Help - want to buy a multi-fuel stove

highrisklowreturn

Hi all


I wanted to know if anyone could help me with a few questions - I've already read a lot of the threads but can't find a few of my questions answered, so here goes:


I want to get a multi-fuel stove. I think I know what I want - 5 - 7 KW - and I can get it around £500-£700. However, whilst I'm happy to pay this, and whilst I can source fuel reasonably cheaply, what distracts me is the overall cost of insulation.

I have a proper chimney in my house already - a victorian 1890s terrace - which has an old clay pipe going up it and what I think is a good space to put the stove under it. My questions are:

Can I not use the clay flue to the chimney with a stove as opposed to bothering with installation? If not, then how could an original fire have used the clay flue but not a modern stove?

And what is the cheapest I can get a modern flue in for? All the sweeps I've spoken to say they only do something called 904. Can I not get one of them to do it on the cheap with cheaper materials? We're only talking about a stove that will be used for heating a living room only, for around 6 months in the year.

Obviously I don't want to pay several multiples of the stove's original price for installation and materials as it simply isn't economical. And the reason I would want one is not simply aesthetic but on account of the fact my living room is literally freezing with two radiators and an electric fire going during winter.

Thanks in advance.

crphillips

Most reputable fitters will want to line an unlined flue. There are many reasons for this but the main ones are to enable easy and clean sweeping of the full length of the flue and also to stop tar build up and to stop moisture and tar soaking through the fabric of the chimney. This doesn't happen with open fires as they are far less efficient so the flue gets hotter and the gases don't condense.

You should be looking at around £1000 for all parts supplied and fitted but you may be looking at as much as £2000 at thisntime of year as everyone is desperate to get them installed before Christmas.

grahamc2003

crphillips wrote: »

Most reputable fitters will want to line an unlined flue. There are many reasons for this but the main ones are to enable easy and clean sweeping of the full length of the flue and also to stop tar build up and to stop moisture and tar soaking through the fabric of the chimney. This doesn't happen with open fires as they are far less efficient so the flue gets hotter and the gases don't condense.

You should be looking at around £1000 for all parts supplied and fitted but you may be looking at as much as £2000 at thisntime of year as everyone is desperate to get them installed before Christmas.

I was quoted £3800 (in writing) to supply and fit a £600 stove, including removal of horrible tiled (working) fireplace and everything necessary to meet all regulations, this from a reputable and well known supplier (in Surrey). I would guess that prices vary a lot. My quote was about 3 years ago.

savemoney

Yes installation isnt cheap I was put off getting one in the end I had it done its the fitting, and liner that bumps the costs up.

This is my 3rd Winter with a log burner it dont have kick heat out but the costs of fuel isn't cheap. I just picked up 6 pallets today because my £130 of logs I got back end of Summer wont last full Winter at this rate

Swipe

I'd wait until late spring. You could save a fortune.

suki1964

highrisklowreturn wrote: »

Hi all


I wanted to know if anyone could help me with a few questions - I've already read a lot of the threads but can't find a few of my questions answered, so here goes:


I want to get a multi-fuel stove. I think I know what I want - 5 - 7 KW - and I can get it around £500-£700. However, whilst I'm happy to pay this, and whilst I can source fuel reasonably cheaply, what distracts me is the overall cost of insulation.

I have a proper chimney in my house already - a victorian 1890s terrace - which has an old clay pipe going up it and what I think is a good space to put the stove under it. My questions are:

Can I not use the clay flue to the chimney with a stove as opposed to bothering with installation? If not, then how could an original fire have used the clay flue but not a modern stove?

And what is the cheapest I can get a modern flue in for? All the sweeps I've spoken to say they only do something called 904. Can I not get one of them to do it on the cheap with cheaper materials? We're only talking about a stove that will be used for heating a living room only, for around 6 months in the year.

Obviously I don't want to pay several multiples of the stove's original price for installation and materials as it simply isn't economical. And the reason I would want one is not simply aesthetic but on account of the fact my living room is literally freezing with two radiators and an electric fire going during winter.

Thanks in advance.

Trouble is "doing it on the cheap with cheap materials" is really risking your life

However you can buy the grade flue and parts you need cheaply, you just need to find someone who is up to speed on stove installation to fit it for you - and thats where the money will be going. I think on the forums here they push for HETAS approved fitters ( rather like corgi registered me thinks ) but there is no legal obligation, anyone can fit one - you just have to get it signed off by your local council

We were lucky that my husband is a builder and with the help of our stove supplier ( keeping him right on regulations) we done a self install - took about half a day

highrisklowreturn

Swipe wrote: »

I'd wait until late spring. You could save a fortune.

do you mean the price of stoves will fall - or the price of the 904 material and insulation will fall?

Swipe

I mean the price of fitting and less of a wait due to them being busy at this time of year. The same reason I always have my chimney swept in summer. I can phone in the morning and he'll be here by lunchtime and only costs me £25.

shegar

Yes gone are the days when you would go out and buy a burner for £200 . shove it in the fire place with 2 foot of chimney pipe stuffed up the chimney..........:eek:

Light it and away it goes, burn beautiful, no smoke in the room etc.....chuck anything you could find that would burn and wouldnt cost a penny, I think them days have gone.......probaly for the best though when it comes to fire regulations and safety.....

But these days now it costs a fortune to install a burner and accessories , flue etc... and buy the fuel......etc...theres no cheap heat anymore:mad:..... im just having a little reminisce like you do......:D

A._Badger

It would be very interesting to know how they handle installations on the Continent, where they have had stoves for far longer.

crphillips

grahamc2003 wrote: »

I was quoted £3800 (in writing) to supply and fit a £600 stove, including removal of horrible tiled (working) fireplace and everything necessary to meet all regulations, this from a reputable and well known supplier (in Surrey). I would guess that prices vary a lot. My quote was about 3 years ago.

Thats pretty steep but it depends on what needed doing and materials......to do the knock out, form the recess, make good, lay hearth, install lintel, supply and fit surround,line flue and install stove......we'd struggle to get it to more than 2.5k.....if you didn't want a surround it would be less than 2k.