Replacing an old gas fire with a multi-fuel burner

**G*O*S*H**

Hello

We would like to replace the gas fire in the house we have just bought with a multi-fuel burner. The house was built 1968 and has a proper chimney. We haven't had the old gas fire pulled out but I have cleared as much as I can leaving the Corgi man to do the rest.

You can see behind the existing gas fire and it is a big, wide fireplace - about 1m and also goes back quite a distance. It looks like brick - I can see some rectangular shapes but they are black with soot and access quite difficult at the moment.

I am aware that the chimney may need lining, but, some reading states that houses built after 1960 were clay lined rather than brick and shouldn't need it... however I am pretty sure it is brick, would that mean it is brick the whole way up?

If it is brick, does anyone know what the appx cost of having the chimney lined would be?

We don't want an inset stove if that makes any difference at all...

Thank you

rustyboy21

Don't know the cost myself, but somene will be on here soon, to give you a rough estimate.

I would give one piece of advice though. If you have chosen your stove already, but not bought it yet, get on the manufacturers website and download the installer guide. If the guide says you must line the flue, then line the flue.

You will get hit on here by loads of people saying ' you don't need to line, I havent lined mine and it's ok,' etc. Their house is not yours, your health and wellbeing is not in their hands.

A manufacturer pays a fortune to get their product through the testing houses and able to be sold in the UK. If they say use a liner, do it.

111KAB

We have just had a multi-fuel stove installed (existing open fireplace not removal of gas) and I 'shopped' around for prices as I thought it would be cheaper to seperate the supply/stove installation costs from the chimney lining price. As it happened I was completely wrong in my case as the firm who supplied and fitted the stove were also the best value for the chimney lining plus I had the advantage of placing all the work/responsibility with one firm.

tony6403

rustyboy21 wrote: »

Don't know the cost myself, but somene will be on here soon, to give you a rough estimate.

I would give one piece of advice though. If you have chosen your stove already, but not bought it yet, get on the manufacturers website and download the installer guide. If the guide says you must line the flue, then line the flue.

You will get hit on here by loads of people saying ' you don't need to line, I havent lined mine and it's ok,' etc. Their house is not yours, your health and wellbeing is not in their hands.

A manufacturer pays a fortune to get their product through the testing houses and able to be sold in the UK. If they say use a liner, do it.

My Stovax burner pre-installation guidance gives information for flues with and without a liner.
The need to use a liner depends on the flue construction.
This is determined by local authority building inspectors who would normally accept a HETAS registered person's opinion and certificate.

maypole

**G*O*S*H** wrote: »

Hello

We would like to replace the gas fire in the house we have just bought with a multi-fuel burner. The house was built 1968 and has a proper chimney. We haven't had the old gas fire pulled out but I have cleared as much as I can leaving the Corgi man to do the rest.

You can see behind the existing gas fire and it is a big, wide fireplace - about 1m and also goes back quite a distance. It looks like brick - I can see some rectangular shapes but they are black with soot and access quite difficult at the moment.

I am aware that the chimney may need lining, but, some reading states that houses built after 1960 were clay lined rather than brick and shouldn't need it... however I am pretty sure it is brick, would that mean it is brick the whole way up?

If it is brick, does anyone know what the appx cost of having the chimney lined would be?

We don't want an inset stove if that makes any difference at all...

Thank you

We have just had our chimney lined so we could reopen our fireplace. It cost just under £1400. We have a much older house and it needed doing. The firm came out and put a camera up the chimney gave us an estimate and left us to mull it over. We used "Thermocrete". They also dealt with the building inspector.

peterpan567

just before christmas I bought a multifuel stove to my house, had no idea how things work, this company was quite nice, did all installation, if you call them they will advice you what to do with chimney. i bought this multifuel stove
http://www.westcountryfires.co.uk/hunter-hawk-3-multifuel-stove-p-666.html

**G*O*S*H**

Thank you.
OH and I have been mulling it over and I think regardless we both would be happier with the chimney being lined even if it is up to modern acceptable standards.
Like you say, Carbon Monoxide is a killer, I already have 3 monitors in the house (boiler is appx 35yrs old) and the gas fire so I would be so paranoid about anything seeping out of the chimney especially with the kids bedrooms surrounding it.
We have a Company coming out at the weekend for a free valuation, they will supply and fit the burner, they are HETAS registered so that will mean the building inspector is not required (I am told that can cost a fortune alone?).
Final, stupid question but.... we have to remove some nasty marble surround from the wall. They have used some seriously heavy duty glue / sealant stuff - it has gone yellow with age and if you cut with a blade it re-seals itself!
I have a feeling a crowbar could be involved which will no doubt damage the wall so it will need a re-plaster.... is there a special plaster for use around fires? Surely the normal stuff will just heat up and 'blow'?
Thank you..

Ben84

I'm wondering why change from gas to multi-fuel? Solid fuel is more expensive per kW than gas and requires storage space somewhere. Multi-fuel stoves tend to cost a lot more than gas appliances too and they use more expensive chimney liners as well. There's also the extra work involved with using and cleaning them.

**G*O*S*H**

Ben84 wrote: »

I'm wondering why change from gas to multi-fuel? Solid fuel is more expensive per kW than gas and requires storage space somewhere. Multi-fuel stoves tend to cost a lot more than gas appliances too and they use more expensive chimney liners as well. There's also the extra work involved with using and cleaning them.

Our gas fire that we inherited from the previous owners is c**p.
It is more to look pretty (or so they thought) and is totally lost in what is a very big fireplace - the heat goes straight up the chimney.

Solid fuel is very little cost to us, best mate runs a tree surgery Company so supply will be reliable and cheap and as for storage we have a double garage with a large workshop on the end which will become 'the wood-shed'.

I am always cleaning anyway so a bit more wont hurt

**G*O*S*H**

I also have a thing about GCH and Gas Fires - I am asleep within the hour of them being on, the heat seems really dry whereas with my parents W.B I am quite comfortable.

Also, our living room does not have a radiator in it - I guess the real fire was the main heat source.

maypole

**G*O*S*H** wrote: »

I also have a thing about GCH and Gas Fires - I am asleep within the hour of them being on, the heat seems really dry whereas with my parents W.B I am quite comfortable.

Also, our living room does not have a radiator in it - I guess the real fire was the main heat source.

We originally replaced our open fire with a "real flame" gas fire but hardly used it, we have gas central heating from a boiler so we are reinstating our open fire purely as we love them. It won't be our main source of heat.
I know a stove is more efficient but we have a lovely cast iron surround that would be a shame to get rid of even though OH would love a stove.
We will have access to wood too. I can't wait to get mine lit, OH is busy putting the surround back on:j

I hope you get sorted and enjoy it:)