Woodburning stove

Ken68

Wow...Suki....Every 6 weeks, we ought to get in on this.

suki1964

Ken68 wrote: »

Wow...Suki....Every 6 weeks, we ought to get in on this.

Im so buying my hubby a set of brushes - and sending the grandson back up :rotfl:

I ask my customers when was the last time their chimney was swept and for the most its never as the stoves or fires are their only source of heating and or hot water so its always lit. Those that do get them swept - its annually - or when they find bits of a nest falling down

Now Im not telling anyone not to sweep their chimney but I do think its a bit of a joke that these "hetas" guys keep insisting that its some strange law or rule that you have to be swept regular and get a certificate for it

You dont. They are guidelines, written up by those who benefit financially - hetas sweeps

Crafty_Toots

I'd like to preface what I'm about to say with: I'm no expert!!

Our company are HETAS registered for Solid Fuel installations and I think it's worth pointing out to those of you here in Scotland, that 'technically' HETAS has no jurisdiction up here. However, it is my understanding (and I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me) that the HETAS regulations were determined by taking requirements straight from Scottish Building Regulations. It is also my belief that HETAS will come north of the border and have a jurisdiction much the same as Gas Safe do with gas appliances.

It's worth saying, I feel, that the reason for regulations - whether legal requirements or building standards - is for everyone's safety. Yes, some of them are over the top. But in reality more people are injured/killed/lose their homes through the use of solid fuel fires/appliances than gas. Did you know that the level of carbon monoxide given off by a real fire, for example, is more than that generated from a faulty gas appliance? That is why you should also have an airbrick or suitable fixed open ventilation in the same room as the fire/stove.

We recommend two different chimney sweeps, and both of them provide 'certificates' to advise the state of the chimney, what it's suitable for (gas/solid fuel) and confirm any work carried out by them. Incidentally, here in Edinburgh and surrounding areas, the average chimney sweep cost is around £50. As someone already said, the certificates are probably not worth the paper they're written on, but it might make a difference to an insurance company if you have a chimney fire and can prove that you had the flue cleaned regularly. Tar and soot builds up and can ignite with the heat generated.

Also for those in Scotland in tenement buildings - if you are on the ground floor of a tenement, you absolutely should have your chimney lined - because of the height of the chimney there are generally draw issues as the further up the chimney you go the colder it gets, and lining helps this.

Be safe folks!


Toots x

A._Badger

Crafty_Toots wrote: »

I'd like to preface what I'm about to say with: I'm no expert!!

It's probably true to say that the man who services your car is even more responsible for your life or death safety and yet his trade isn't regulated by a profit-making company that draws up the rules and is both judge and jury in its own case.

It's just too cosy a relationship and we have had one recent case reported on this forum where, allegedly, HETAS was as much use when something went wrong as... um... a chocolate fireguard, perhaps?

Igol

crphillips wrote: »

This little snippet is taken directly from the government site regarding building regs:

"Anyone wanting to carry out building work which is subject to the Building Regulations is required by law to make sure it complies with the Regulations."

Therefore complying to building regs is the law. The regs are different in Scotland though and I don't think chimneys come under building regs.

Meeting the building regs is a fair enough request but where does that 'little snippet' go on to say that a repair/reinstallation must then be signed off again?

My stove was fitted when HETAS was still a handy advisory site (though often very out of date) not a quasi regulatory body so I dont have any certificates at all and I'm not dead yet.
Perhaps the experts can enlighten me; gas works require someone to be corgi/gassafe registered unless the work is being carried out 'not for hire or reward' is it the same case for HETAS?

Crafty_Toots

A._Badger wrote: »

It's probably true to say that the man who services your car is even more responsible for your life or death safety and yet his trade isn't regulated by a profit-making company that draws up the rules and is both judge and jury in its own case.

Excellent point!

Igol wrote: »

Meeting the building regs is a fair enough request but where does that 'little snippet' go on to say that a repair/reinstallation must then be signed off again?

My stove was fitted when HETAS was still a handy advisory site (though often very out of date) not a quasi regulatory body so I dont have any certificates at all and I'm not dead yet.
Perhaps the experts can enlighten me; gas works require someone to be corgi/gassafe registered unless the work is being carried out 'not for hire or reward' is it the same case for HETAS?

AFAIK (see my previous disclaimer!) you either have to apply for a Building Warrant, or have the stove/fire fitted by a HETAS registered installer (which I believe does away with the need for the building warrant) who will give you a certificate confirming it was done to HETAS regs. Building warrant info applies to England and Wales only, I believe.

Also, for what it's worth, I understood ALL gas work was to be carried out by registered fitters, whether for reward or not.

Toots x

anotherbaldrick

Crafty_Toots wrote: »

Excellent point!
.

Also, for what it's worth, I understood ALL gas work was to be carried out by registered fitters, whether for reward or not.

Toots x

The actual requirement is for the fitter either to be GASSAFE registered if doing the work for reward or if not to be equally expert and experienced in the work being undertaken. But how you would be that without being registered beggers the imagination.

welda

Crafty_Toots wrote: »

Also, for what it's worth, I understood ALL gas work was to be carried out by registered fitters, whether for reward or not.

Toots x

I think you will find, if doing gas work for yourself is acceptable as long as work is being done by a COMPETENT person.

You with Christies toots?

:beer:

A._Badger

Crafty_Toots wrote: »

Excellent point!



AFAIK (see my previous disclaimer!) you either have to apply for a Building Warrant, or have the stove/fire fitted by a HETAS registered installer (which I believe does away with the need for the building warrant) who will give you a certificate confirming it was done to HETAS regs. Building warrant info applies to England and Wales only, I believe.

Unless I misundesrtood him (by no means impossible) HETAS member crphillips has at some point listed other organisations who can install a stove without an inspection by building control.

If that isn't the case the situation is even worse than it seemed.

anotherbaldrick

welda wrote: »

I think you will find, if doing gas work for yourself is acceptable as long as work is being done by a COMPETENT person.

You with Christies toots?

:beer:

OFFICIAL QUOTE FROM GAS SAFE REGISTER >

A person that undertakes gas work in their own home such as a do-it-yourself installer is not required to be registered with Gas Safe Register to undertake that gas work. However, and very importantly that person, although not required to be registered with Gas Safe Register is required to have competence to undertake any gas work. In essence, a non-registered person should be undertaking gas work as would a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

In effect if you did gas work yourself and somehow the house went up in a big bang think of the fun you would have convincing the insurance company that you were as equally trained as a registered installer