Thinking of getting a log burner. Anyone have some advice?

sgun

I like ours, we have moved from a house with storage heaters to one heated by oil. Now, I'm in a massive minority as I actually liked the storage heaters. They kept me toasty warm all day (I used them properly and was on a brilliant tariff that you cant get now). To a small extent our multi-fuel burner does the same job as it ticks over through the night with ovoids and then I put one log on in the morning, some extra ovoids and it keeps me warm all day.

HOWEVER.
We both work from home so it is handy to have a constant heat source. If you are out at work all day it wouldn't be necessary.

It is messy. I don't care, my house is pretty messy anyway and if you live/work in the sticks you won't worry about twiggy bits and wood chips stuck in the rug.

It uses smokeless ovoids which as far as I know are still coal based. Which makes me a little uneasy. non-smokeless are really messy and you will pay £50 a time to get your chimney swept.

If I had GCH I wouldn't consider one, certainly not as a fashion accessory.

It is potentially not cheap. I can get cheap wood and have a fair supply of my own trees to chop down and I use it sparingly but I have some friends who spend around £15 a week on theirs and they have GCH anyway which i don't get at all.

FreeBear

sgun wrote: »

It uses smokeless ovoids which as far as I know are still coal based. Which makes me a little uneasy. non-smokeless are really messy and you will pay £50 a time to get your chimney swept.

But you should be sweeping your flue on a regular basis anyway - I sweep mine a couple of times each year (have rods & brushes), and then pay someone every now and then so that I have a certificate for the insurance Co. should anything happen.

Burning regular house coal in a multifuel stove is something that shouldn't be done. Either smokeless coal or well seasoned wood.

onomatopoeia99

PasturesNew wrote: »

Additionally, increasingly they're being pointed at as "bad for the planet", not sure why as I'll never have one, but they're on the hit list.

While they are carbon neutral, as the carbon released into the atmosphere is the same carbon that growing the tree consumed from the atmosphere, the environmental problem with wood burning stoves is pollution from the smoke.

Air quality levels in cities are not good and log burners are a significant contributor.

Davesnave

BananaRepublic wrote: »

This is/was a trendy item, and many places cater for well heeled people. The person who came round from the local place was very unpleasant..... Another company quoted far less and did a brilliant job.

Yes, you must do your homework and choose the supplier carefully.


One supplier in Exeter refused to take our business because we were well outside the city, yet the person we gave the job to was equally distant, but small-town based.

Another large supplier sent their guys over to measure up for the fireplace/surround, but no quote ever arrived. The person whom we chose, measured up himself, and then, within two days, had a galvanised enclosure fabricated and ready for us to self-install, saving ££ and time that might have been wasted on plastering.

It's one area where a flash showroom and heavy advertising may not be the best indicator of the service you'll receive.

madlyn

I am having a multifuel stove fitted next month, the cleaning side of things does not really bother me. If I clean it after each use then I cannot see it being a chore.
I am currently building a log store out of pallets and whilst out walking the dog if I see anything that looks decent to dry out and burn I bring it home.
For the next couple of months I will buy a bag of logs as and when I need one but I will buy a bulk bag later in the year ready for the colder months, just not sure about what coal if any to use.

FreeBear

madlyn wrote: »

For the next couple of months I will buy a bag of logs as and when I need one but I will buy a bulk bag later in the year ready for the colder months, just not sure about what coal if any to use.

Make sure you have a decent roof on the log store and pallets on the base to keep the logs off the ground.

As for (smokeless) coal, I've been using Stoveheat - Lights easy enough, keeps going all night with minimal air, but does produce a fair bit of ash. Had been using Phurnacite which, whilst easy to light, never kept going through the night without quite a bit of air.
Anthracite lumps, I wouldn't bother with again - Had ten bags from my supplier, tried the stuff for a few days. Just wouldn't stay alight, so ended up returning nine unopened bags for a refund.

Rather than buying small bags/nets of logs, you may find it cheaper to get a dump bag delivered. Alternatively, heat logs from B&M, Lidl, or Aldi (if you can find stocks).

madlyn

Logs are on top of a nice thick pallet off the ground and a solid roof will be fitted and covered with roofing felt.
I will buy a bulk bag to get ready for winter at the end of this year start of next year.
I have seen heat logs in my local Home Bargains, do I use them instead of or as well as dried wood?

FreeBear

madlyn wrote: »

I have seen heat logs in my local Home Bargains, do I use them instead of or as well as dried wood?

You can use heat logs and any other briquette with, or without logs. Just make sure you place them lengthways on the grate, and not "front to back". As they burn, they expand and you don't want the hot embers falling out when you open the door.
When I use the heat logs, I'll break one and just put half on at a time.

Tucker

Lots of doom and gloom on here!

Don't be put off. We have no chimney and had one installed. Installation for a flue exiting the brick work and up the outside wall was around 1700.

I love mine. I buy bulk tonne bags of kiln dried softwood for 50 quid. It lasts me 6 or 7 weeks with regular use this time of year. I can't really be bothered chopping and doing my own for the cost of a bulk delivery.

My advice would be to buy the best quality stove you can afford. We spent a few quid on a lovely Rais model. There are plenty around that look similar and are much cheaper, possibly half the price, but you only fit the stove once so don't scrimp on that.

Have a look at them in showrooms. You can tell the difference in quality and you get what you pay for generally.

6000 is more than enough to get a very good quality stove and fitting. Probably more than you need to be honest.

Blot

Once you have got the knack of lighting and feeding it they are great . They work best if you get one of the small thermoelectric fans (Ecofan or similar ) to stand on top . This will push the warm area around and get rid of the thermal gradient around the stove. Also fun to just sit and watch the fan blade whizzing round with no visible means of operation.