Woodburners...

thehappybutterfly

That's it! That's the challenge for the next few weeks - to get our stove up and running before winter sets in! We have a Hunter Hawk Dual Fuel stove which we've only managed to get working once in 7 years. We've got loads of trees needing cut down in the garden so years of potential logs. So it's a no-brainer really!

I'm not entirely sure what the probem is with the stove but these are the issues. I've highlighted the questions I hope people can answer/advise on:

• Previous home owner left a small supply of smokeless fuel in the outside coal bunker. We tried using that but I think it's maybe too old and damp?
• We've never had a stove before and just don't know how to lay a fire but I think I can learn. Man has been doing it for about a million years so I think I can figure it out!
• Don't know if we can use wood or not. Do we have the right stove? The right size chimney?
• The chimney's never been swept since we moved in (over 7 years ago) so this is possibly causing an airflow problem
• Do we have a liner? If we do, is it in good repair?
• We've got loads of logs cut from the cherry tree we cut down earlier this year but they've been outside with no cover. Do you think they're rescuable if I get them in the garage/under cover?
• The chimney cowl fell off years ago and was never replaced. We've been looking but couldn't afford a new one but a good friend had one sitting in her bothy and has given it to me in exchange for a bag of (wet!) logs!

So many questions/issues I need to look into. First thing I'm going to do is get the local sweep in to clean the chimney and inspect it. Hopefully a clean is all it needs and once that's done, hubby will fit the cowl. Then we'll chuck out the old coal and get some new in. Then get the logs indoors or build a frame for them to protect them from the rain.

I love a challenge!

joedenise

We haven't got anywhere to store our logs under cover so we've just got them piled up and covered with a tarpaulin. We have a couple of pallets on top to hold the tarp in place. Not pretty but it does the job.

We just bring in a basketful and leave indoors overnight and they're dry for the morning. As soon as the fire's laid we refill the basket and as they are used up during the day we refill again.

Denise

suki1964

thehappybutterfly wrote: »

That's it! That's the challenge for the next few weeks - to get our stove up and running before winter sets in! We have a Hunter Hawk Dual Fuel stove which we've only managed to get working once in 7 years. We've got loads of trees needing cut down in the garden so years of potential logs. So it's a no-brainer really!

I'm not entirely sure what the probem is with the stove but these are the issues. I've highlighted the questions I hope people can answer/advise on:

• Previous home owner left a small supply of smokeless fuel in the outside coal bunker. We tried using that but I think it's maybe too old and damp?
• We've never had a stove before and just don't know how to lay a fire but I think I can learn. Man has been doing it for about a million years so I think I can figure it out!
• Don't know if we can use wood or not. Do we have the right stove? The right size chimney?
• The chimney's never been swept since we moved in (over 7 years ago) so this is possibly causing an airflow problem
• Do we have a liner? If we do, is it in good repair?
• We've got loads of logs cut from the cherry tree we cut down earlier this year but they've been outside with no cover. Do you think they're rescuable if I get them in the garage/under cover?
• The chimney cowl fell off years ago and was never replaced. We've been looking but couldn't afford a new one but a good friend had one sitting in her bothy and has given it to me in exchange for a bag of (wet!) logs!

So many questions/issues I need to look into. First thing I'm going to do is get the local sweep in to clean the chimney and inspect it. Hopefully a clean is all it needs and once that's done, hubby will fit the cowl. Then we'll chuck out the old coal and get some new in. Then get the logs indoors or build a frame for them to protect them from the rain.

I love a challenge!

Your first port of call is the chimney sweep. Not only will he sweep your chimney - he will do a smoke test to make sure your chimney is still sound and advise of needing a liner or not

Wood needs to be cut and seasoned for at least a year before burning - some woods take longer then others

Smokeless fuels can be a pain to get lit - but once going give a tremendous heat

Lighting a fire really is a doodle - if you have the right tools. You need lots of bone dry kindling and either a fire lighter or two or a good bed of scrunched up paper. The kindling has to be bone dry - store inside or at least have the following days inside drying and warning before use.

Scrunch up payers - lay a good bed of kindlers and light.. Once going you need to either put on small logs or your smokeless and adjust your air flow - wood takes air from the top - smokeless from the bottom. Its all a matter of learning your stove tbh - some people find they need the door slightly ajar before they get the fire to temp and then close it down


Get over to the Lpg and other fuels board in utilities- so many stove users on there as well as sweeps and retailers and fitters - so loads of advice to be got there

suzannebell56

Sorry am so damn :mad::mad: Tonight found a message on my mobile to contact Letting Agent quickly:eek: seems the chimney sweep has condemned the woodburner:eek::eek:....something to do with no access plate to sweep the chimney and no ashpan...will find out properly Monday morning..

