Flue for a log burner

sparkychris

Evening team

Am moving house in a few weeks and every penny has gone on the deposit and fees etc so money is tight!

The top of the to do list is to put a log burner in. The house has an open fire at the minute but these are so inefficient and due to the layout of the house, I reckon a log burner could heat it all.

I have looked online at local log burner showrooms and they all seem like they want me to book an appointment for a salesman to call round which I don't want.

I want a cheap, possibly used log burner and have someone put the flue in.... But who do I call? Local builder, or is putting flues in a specialist thing?

I really don't want to pay a salesmans commission...

Aylesbury_Duck

If money is tight, I'd suggest waiting. Log burners are not cheap to install properly or to run.

sparkychris

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

If money is tight, I'd suggest waiting. Log burners are not cheap to install properly or to run.

Thanks for that.

Ectophile

If you want it done proper, legal and building regulations approved, then you need to find an installer who is a member of HETAS http://www.hetas.co.uk/.

They are allowed to "self-certify" their work to comply with building regulations. Alternatives are to call in the council to inspect the work, which you will have to pay for. Or bodge it, hope that nobody notices and nobody gets gassed by carbon monoxide.

Flue lining generally isn't cheap. You might get away without a new liner if your chimney was built lined - I got lucky there. But that's only likely to apply to houses from around the 1960's. You'd need a HETAS installer or registered chimney sweep to tell you what your existing chimney's like.

FreeBear

Second the recommendation of a HETAS installer. They will need to come out to see how much liner is required and gauge accessibility along with any other issues that might affect the price.

Yes, you could get a cheap Machinemart stove off the internet for a few hundred, but installing it properly will kill your budget. I had quotes of £1000 to £1400 to fit a stove I had purchased (and it wasn't a cheap Chinese one). If you want a decent quality stove fitted with all the certification, expect to pay somewhere in the region of £2500.

keith969

I've had helpful advice (and bought a stove, liner etc) from these people when I was looking : http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/

They had a list of local HETAS installers, but like anything choose carefully.

Andy_WSM

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Log burners are not cheap to install properly or to run.

I agree not to skimp on the installation. Have it done properly and the work certified.

However, they are very cheap to run with a little effort!

I had mine installed last February and at the time "panic bought" £50 worth of seasoned logs. Since then I have accumulated several cubic meters of wood, all stored away in a shed ready for this Winter at a cost of about £15, a few short car trips and a bit of effort cutting it up.

If you're going to take the lazy option and pay for all your wood to be delivered to your door ready to use then a wood burner isn't going to save you anything.

keith969

Andy_WSM wrote: »

I had mine installed last February and at the time "panic bought" £50 worth of seasoned logs. Since then I have accumulated several cubic meters of wood, all stored away in a shed ready for this Winter at a cost of about £15, a few short car trips and a bit of effort cutting it up.

That's all very well if you have woodland of your own, or can find someone who will allow you to take it for nothing. You can't just go and help yourself.

Otherwise the going rate round here is from £80 to £100 per cubic metre depending on the quality.

Apodemus

keith969 wrote: »

That's all very well if you have woodland of your own, or can find someone who will allow you to take it for nothing. You can't just go and help yourself.

Otherwise the going rate round here is from £80 to £100 per cubic metre depending on the quality.

Forestry Commission and some larger estates will grant a scavenger license, which allows you to collect fallen timber (subject to various conditions). Urban skips are often full of nice dry wood (ask first before "dumpster diving"). Some Councils are happy with the fact that branches that fall on the road verge quickly disappear. In some places beaches are covered with logs and branches after a storm (better for open fires as the salts in the wood can be bad for a metal liner - but otherwise leave the logs out in the rain for a year or so and it is good). Some river owners will allow removal of trees brought down during a spate.

For all of these it is good to be able to recognise the better tree species, so that you can avoid a lot of work for a poor-burning wood.

Edit: Oh! I forgot about broken pallets from warehouses/distribution and wood off-cuts from construction manufacturers!

keith969

Apodemus wrote: »

Some Councils are happy with the fact that branches that fall on the road verge quickly disappear.

Don't forget to add up the cost of the time it takes you to collect, saw, split, stack and wait for the wood to season. It works out far cheaper for me to buy them when I last did the sums.

martinsurrey

keith969 wrote: »

Don't forget to add up the cost of the time it takes you to collect, saw, split, stack

People pay for worse workouts in the gym, its a great activity to keep you in shape!