Replacing open fire with a multi-fuel stove?

Alfietinker

I've searched on here and found some useful information but I wonder what your opinions are on this?

We've got an open fire we are looking to replace (horrible 60's monstrosity in a victorian house). We use it a lot and tend to have it on in preference to the heating by shutting the doors and staying in that room in the evenings.

Now we know a stove is far more efficient than an open fire and are wondering if it's worth installing one instead of a new open grate.

As a bit of background information, the room is in the middle of the house with the stairs and kitchen leading off. Our neighbour, who doesn't have central heating has a gas stove in the same room and he says it heats most of the house if he leaves the other doors open.

Our chimney sweep says although the chimney is in good condition and fine to use as an open fire, if we were to install a stove the chimney needs to be lined because of the possibility of burning wood. At the moment we burn coal or any wood given to us.

Our reasoning for perhaps going down the stove route is we are potentially planning a family next year and I will be at home. It wouldn't be practical to run an open fire if I'm rushing about looking after baby so I'd end up using the gas central heating, which isn't particularly effective. (My grandparents house was nearly destroyed when a spark from the fire caught alight when he was in the garden, so the fire is only on when we are in the room).

So, all this being said, has anyone got any opinions as to whether it would be worth spending the extra money on a stove and chimney lining? Or is it just as well to replace with an open grate? (which is a lot cheaper).

Any opinions are gratefully recieved! This wouldn't be until next year so no hurry.

John_3:16

We have had a wood burner put in this summer. The chimney was lined already class1. Not sure what type of chimney you have? Is it just a brick void or is it pot lined?

Regarding heat out put Our stove is in the middle of the house with the chimney going through 2 bedrooms. We find shut the downstairs doors and we are warm all day upstairs is cool. open the door and heat will get upstairs but still need heating to pep it up.

I would say that on average we are now using the heating at 40% of what we used too.

We have not bought any wood and I don't intend too. I think that if you had to buy wood or coal then it would break even with gas?

Remember wood needs to stand and season for about a year before use.

Alfietinker

Thanks for the reply. That's a thought about the logs, we'd need to find a place to store them. So far we haven't bought coal for a long long time, relying on wood given to use, although it has tended to be softwood and doesn't last for long.

I don't know the class chimney, (I'm a bit of a technical numpty). It is a standard Victorian fireplace, but definitely not lined as yet. I'm a bit confused about the lining to be honest. The sweep says we have no problems with an open fire, burning ordinary house coal. But if we were to have a stove, unless we only ever burnt smokeless fuel (cost implication) we'd need it lined. Now if a stove is more efficient than an open fire, and therefore less going up the chimney, why is it necessary to line for a stove, but not for an open grate? This was all said last year, so I'm going to have to pick his brains when he comes out in a couple of weeks again.

Definitely a lot to think about.

John_3:16

My thoughts about lining are?( And I may be wrong) The stove has a stove pipe that is fittied directly to the chimney by a registry plate. This means there is a tight seal so the smoke goes up the chimney. The performance of the stove means the draw has to be good and also the faster the chimney warms up the less problems you have with tar and soot.

Just out of interest how much do you pay a sweep?

Tar is one problem that could affect the brickwork and cause problems inside your rooms staining walls etc?

These site may help?

http://www.the-tree.org.uk/TreeCultivation&Uses/Firewood/burningwood.htm#Is%20wood%20an%20environment-friendly%20fuel?

http://www.woodheat.org/index.htm

Alfietinker

Mmm, food for thought thank you.

Last year it was about £65 to sweep 2 chimneys. If we did go down the stove route he will also fit it as he is a HETAS engineer which means we don't need to have the building inspector out.

John_3:16

I know it will cost to get the work done, but I am sure you will feel the benefit of having a multi fuel stove they are so much more efficient. Giving alot more heat out.

beer2006

I think you are advised to not use softwood on the liners for the woodburner, they rot it, something to think about.

edit
I can't find it online now, I'm sure its something like that, or wet wood.........

Alfietinker

Oh I didn't know that. I knew it wasn't very good for the chimney and wasn't very efficient but I didn't know it rotted the liners!

The sweep is coming on the 2nd December to price it up. We've just got to balance the cost of that with perhaps using the money elsewhere.

I'll let you know how we get on.

From what he said last year it's the cost of the stove (we're looking at a Stockton 4, about £400), a couple of hundred to fit it (including register plate etc.) plus the cost of fitting and buying the liner.

beer2006

Well to give you some idea, we're just having one fitted, the cost is around a thousand pounds + stove. Thats for a full liner, plate, labour, extra bits etc
Two other quotes we had were almost double that.
All Hetas approved.

Alfietinker

That's around the figure we were guessing, thank you. It's a difficult decision, and a lot of money. But if we don't do it now there's no chance in a couple of years with one income.

happygal_3

Wow that is a lot of money. We were thinking of this route as we too have an open fire in our living room and night storege.

John we pay our sweep £20.