Month: August 2018

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 30, 20184:04 pm

Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a wood burning stove?

The simple answer is yes, you can get carbon monoxide from a wood-burning stove. However, carbon monoxide poisoning is also possible with additional fuels such as gas, oil, solid minerals and biomass. Not just wood-burning and multifuel stoves. So, how can you protect yourself against carbon monoxide poisoning?

It is only faulty or badly maintained equipment which will put you at danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, there are a number of actions you can take to protect yourself.

Installing your stove

In theory anyone can install a stove as long as it is signed off by the local authority building department. In practice many people choose to use an approved fitter who can install your stove without additional paperwork. Initially, this is the best way to protect you from faulty/badly installed stoves.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 30, 20183:09 pm

Wood-burning and multifuel stove efficiency tips

Do you need planning permission for a flue?

The question of whether you need planning permission for a flue is not covered in great detail on the Internet. In reality, the vast majority of wood-burning/multifuel stove installations will not require planning permission but it is worth checking out. Building regulations clarify when planning permission is not required.

Planning permission regulations in the UK

Under normal circumstances the fitting, altering and replacing of an external flue, chimney or soil and vent pipe will be considered as permitted development. Therefore, planning permission will not be required in the vast majority of cases. However, there are a number of issues to take into consideration.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 30, 20181:00 pm

Signs of a substandard stove installation

The installation of a wood-burning or multifuel stove is heavily regulated. All installations must be signed off by a HETAS qualified person or the local authority building control department. Therefore, finding a responsible and qualified installer is very important. There will be serious repercussions for those who install stoves without the necessary qualifications and paperwork.

Some of the more common issues to look out for include:-

Register plate fitting

Any sensible stove owner or stove installer would be horrified to learn that some apparently “qualified” installers have in the past used combustible materials as a register plate. We have seen instances of chipboard and other similar material used in place of steel. Aside from the fact there are tight regulations regarding the distance between your stove/flue pipe and combustible materials, this does not make sense.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 16, 20184:55 pm

How much does a wood-burning stove cost?

It is fair to say that when looking to buy a wood-burning stove it really does depend upon your budget, from just a few hundred pounds up to a few thousand pounds. That really is the breadth of stoves on offer today. Even though the choice is enormous in the modern day stove market, where do you start?

We will now take a look at some of the “entry” level stoves and some of the more expensive which tend to relate to contemporary machines.

Entry-level stoves

It is unfair to suggest that modern day stoves towards the lower end of the cost spectrum are entry-level models. Maybe a decade ago this would have been a fair description but stove brands such as Hamlet and Firefox have taken the quality of low-cost stoves to a new level.

Firefox stoves

The price of a Firefox stove starts at around £480 for the Firefox 5 cleanburn multifuel stove (DEFRA approved) up to £850 for the Firefox 8 stove. There is also a Firefox 12 stove which, as the name suggests, creates heat output with a nominal value of 12 kW. Firefox stoves tend to focus on more traditional styles because those looking at stoves for the first time tend to focus on this type of machine.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 16, 20183:45 pm

How do I stop smoke coming out of my stove?

Controlling airflow to maximise stove efficiency

When you buy a wood-burning/multifuel stove you will be advised about the various airflow systems which maximise efficiency. It is only when you install your stove and begin to experiment with air vents that you realise the power that controlling airflow has in relation to the efficiency of your stove. So, primary, secondary and tertiary airflow systems, what do they do and why are they so important?

Primary air supply

The primary air supply to your stove enters the machine towards the bottom of the firebox and is of greater importance when burning coal. Adjusting the air vents which control the primary airflow will allow you to find the optimum level at which the coal/wood and other fuel will burn. When you initially light your stove you will require maximum airflow to ignite the fuel. As the fuel begins to burn you can then turn down the primary airflow so as to maximise fuel efficiency and ensure your stove does not suffer from “overheating”.

Secondary air supply

Many people would suggest that the secondary air supply is more important when burning wood but it does play a role whichever type of fuel you are using. In particular, when burning wood it is essential that the firebox temperature is kept as high as possible. If the airflow used was predominantly from the primary supply this would cool the firebox and reduce the efficient burning of wood. So, the secondary air supply has a journey which takes it around the firebox so by the time it enters it is already “preheated”. This ensures that there is no interruption to the rising temperature within the firebox and the fuel is burned most efficiently.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 16, 20181:52 pm

Different types of material used with wood-burning and multifuel stoves

Is cast iron or steel better for a wood-burning stove?

When you begin your search for a wood-burning stove you will likely come across an array of traditional and contemporary machines. While the vast majority of traditional stoves tend to be made of cast iron the more contemporary stoves are often made of steel. This then prompts the question, which is the best metal for a wood-burning stove?

