Multi-fuel stoves & liners

richpb7

Hi folks,

I've got myself a new multifuel stove for next winter to replace my old open fire - hopefully I won't get through quite so much coal and wood now! The register plate stuff looks pretty straightforward but the situation with liners is much more confusing. Installers seem very keen to fit one (at a huge cost), but people I've spoken to who already use stoves say they're not really necessary, especially given that fact I've been happily using the open fire for many years with no problems.

The difference of opinion is quite striking, as I'm getting almost completely different messages. One side says "of course you don't need a liner" whilst the other says "you have to install a liner". So what is it? As the installers are the only ones here who stand to make a profit from this I do feel that their advice might be a little biased.

Anyone else had this issue? I know the building regulations state that it has to be HETAS approved or checked by the local council, but I've been through the regulations themselves and see no reason why my particular set-up would fail the council tests in any way. In fact it looks very much like at once stage in the building's past (many decades ago!) there was a stove in place with a register plate set up the chimney.

Any thoughts much appreciated!

A._Badger

As far as I understand it, it all depends on two things - the condition of your chimney and whether you will be burning wood. If your chimney is sound and you are mostly burning coal or other solid fuels, then a liner is optional. If you are mostly burning wood, particularly if it is not well-seasoned or inclned to be resinous, then the deposits can be a problem and a liner is required.

Like you, I suspect there is quite a bit of opportunism taking place in this makret and I am deeply sceptical about the role of these quasi-government bodies (though, really, private, profitable companies) like HETAS.

stoveman

ok guys here is the reasons as to why you should have a liner. Im in the business ill give you a completely honest answer.

Should you or do you have to line your chimney?

A= not always though it is good practice to.

You can get away with not lining a chimney if its been tested and its sound and can withstand the heat and tar build up and has no cracks and leaks etc.

Reason why you would need or its recommended to have a liner:

1) if your installing into an unlined chimney then the chimney will start of very cold. The hotter the chimney the better the draw! If you have no liner it can take a while for chimney to heat up therefore the stove will be sluggish, can soot up or even worse smoke gathers at bottom of chimney and seeps back into room.

A liner would eliminate this as its stainless steel and heats up very quickly therefore improving draw from the start and as its a sealed system no smoke leakage problems/worries

2) easier to clean, when it comes to sweeping its easy to stick a brush up a 6" liner and sweep and its done, with a large chimney you got to sweep a large area and a sweep which could take 20 mins turns into 1 hour plus.

3) again going back to the chimney draw. If you got a 10" wide chimney and the stove has a 6" flue on it then you will get a better draw with a 6" liner as its reducing the chimney size down, 10" would be an over kill and may not draw as well

4) obvious one is if your chimney is cracking etc then this is a cheaper way of repairing as such rather than ripping out the chimney and rebuilding.

5) Chimney fire- this will hold a chimney fire for about 30 mins. It will ruin the liner but will hold it while the fire bridgade get there and wont do as much damage to the building itself.

So in a nutshell no its not always a must have but it is recommended and better for you in the long run

savemoney

We had stainless steel liner fitted in a 1930 semi. The guy who fitted it said most jobs he does he fits liner. We also had a air brick with a cover on fitted close by on to a outside wall to aid air flow. It was fitted by a HETAS approved fitter who fitted a plate near by.

owned_by_2_Siamese

Wish I'd had a liner!
I have a two year old house with a pumice 10 inch chimney. I had a 5kw stove put in with a straight flue pipe (from the top of the stove to the top of the start of the chimney) Was told didnt need a liner as chimney sound. BUT!
If you have never smelt creosote or seen it run down your walls you havent lived! Problem is the stove is a morso squirrel - (5KW) and it just doesnt burn hot enough to heat the wide chimney - so consequently we get creosote. This happens a couple of times a year (even though stove is rarely out!) we have no problem with smoke - its judt the chimney never gets hot enough.
An insulated liner would cure the problem - rather than puncturing the register plate - draining the creosote off and heat resistant siliconing twice a year! Oh and those logs that get rid of creosote.... well doesnt work for me.

I'd definately have the liner (and will soon!)

stoveman

hi mate

yes dropping a liner down the chimney will sort all your problems out, asking a 5kw stove, as good as a squirrel is just wont heat such a large chimney.

Reducing it down to 6" will vastly improve things

QTC

owned_by_2_Siamese wrote: »

Wish I'd had a liner!
I have a two year old house with a pumice 10 inch chimney. I had a 5kw stove put in with a straight flue pipe (from the top of the stove to the top of the start of the chimney) Was told didnt need a liner as chimney sound. BUT!
If you have never smelt creosote or seen it run down your walls you havent lived! Problem is the stove is a morso squirrel - (5KW) and it just doesnt burn hot enough to heat the wide chimney - so consequently we get creosote. This happens a couple of times a year (even though stove is rarely out!) we have no problem with smoke - its judt the chimney never gets hot enough.
An insulated liner would cure the problem - rather than puncturing the register plate - draining the creosote off and heat resistant siliconing twice a year! Oh and those logs that get rid of creosote.... well doesnt work for me.

I'd definately have the liner (and will soon!)

What fuel are you burning? If it's wood, is it fully seasoned?

owned_by_2_Siamese

Hi - we burn wood and stoveheat coal. The wood is seasoned - we keep it for another year after we order it (inside a woodstore thats dry - just had next years delivered - £80 for a tonne!) The problem is that the chimney 'bore' is too big - the stove is rated at 5kw (trust me its hotter than that at full tilt!) we burn logs duringthe day and bank up with stoveheat at night so the chimney never gets cold - it just never gets up to a temperature high enough to stop the wood smoke condensing. I have athermometer on teh metal pipe (a morso one labelled ok and creostote) we're always well into the OK bit!.
An insulated liner the same bore as the stove pipe will be the best solution... just got to find someone to do it (in Northumberland solid fuel installers are thin on the ground....)

jeannieblue

Stoveman,

I have just posted on a couple of threads and also posted a new thread on 'want to buy it' forum.

We are looking for a multifuel small stove. From what I have seen online the Hunter Hawk 3 looks small and plain enough for what we want.

We are having old fire place taken out.

Basically I am shopping around for the best price for the stove and flue - which I also thought was the liner - but have just learnt otherwise of these threads! Plus vague idea of cost of fitting.

I love some help price wise to ensure I don't get ripped off - as will be seeking quotes soon and need to organise something in the next week or so - as work begins just after the Bank holiday.

Thanks folks!!