Woodburner - buy new or secondhand

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vertex
vertex Posts: 181 Forumite
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in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
Hi all
Im looking to buy a Morso woodburner. Theres a few secondhand ones on ebay that are a lot cheaper than a new one. Does it make more sense buying a secondhand woodburner and getting it serviced - or should I just buy a new one? Ive no idea how much it would be to get a secondhand woodburner serviced, or even if its possible!
Thanks
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  • tired_dad
    tired_dad Posts: 631 Forumite
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    Morso is quality. Presume there are 2nd hand dealers where you know what your getting esp all the parts etc. Buying off eBay would concern me as I!!!8217;d want to look it over carefully. Dismenteling and transporting a cast iron Morso would be a significant task
  • vertex
    vertex Posts: 181 Forumite
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    I was thinking if I by one off ebay for £300; and then spending £200 on whatever needs doing to it, then it would still be far cheaper than buying a new one. However if a likely service would cost £400, then I may aswell buy a new one.
    Maybe Im oversimplifying it.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    On undamaged woodburners, the parts that may be 'serviced' are usually quite cheap. The glass isn't, but stuff like inserts can be fabricated while you wait and sealing rope is just sold by the metre.

    It gets more expensive if specific parts have to be ordered-in.

    Any good stove shop should be able to check-out and repair a stove before they install it for you. You should have it installed by someone qualified to check out your flue as well; CO isn't something to be taken lightly, but also you'll want your stove to be controllable. If it isn't, it'll cost you in the long run for the extra fuel it eats.
  • Pdbaggett
    Pdbaggett Posts: 111 Forumite
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    They are not exactly complicates pieces of machinery so I imagine most installers could service it without problem. To be perfectly honest after rope, glass and fire bricks I'm not sure there is a great deal else to service the rest is just cast iron really.

    That said I got mine off eBay for £250 a so called cheap Chinese one and fitted it my self, no complaints and works wonderful so far.
  • vertex
    vertex Posts: 181 Forumite
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    I suppose the next question is.... whats the best quality woodburner for money? I know Morso are very expensive. Clearview? Villager? Town and Country?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    It's hard to get reliable unbiased data on stoves. If one looks at https://www.whatstove.co.uk/ it soon becomes apparent that the same stove may get rave reviews and poor ones. This suggests poor fitting in some cases and maybe a lack of experience too in others.

    However, it's possible to pick out some stoves that do well most of the time and with fewer niggles.

    My sweep, who's been around a while, doesn't like Morso, but one of my best friends has a modern circular one (chosen by his wife) and he loves it.

    We have a modern Woodwarm 5kW and I'm very happy with it. Until fairly recently Woodwarm stoves looked like they'd been designed more with functionality in mind than anything else, but their Phoenix range is good looking too. We find ours very responsive, the glass stays clean and it appears to match the claimed high efficiency.

    I think it's generally accepted that Clearview are quality stoves with few vices, except a relatively high price and slightly old-fashioned appearance. We might have had one if the Phoenix Firegem hadn't suited us better due to it's slim profile.

    There's probably loads of good stoves out there
  • vertex
    vertex Posts: 181 Forumite
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    Going slightly off topic: These stoves are to go in 2 large inglenooks so need to be as big as possible so they dont look out of place. Is there a stove manufacture that makes big(ger) type woodburners? Or is the size just dictated by the stove's output? I suppose I could get a stove with a log store underneath it which would help add to its height.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    edited 2 April 2018 at 1:09AM
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    In a sense the size of the inglenooks is irrelevant; it's the cubic capacity of the spaces you're heating that dictates the size of wood burner that's appropriate, as output is broadly related to physical size.

    These stoves need to be run hot, so it wouldn't be good to run a 9kW model with half a load of wood in one corner of the fire grate set to burn slowly, as you'd get a poor flame picture and lots of soot. Fill it up, turn it up, and in a smaller room you'd then be looking for a cool place to sit, and wasting fuel as well!

    Some makers do shallow stoves that suit some openings better. My Phoenix Firegem is like that, being wide for its output, but not very deep.

    The Chilli Penguin Woody and Fat Penguin are similar:
    https://chillipenguin.co.uk/products/

    ....or there are various stands which can bulk the stove out a bit.
  • OnlyAlan
    OnlyAlan Posts: 52 Forumite
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    I am surprised no one has mentioned regulations regarding fitting a woodburner or mulit fuel stove.

    There are two routes:
    1. Have a stove fitted by a HETAS engineer who will issue you with a certificate of compliance.
    2. Do it yourself under 'Building Regulations'. This will (usually) involve two visits from your local council building inspector. (This is the route I took).

    I know many people just 'stick one in themselves' without much (or any) experience. If you choose to do that be aware that:
    1. An increasing number of home insurance companies specifically ask if you have such a stove and will only insure your home if you can produce a HETAS certificate or a Building Control certificate.
    2. When you sell your home there is a very good chance that the buyer's solicitor will ask for a copy of the relevant certificate of conformity.
    3.People die every year of carbonmonoxide poisoning in their homes.

    There is a great deal of information at stovefitterswarehouse.co.uk

    Some of things to remember are:
    If the stove is over 5kw you need an external vent.
    You need a compliance plate on or near the stove or near your electric meter.
    You need a long-life carbonmonoxide alarm a certain distance from your stove.
    Your hearth needs to be a certain size.
    You need a certain size air-gap around your stove.
    You need to install an approved flue and/or have your chimney smoke-tested by a HETAS engineer.

    A competent amateur can fit a stove to the satisfaction of Building Control (I did) but comply with the regulations and be safe.

    Alan
    Money may not buy happiness .. but it lets you be miserable in comfort.
  • vertex
    vertex Posts: 181 Forumite
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    Thanks Alan. I have a HETAS approved installer to do it. I just need to find a woodburner thats not going to look pitifully small in an inglenook!
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