Wood burning stoves>

Lady_Python

We're just about to get a stove put in too. We have a ready supply of wood from the forestation behind our house - always loads of fallen branches just left to rot. Might as well make use of them plus one of our friends is a forester:D

Just thought I'd mention that the chimney does not always need an expensive flue. Many chimneys are clay lined and provided the lining is still OK - the local chimney sweep can sweep and check this for you, it may be the case that you don't need to install a flue. We found this out when we went to a reputable dealer who explained everything we needed to know.

There is also another option which might interest some people, and is the option we are going for.

For people who have an ordinary fireplace there is a stove called the Runswick. It is an inset stove. Can't remember the manufacturer but it is made in Britain - not sure where hubby's put the brochure but Google it and you should be able to see it. Anyway, this stove fits a fireplace with a minimum of 16" x 10" opening and is a cross between an open fire and a stove, with convector capability. It is multi-fuel.

It doesn't need the expensive flue and literally just slots in and off it goes. Just as easy to take out if you move house too.

All we have to do is have the gas fire taken out (our council condemned it - in their own words "Oh God. It IS an antique" and they have given us the go-ahead to put the stove in so we are just waiting for them to come and remove the gas fire and gas pipe from our living room. That happens a week on Monday. As soon as that is done we'll get the local chimney sweep down to sweep the chimney and check that it is safe, also put on a new chimney pot. Then it will just be a case of getting the new stove delivered and installed.

Should be nice and cosy before Christmas:D

I'll report back when the stove is up and running and let you all know how well it performs.

kafka1966

Hi there,

My Aga Little Wenlock arrived today. I have got a reasonable quote from a local builder, so it should be in place before xmas - cannot wait! I'm going to have the fireplace opened up to a "builder's opening". How much space should there be behind the stove?

Cheers,
KJ

Lady_Python

For a freestanding stove, I think there has to be a minimum of 4 inches clearance all round.

Chimney sweep's coming to do our chimney, put on a new chimney pot and cowl next Friday so we should be nice and toasty before Christmas too:D

A._Badger

kafka1966 wrote: »

Hi there,

My Aga Little Wenlock arrived today. I have got a reasonable quote from a local builder, so it should be in place before xmas - cannot wait! I'm going to have the fireplace opened up to a "builder's opening". How much space should there be behind the stove?

Cheers,
KJ

If you look in the handbook it should tell you. Little Wenlocks are small stoves so you should be OK, but the figures should be in the book.

Frith

I have a Morso "squirrel" stove. It was here when I moved in (10 years ago) and looks quite old now.

I seem to break all the rules I've read in this thread! Its my only form of heating and on day and night from November til about April. The only thing I do do is make sure the wood is nice and dry...

...my chimney is not lined but it is 5 foot wide! Its a 150 year old house and nothing has ever fallen down/dropped off. I have a metre long length of stove pipe going up from the stove which then stops and the smoke just goes up the chimney. Never had a problem with it even in windy weather. The soot on the side of the chimney drops down from time to time (blocked the inglenook up with a piece of tin with a hole in for the stove pipe). I've never had the chimney swept.

There is no gap behind my stove (someone said you need 5cm?) and nothing terrible has happened!

I've tried the stove with the pipe coming out of the back and coming out of the top and it looks neater the top way. Because it runs for so long and gets hot, I have managed to burn through the little grate thing at the front and the riddle bit fell to pieces ages ago but you can get spares. I also need to change the firebricks at the side and am sure I will get around to it at some point...

L

Frith

And I burn all sorts of rubbish such as pallets and stuff with nails in. The nails just drop through into the ash pan. I've never actually tried coal on it though!

A._Badger

There's a moral there, Acey. We all tend to get a bit caught-up in the junk we have thrown at us by the 'elf and safety types,

Frith

Yes. Although I did set a hoover on fire once by hoovering "cold ashes" up.....

savemoney

Glad I didnt spend £130 on logs now. Given so far this season my gas consumption is lower than last year and still no log burner on, I am saving money Mind you its milder this month than this time last year

countryman_2

Well, I have just re-found this thread since I last posted on it way back on 21-10-2006 at page 1 just over 3 years ago, good to see it is still alive & kicking.

My stove is now in daily use again and has provided free heat for the previous 3 winters. My gas central heating is rarely used so the gas bills are very low, we cook using gas. To date i have not paid a penny for wood. I burn mainly waste wood found in skips and pallets from local firms that otherwise throw them away. I cut up the pallets with a circular saw over the spring and summer and store them in a couple of sheds ready for winter. I still gather more wood, pallets etc through the winter but will not cut up and store till the better weather comes, I just hide it away in any available space.

As I said in my earlier post in 2006, my flue is unlined (1963 detached bungalow) though I sweep it twice a year, around New Year & again at the end of the burning season around April time with my trusty set of B&Q rods & brush (still under £20 at B&Q btw).

We have kettles on the stove top providing plenty of cups of tea, we use the excess water for washing up etc, even store it in flasks. We poach eggs & heat soup etc toast bread with the door open, but nothing more adventurous so far.

All in all, I love my wood burner and so do my family, plenty of free heat for us, highly recommended especially if you have a source of free or cheap wood and don't mind putting in a bit of effort dealing with it.
:beer:
Best wishes fellow wood burners and would be wood burners

Ady