mindful that you're going to want to burn it at some point, so if its sodden due to being left outside, then you might just have a bit of a problem trying to burn it. Advice is, if you can, have at least some in a sheltered place, and put more into the sheltered place as you use it.
Hard wood is great.. it burns for longer, but.. it might be difficult to get the fire going if that's all you have, so some soft wood is a good idea to have as well as an ignition.
In tems of heating the house, gas possibly has an advantage here because it happens quicker. It takes a couple of hours before heat from the wood burner is felt throughout here, but once it does, it's toasting.
All in all, I've no regrets about getting a wood burner.
We have chain saws so as soon as we get the wood it is cut up into the relevant size,stacked and left uncovered.
Our bungalow has wide overhangs all round so the wood never gets wet.
We do suffer with a few woodlice but you just brush them off along with snails and spiders.
A tip if you do go ahead with a purchase the best way to clean the glass if it gets marked is to get a slightly damp or dry cloth or piece of kitchen roll or newspaper and put it into the cold bits the fire has left and rub onto the marks and they do come off easily.
This tip was given to us from the salesman at Clearview Stoves in Knutsford.
You shouldn't need to go on the roof unless theres a problem, i'd get a sweep in for the first year and watch what they do as just shacking up some rods without anything to catch the soot will leave you with a very messy room and is bad for your lungs and you can get inspection cameras for quite cheap money if you want to make doubly sure the flue is clear
We are seriously considering a second burner in our dining room as we have found that initial cost and installation has paid for itself as we approach our autumn/winter....well worth the effort!
We paid £1400, should have been £1500 but asked for discount....for that we received the stove burner, the flue liner, plastering of the old fireplace wall,'new' brickwork with aged bricks, slate hearth and railway sleeper mantle and full installion!