Knowledge Base

If you are planning to fit a new stove into an existing chimney we would strongly recommend that you firstly have your chimney swept by a 'NACS' registered sweep. They will also inspect and test the chimney to ensure there is enough draw and it doesn't leak. You should then be left with a certificate stating the condition of your chimney, which any professional installer will want to see, to decide if your chimney needs re-lining.

Before you install a new stove, you must have your chimney swept and smoke tested. A smoke test will tell you whether or not your chimney is leaking. If it is leaking, then you MUST have your chimney lined to comply with building regulations. If your chimney does not leak then it is possible to connect to your existing chimney using a register plate or spigot plate, however, there are a number of important benefits to lining:
1) Should the mortar in your chimney crumble in the future, a liner will ensure all the flue gases are safely contained.
2) If burning a wood, a lot of tar can be deposited inside your chimney unless the wood is very well seasoned. A liner will prevent this from pentrating through the brickwork into your rooms.
3) A liner will keep the flue diameter constant all the way up the chimney, improving the draw of your chimney and helping improve the efficiency of your stove.
4) Sweeping will be a lot easier if the flue is the same size all the way up, resulting in less soot build up.

It is recommended that you use a HETAS regulated fitter to do the work to ensure you meet all the required building regulations. Work carried out by a suitably qualified HETAS installer can be self-certified at installation rather than the customer applying for a Building Notice from their Local Authority.
Professionals experienced in stove installations can be used, however all work must conform to the required building regulations and the customer must apply for a Building Notice from their Local Authority.
We always recommend using a HETAS approved installer as they have greater experience and often complete an installation quicker, cheaper and to a higher standard. Please note, failure to meet building regulations could result in you invalidating your home insurance.

HETAS is the official body recognised by the government to approve solid fuel domestic heating appliances, fuels and services. Their website is www.hetas.co.uk

A convector stove uses the principle of convection to improve the distribution of hot air in the room. Convection stoves have an extra side panel which forms a spacing channel between it and the main body of the stove. The combustion heat is led to the air via these channels. Cold air is drawn in at the base of the stove and drawn up between the side plates and finally out at the top as hot air. The hot air rises, and cold air is drawn in at floor level. This generates quick air circulation in the room. Convection stoves are safer for children because the outer side plates are cooled down, preventing them from becoming very hot. This also means that you can reduce the distance to furniture, the heat emitted is less harsh, and the heat distribution is quicker and better. Convection stoves ensure an even and comfortable heating, also in adjoining rooms.

No, the standard black stove flue pipe can only be used indoors. If you wish to create a chimney outside you must use a stainless steel twin wall flue before exiting the building.
Although it is tempting as the standard pipe is considerably cheaper, it is not designed for external use - potential problems include:
* Cold flue, reducing the draw as it is un-insulated, therefore your stove may not work properly, with smoke falling back down into the stove and in some cases entering the room through the stoves air vents.
* Greater fire risk for nearby combustible objects. Distance to combustible materials should be 3x the diameter of any un-insulated pipe. Twin wall insulated pipe requires only 50mm clearance.
* Standard flue pipe used outside will corrode far quicker and any initial cost saving quickly disappears when having to replace the inappropriate material.

There isn't really a difference in heat output between a steel stove and a cast iron stove, just how it gives heat out - a cast iron stove will give out heat for longer after the fire has died down, although it will take longer to heat up.

A good cast iron is generally more expensive to buy, but can be more decorative as each panel is cast separately. This also means any damaged panels can be replaced in the future (although it is usually a big job involving rebuilding much of the stove).

If you are looking for an enamel finish on your stove, this can only be achieved on a cast iron stove.

Wood is often refered to as a carbon neutral source of fuel. This is because in environmental terms the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when it is burnt is approximately the same as the amount absorbed by the tree during it's growth.

Seasoned wood is wood that has been allowed to dry after beening cut down. For optimum results, logs should be seasoned for 2 years or more to achieve a moisture content below 20%. This will not only give twice the heat output of freshly felled timber but will help avoid a build up of tar in your flue.

Here is an age old verse to help you remember which woods are best for your wood burning stove.

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year
Chestnut only good they say
If for long it's laid away
Make a fire of elder tree
Death within your house will be
But ash new or ash old
Is fit for a Queen with a crown of gold
Birch and Fir logs burn too fast
Blaze up bright and do not last
It is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould
Even the very flames are cold
But ash green or ash brown
Is fit for a Queen with a golden crown
Poplar gives a bitter smoke
Fills your eyes and makes you choke
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense-like perfume
Oaken logs, if dry and old
Keep away the winters cold
But ash wet or ash dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.

Smoke control areas are those zones in which the local authority restricts the burning of fuel that emits smoke in a stove or fireplace. You are able to burn smokeless fuels such as anthracite on a multi-fuel stove, but not wood.

Click here for a list of Smoke Control Areas.

Smoke control areas tend to be in larger cities, however if you are unsure, you should contact your local authority, who can tell you if you are in a smoke control zone and will have details of permitted fuels and appliances.

There are a small number of wood burning stoves and multi-fuel stoves that are permitted for burning wood within a smoke control area, due to their low emissions and subsequent approval by DEFRA.

Click here for a list of stoves approved for use in a smokeless area.

If smoke comes out of the stove when the fire door is opened or through the air inlets when the door is closed, it will probably be due to the poor draught in the chimney.

If in doubt, you may want to get your chimney sweep to measure the draught in the chimney.

The draught in the chimney is the result of the difference between the high temperature in the chimney and the cooler temperature outside. Other factors that determine whether sufficient negative pressure can be produced to create a draught include the length and insulation of the chimney, and wind and weather conditions.
The draught will be reduced when:
- The temperature difference is too low, e.g. in connection with a poorly insulated chimney.
- The outside temperature is too high, e.g. during the summer.
- There is no wind.
- The chimney is not tall enough, with the result that it sits in the lee of the roof surface or tall trees.
- Air is entering the chimney in undesired places, e.g. through cracked joints or leaks in the cleaning door or the flue pipe.
- Unsealed, unused fireplaces are connected to the chimney.
- The flue pipe and chimney are clogged up with soot due to inadequate cleaning.
- The house is too tightly sealed. An air vent may need to be installed in the room to comply with building regulations (for solid fuel stoves with an output over 5kw).

A good draught is achieved when:
- There is a big difference between the temperature in the chimney and outside, i.e. when the need for heating is greatest.
- The weather is clear and there is a good wind.
- The chimney is of the proper height, i.e. Minimum 4 metres above the stove, and clear of the spine of the roof.

One kilowatt equals 3414 British thermal unit, therefore to convert kilowatts (kW) into a british thermal unit (Btu) value simply multiply the Kilowatts value by 3414.

e.g. 5kW x 3414 = 17,070 Btu