Can I install a wood burning stove myself?

theallpowerful

After 3 tradesmen giving me quotes and then disappearing into the ether, I am getting a little bit bored of this...

I bought a wood burning stove, knocked out the in fill in my fire place, got the chimney swept, bought a load of Indian fossil stone slabs and invited some tradesmen round to give me quotes on the installation. The average was about £300, and I grudgingly decided to pay this to get the job done properly. However, each time a tradesman comes wound and agrees to do it, they then seem to "disappear"... I try ringing them on their numbers and their phones are either turned off or not being answered for weeks on end... odd...

Anyway, what I want to know is whether this is a job I can do myself, or whether it is essential that a tradesman do it...

I need to:

• lay a new hearth (for which I already have the stone slabs)
• install the stove (a small villager brand one)

Is it dangerous and/or difficult and/or more expensive to have a go myself?

Thanks

matty_hunt

Found this at http://www.stovecentre.co.uk/Stoves/Info.htm


"We are retailers based in Devon, with a network of qualified fitters to call upon locally, but we also do work with HETAS approved fitters in other parts of the UK. One advantage of using a HETAS approved fitter is that he is able to self certify his own work, and the building inspector does not need to come and check the installation. An approved fitter will also be experienced in such work, which should make for a smoother operation too.

It is perfectly ok to install a stove yourself, or using your own builder, provided that you inform building control, who will then charge a fee for the inspector to oversee the work and issue a certificate at the end of the job.

Contact us to see if we can recommend an engineer in your area."


hope that helps

matty_hunt

Just thought....Some chimneys may need relining before an appliance can be fitted, and whilst there are several different lining methods to choose from, they all come at a price. You didnt say in your post how your burner would be flued other than the chimney has been swept.

navig8r

you also have to make provision to sweep the chimney in the future,this can be via an access hatch or by installing a "T" box piece of flue on the back.Sweeping on a regular basis is important in a WB if you have a masonary flu as the smoke can condense into tar and catch fire if left to build up..been there done that etc .on the other hand our WB cooker has a SS insulated flu which is still clean after 30 odd years..rubbish I hear you say but its quite true,the flue gets so hot because of the insulation nearly everything is burnt off but any thing that does stick falls back down into a "T" box at the rear of the cooker when the flue cools and contracts,we just empty it from time to time.
Dave

theallpowerful

Thanks for the responses guys! :T

I have e-mailed the Stove Centre as you suggested to see if they can recommend a fitter in my area... Reading navig8r's post, I'm beginning to suspect that this is a little beyond my abilities (I was hoping it was as simple as shoving a pipe up the chimney and connecting it to the stove! :eek:) so I think I'll definately need to keep trying with the professional fitters...

Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated. :beer:

boyse7en

I fitted one in my house myself, but it is quite involved. I had the Building Regs. people coming around for other work I was doing and managed to get the inspection lumped in with that.

Things to be aware of:

The chimney may need a liner. This depends on the condition of the existing chimney and its size. If it is too large the smoke will not rise properly and will come back out in your lounge.

If you do fit a liner, it will need to be insulated. Double wall liner has insulation built in but is expensive, or you can use a rockwool wrap (nasty job) or vermiculite beads (need access to the roof)

There are rules on distance from WB to any combustable material (ie wooden floor) which will dictate the dimensions of your hearth.

You need to ensure adequate ventilation into the room with the WB in. Usually done with wall or floor vents.

You may need a new chimney pot or terminal depending on what is fitted at the moment. A pot for an open fire is rarely the correct type for a WB with a flue.