So LAgent has given me some options

1 Can have my deposit back and walk away :mad: but can't have my £200 referencing fee back...

2 can go ahead with tenancy but will have something written into Tenancy Agreement that fire is condemned and not to be used:( and leave in situ as non functioning decorative thing..

3 Landlord will remove after Xmas and make good, .....But not put in new woodburner

The woodburner wasn't the main reason I love this place it was just the lovley added bonus. The house does have full gas central heated system with quite new Worcester Bosch combi boiler, fully gas safety checked and certificated, and all other relevant letting certificates etc.

I love the house, the rents fair, near to work, carpeted ready to move in to..just so disappointed about the wood burner....so I'm going for option 2.. Leave in situ, polish it to death and use as a focal point..ah well maybe one day......

But thank you for you help and advice, if I had not followed the advice re chimney sweep and going to a supplier for advice I would have just lit it and well the consequences might have been unthinkable....plus this has given Letting Agent a bullet to get her safety procedures sharpened up re woodburners...

Maybe after discussion with Landlord we might get something sorted after Xmas..so will just cover it in twinkly fairy lights and dream..

Once again thanks

Suzie:xmastree::xmastree::xmastree::xmastree::xmastree::xmastree: yes I'm looking forward to Xmas in my own place at last :rotfl::rotfl:

[Deleted User]

LOG STORES ON THE CHEAP - Our log store is made from a dozen crates, the type that builders have big stones or paving slabs delivered in. Every time I saw one empty in a garden where there was building work going on I asked if they were going to throw it away and invariably people said yes, but take it if you want it. They need a little strengthening with a bar of wood across the back to keep them in shape but we have ours stacked 2 high and have topped them with redundant lino and old carpets, works a treat, keeps the logs dry but aired and cost NOTHING, win win as far as we're concerned, Cheers Lyn.

[Deleted User]

SUZANNE - Such a shame your woodburner can't be used, so dissapointing. If you want the illusion of a woodburner you can buy a DVD very cheaply from E*ay with a crackling log fire complete with sound effects to play on the TV, they are very, very reasonably priced, and on a cold day even make you feel warmer. Not the real thing I know, but makes the room look cosy! Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn x.

suzannebell56

Thanks Lyn...had a mad moment where I thought stick my DVD player inside the woodburner:rotfl::rotfl:..am going to get the glass clean and see if there's some way of getting some maybe battery operated thing inside that would give of a light glow effect, sure there's a way even if it doesn't give out heat, as you say the illusion will do....

Am still disappointed then again better much safer than lots of sorry and having looked at my bank balance for early part of 2013 I might be able to meet some of the cost with Landlord re putting in a new one...Landlords decent he's a doctor and offered me a very long tenancy with break clauses for me (one never knows how the land lies re employment these days) so it might be an option to offer some financial imput and he may meet me halfway with my suggestion of replacing woodburner or even better a multi fuel stove... So let's hope that's a option..in the meantime I will use my paper log maker and build up a store of them and they can dry out and will buy the odd bag of logs in preparation and build up some stocks as the big outhouse is rigged out for coal and log storage..investment for the future......

[Deleted User]

SUZANNE I hope you can sort something out for the woodburner, your LL sounds disposed to be reasonable and you never know - I always work on the principle of asking because if they say no you are no worse off than if you hadn't asked in the first place, and they might just say YES!!! Good Luck with it all, Cheers Lyn x.

thehappybutterfly

Suzanne - sorry for hijacking your thread

Guys - thanks for the advice. I'll pop over to the lpg thread.

Seakay

You can use any dead and dry wood to burn in it as long as the wood hasn't been treated - so keep an eye on skips and building sites but only collect untreated wood. Most builders will be happy to let you help yourself or even leave stuff out for you to take away because skips and landfill are so expensive.
If you are buying in logs make sure that they are seasoned or kiln dried.
Hard woods burn hotter and longer than soft woods, but soft woods are easier to get free or cheap - eg a lot of places give pallets away for free if you are up for sawing them up - get a metal and wood saw blade so that it doesn't matter if you ht a nail.
There are also 'logs' made of compressed sawdust which burn really slowly and very hot but not with a flame. Check out 'briquettes' or 'sawdust logs' online. They are a great way of making use of waste wood and work out cheaper than buying wood.