Cast iron has a strong history

Before we look at the pros and cons of the two materials it is worth looking back over the years when cast-iron was the go to metal when manufacturing a wood-burning stove. While we hear and see the figures about the heat created within a wood-burning stove, it is difficult to comprehend the stress and strain this places upon the body of the machine. The quality of steel available in years gone by was significantly deficient compared to cast-iron. As a consequence, it is only over the last 20 years or so that we have seen major improvements in the type and quality of steel available and there is now a real option for stove manufacturers.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 16, 201810:49 am

Do I need a register plate for my stove?

If you are looking to install a wood-burning or multifuel stove you will no doubt come across the term “register plate”. While a relatively small element of any stove installation it is difficult to underplay the importance. So, what is a register plate, will you need one for your new stove and what exactly does it do?

What does a register plate do?

Too many people a register plate is just a simple way to box off the chimney and position your flue pipe as the gases escape up into the air. However, there is a lot more to a register plate than this!

Retaining heat in the room

If you think about it, a relatively large open chimney with a flue allowing the gases to escape is extremely inefficient. As heat rises, an enormous amount of heat which should be radiated throughout the room will simply rise up through the chimney and be lost. This has two basic effects, the core temperature in the room will be lower as a consequence of excessive heat loss and fuel bills will be higher in order to maintain a comfortable environment.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolAug 9, 20184:42 pm

Why is my stove glass turning black?

One of the major benefits of using a wood-burning or multifuel stove is to watch the flickering flames and the burning embers. This is an experience that you will not forget, the deep seated heat from your stove, the relaxed ambience which encourages you to drift off to sleep and forget your woes. However, from time to time you might experience difficulty seeing through your stove door glass which can sometimes turn black.

So, what might you be doing wrong? What can you do to ensure clear glass?

Some soot or dark patches on your glass are normal

When you bear in mind the atmosphere in which the glass operates, excessive heat for a prolonged period of time, you may well see periods of dark patches on your viewing area glass. In the majority of cases you can simply use a traditional stove glass cleaning fluid (when the stove is cold) and hey presto, the area is clear again. However, there are some common mistakes made by stove users which can lead to long-term visual impairment.

Latest Stoves by CarolAug 9, 20183:00 pm

Have you seen the new Sheraton 5 stove range?

Stovax has a range of stoves which is way ahead of their competitors in terms of style, cost and heat output. So, it is no surprise to learn that the company has recently launched the Sheraton 5 stove range which comes in both wood-burning and multifuel variations together with a widescreen option. What should you expect from the Sheraton 5 stove range?

Sheraton 5 Woodburning/Multifuel Stove

The standard Sheraton 5 Stove comes in wood-burning and multifuel variations and while just launched by the company it is certainly grabbing the attention of stove enthusiasts. The stove has a nominal 5 kW output (varying from 2.5 kW up to 7 kW) and while this is not the widescreen variation even the standard machine offers a much larger viewing area than the vast majority of stoves.

The stove dimensions are width 472 mm, height 615 mm with a depth of 372 mm. However, there is the option to acquire the extended legs which will increase the height up to 660 mm. The wood-burning stove has an efficiency rating of 78% while the multifuel version has a rating of 80%. The wood-burning stove weighs around 83 kg with the multifuel stove coming in at a slightly heavier 95 kg.

Spare Parts & Accessories by CarolAug 2, 20181:31 pm

Morso stove replacement glass

Morso is one of the better-known brands names in the UK although there are a number of new emerging competitors. Due to the company’s success, there are literally thousands of Morso stoves in the UK many of which will need replacement glass at some point. While the company supplies a range of branded Morso stove replacement glass, are there any other options?

Do you pay for the brand name?

There is an ongoing debate as to whether you pay more for the brand name than you would if a glass manufacturer was able to cut glass to your exact stove size. The reality is that branded products are cut by third parties for the likes of Morso stoves. As consequence, there is a cost to the company when buying in these products and they obviously need to add their markup when selling to the retailer/customer. However, when acquiring glass direct from the glass manufacturer/customised glass provider this misses out the middleman and therefore a layer of markup is removed.

Buying trusted replacement glass

If you buy a Morso stove then it goes without saying that you feel more comfortable acquiring spare parts and replacement products direct from the manufacturer. In years gone by there were limited options when looking towards replacement glass but the introduction of the Internet and advancements in technology have reduced the cost base of glass manufacturers/custom glass cutters. As a consequence, they are able to provide identical replacement glass cut to your exact measurements and shape.