Multi-fuel or wood pellet stove?

[Deleted User]

On the face of it a wood pellet stove seems the most efficient and was the cheapest to run but prices for the pellets have doubled - no good reason just exploitation of inflation bandwagon. Pellets are after all made of waste materials...
Quotes for multi stoves are £3000+!!! Because they all insist on putting it in the hearth space which would need chiseling out as it's set up for a coal fire. Makes more sense to me to have it freestanding so it heats the room not the chimney! With the 5 inch pipe just shoved up the flue. And they don't want to install the small £500 stove I want to buy! What a cheek.
A wood pellet stove doesn't get hot in the same way, not even the pipes so can be freestanding. But they still want £3000. You can get small stoves for £600 nowadays. 
Anybody got experience? Watched a lot of Youtube videos!! 

FreeBear

You can get free standing stoves that do not need to be installed on a constructional hearth - For these, it only needs a 12mm non-combustible surface of a set size underneath.

With a multifuel stove, you can burn smokeless coal, logs, briquettes, or pellets if you want to, so plenty of flexibility on fuel. With a pellet stove, you are stuck with buying pellets (either bagged or bulk).

[Deleted User]

Yes but you still need a chimney - exit to outside through a wall or I've seen through ceilings! Yes probably multi-fuel because pellets prices seem unpredictable. A remarkable stove though - 7kw output about minimum! 

Ectophile

The problem you have with the price of wood pellets is that some old coal-fired power stations have been converted to run on wood.  So wood chips are no longer considered rubbish that people will give away to anyone who will have them.

dunstonh

no good reason just exploitation of inflation bandwagon.

How about the costs of making the pellets has gone up?  In particular, the process where they are passed through a pellet dye at high temperature and pressure.  The cost of that stage has gone up enormously as it is energy intensive.

Makes more sense to me to have it freestanding so it heats the room not the chimney!

There is a cover built into the chimney to stop that from happening.  Typically just above the arch of the fireplace.  Only the flue goes through it.

And they don't want to install the small £500 stove I want to buy! What a cheek.

A £500 stove is dirt cheap and may not be compliant with what they need to do.   What you do if you DIY and what a professional installer has to do to comply with regulations are two different things.

 Or it just may be completely pointless for them to do the work as the time spent on yours to earn them peanuts is better spent on a proper installation that will earn them more.

[Deleted User]

£500 plus stoves are eco compliant - meet the latest regs. Found someone today who doesn't also supply the stove. They certainly don't want peanuts for what is max 3 days work. I do DIY and save a fortune on painting, pointing etc

Was hoping someone had actually gone through the installation process and running costs recently. It might not now be worth it if other fuel sources are going through the roof. I'll try a DIY Forum and post back any useful costings. 

FreeBear

When I had my stove fitted, I looked at the costings. By the time I had paid for a liner, scaffolding, and Building Control sign-off, it was a little cheaper to pay someone to supply & fit the liner & the stove I had purchased. Cost me about £1100 as I recall. Money well spent as it meant I didn't have to climb a ladder and struggle to do the whole lot single handed.

I did all the building work and finishing off myself - Saved a good chunk of money on that side and ended up with something I wanted rather than someone else's interpretation.

[Deleted User]

Would jump at that. Can't find anybody willing to do bits of it. £3000 all in. I can reach the chimney from  a roof window which is great.  The cardboard is the size of the stove. Amazing. I might try to remove the firebox (think its called) ie the original fire in the hearth myself. That will keep me warm...😁 

[Deleted User]

Old books often the best. Found excellent description and illustration. The second looks like mine - originally a fireplace in every room so the flu will be offset. I can remove the firebox myself. 

FreeBear

keveen said: I can reach the chimney from  a roof window which is great.  The cardboard is the size of the stove. Amazing. I might try to remove the firebox (think its called) ie the original fire in the hearth myself.

The air brick suggests that the original pots have been removed at some point - Reinstating pots, applying new flaunching, and installing a liner is not something that should be attempted by climbing out though a roof light. To do that job safely, you need scaffolding or a cherry picker.

Removing the fireback is certainly something that you can do - There will be a considerable amount on infill either side of the fireback and don't forget the throat above. You'll most likely need to remove the mantle and tiled surround when hacking out the infill. When you come to plaster, don't use plasterboard (it is not rated as non-combustible), and don't use gypsum (e.g. Multifinsh) plaster. Gypsum will crack & flake off the wall if subjected to temperatures over 50°C - Any wall near a stove can quite easily exceed that. Use a heat resistant plaster such as Vitcas or a lime plaster.

[Deleted User]

£200 to uncap the chimney. Not bad. Actually it has a cowell because originally used as the gas fire outlet. . The others are capped. It will need changing though.