Woodburning stove:freestanding versus inset

Yorky1

I want to replace two open fires with woodburning stoves. It will cost between €800 and €2000 to get the fireplaces adapted ( enlarge the recesses) to accomodate the stoves.

I also want to line the recesses with skamolex fireboard and will have to get some infill hearth pieces which would cost another €500 approx. on top of this.

The other option is to fit inset (or insert / cassette) stoves which would not require increasing the opening sizes.

Does anyone know if an inset is as effective as a freestanding stove and are they more expensive?

The house is difficult to heat and I want to use them to heat the entire ground floor by leaving the room doors open.

One concern with an inset is heatloss through the sides and back as both fireplaces are on external walls.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

crphillips

Insets are just as effective at heating as freestanding. If they're installed and insulated properly you'll not loose much heat through the rear and sides.

They are more expensive...expect around £1100.......obviously you can buy cheap insets but they're pretty naff......we install a lot of Stovax Riva stoves and i think they're brilliant. Really nicely made, and perform very well. If your aiming to install them without altering the fireplace then you'll need the Riva 40 assuming you have standard 16-18" open fires. The firebacks will require removing and possibly some of the brickwork behind them.

Yorky1

Thanks for that. There is one opening which has not been used as a fireplace which is 23" wide x 18" deep x 26" high. The other is in use but I intend to take out the fireback and backfill and leave the opening about the same size as the other one.

Should I enlarge the existing fireplace? Are these dimensions of sufficient size?

crphillips

It depends which stove you go for......the Riva's come in a range of size and you may get one to fit and use the narrow or wide frame to cover up and gaps at the front.......otherwise just make it to the size stated in the manual.

Install a liner if the flue is unlined. Sweeping will be a nightmare otherwise and a poor job otherwise.

Yorky1

Thanks again. Would you go for a Stovax over any other make? One thing that is of concern is that it protrudes 4" so will take up hearth space.

Someone told me that a strip of reinforced glass can be laid on the floor to comply with hearth depth building regulations. Is this correct?

HellsGranny

Do woodburners fall foul of Clean Air legislation, or can they be fitted in any house with a chimney?

A._Badger

It isn't the stoves - it's what you burn on them.

Contrary to widely held opinion, burning wood isn't allowed under the clean air legislation (there is an exception, which I'll come to) but you can burn smokeless fuel anywhere. This means that any stove is OK, so long as you burn smokeless fuel and have had it installed to meet building standards regulations.

The way round it, if you really want to burn wood, is pay a lot of money for one of the wood burners that satisfies the requirements of the gummint. Have a look online - there are quite a few retailers around who offer these stoves.

crphillips

There are actually some pretty cheap exempt stoves available now.....the Dunsley Highlander 5 Enviroburn is very reasonably priced as is a very good quality stove......if you cant stretch to that there's the new Earlswood stove imported by ACR and the Firefox by Gallery have also brought out a budget clean burn stove.

http://www.acrheatproducts.com/stove/display/ACR/earlswood

simcla

Which firefox stove is DEFRA exempt?

crphillips

Definately the 5 and maybe the 8. Just done a google search and maybe it's not common knowledge yet as nobody is advertising it.

simcla

Okay thanks a lot for the info!