Advice on buying multi Fuel Stove

dollydolittle wrote: »

Hope I'm not butting in here...


Questions:
1) I think I want multifuel because someone told me coal is a lot cheaper than seasoned wood to burn, is that right?

That's a hard one! So much depends on how much you can buy wood for and, importantly, how dry the wood is. There are a lot of regional price variations and tremendous differences in quality that you need to be aware of, too.

You do get more heat out of solid fuel than wood and wood takes a lot more attention as it burns more quickly. It looks better than coal, though, to my mind.

In the end, I've come to the conclusion that, where I live, there's not a great deal of difference in cost between burning, say, Taybrite and well seasoned wood. Your mileage may vary, though. The thing to bear in mind is that prices are always on the move. The price of coal/smokeless fuel has gone up a lot in recent years, so if there once was a price advantage to it, I doubt there is now.

dollydolittle wrote: »

2) I've noticed that steel stoves are cheaper than cast iron. So, is a cast iron stove better than a steel stove? I see Morso, for example, make both.

Cast iron is not better than steel - it's just traditional. People say it retains its heat for longer, which is true, but for the same reason, it is also slower to heat up and it is also more prone to cracking if damaged or badly fired (I've even seen a Jotul with a huge crack in it, in a property I once bought - and that's a well respected brand). So cast iron has its downs as well as its ups.

Moreover, there are a lot of questionable Chinese and Indian cast iron stoves sold on eBay and from some stove retailers which are best avoided.

As for steel, the most modern stoves tend to be UK made and, for the most part, are made from steel. The downside is that they tend to look a bit spartan - you don't get the elaborate shapes and details that are easy with cast iron. On a performance level, though, there seems to be little to choose between the two materials - providing you buy a quality stove.

dollydolittle wrote: »

3) The dimensions of the room would suggest a 5kw output stove (and I understand that a stove should work at its maximum output to be efficient) but this room is an ice box, and I would like the heat to go through to the kitchen, so should I go up to 7kw?
4) Approximately how much do those of you with 5kw/ 7 kw fires spend on fuel each year?

Thank you in advance Oh Wise People!

Personally, I'd treat the calculations with a pinch of salt. In one property I had, I relied on both the manufacturers' and retailers' estimates and bought a stove that turned out to be too small for the job - but that was a supernaturally cold building, I have to say!

In my current home, I erred on the pessimistic side and bought a higher output stove than some thought was called for. Last winter I was glad I had.

One thing you have to watch is that the regulations now insist that if you fit any stove larger than 5KW, you are forced to fit an air brick - regardless of the size of room, layout or other sources of ventilation.

My advice, FWIW, would be to get several quotes and see if they agree, but do insist on a site visit. It's easy (and lazy) for a supplier to look at a chart and pontificate about the size of stove you need. But unless they see the house in question and weigh-up all the factors, you are not going to get an informed opinion.

I can't comment on running costs, I'm afraid, as my set-up is very different.

Hope that's at least some help.

The HETAS guide is a good place to start and you will need 1kW for every 14 cubic metres of space. If you live in a UK smoke control area you will need a DEFRA approved Cleanburn Stove. Check out the Stovax website, they have a wide range

dollydolittle wrote: »

Thanks all. I have had two installers visit the house and I've taken the measurements of the room to others. To be honest, I haven't found any of them particularly helpful. They all gave me conflicting info and they seem to each have a particular make and model that they are keen to sell. And I'm not even getting into the radiant versus convector debate!

The info on steel stoves is useful. I actually prefer the spartan look as the house is very '60s and ornate would look out of place. We already have an air vent in the wall, which might be one of the reasons the room is so cold, but at least that is one less thing we'll have to do.

I'm sorry to hear you've found the experience confusing - but I'm not in the least surprised, I'm afraid.

My own experiences of stove retailers and installers has been equally dismal with conflicting advice and, far too often, misinformation (and that's putting it politely!) being pedelled - no doubt in the hope of getting a sale of whichever stove they make the best margin on, or can still get on credit from the distributor.

The only advice I can give is keep trying. Ask around your social/work circles and see if you can find a personal recommendation from customers. Read every scrap of information you can get and in the end just take your courage in both hands. I know that's unsatisfactory, but it's how it is for many customers in this tricky market.