Stoves

Stoves

There is a vast amount of information out there on stoves & it can be hard to know where to start, so we are here to guide you through. These are some of the most common questions we are asked to help you understand what you may require & what options are available. This is just a starting point, if you have further questions or just require a little more information on a particular situation please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Our contact details can be found here (link to contact us page).

Do I need a chimney? Yes & no! In most cases a chimney is used to fit a stove, however if the house does not have a chimney or you would like to fit a stove in a location within the house such as an extension that does not have a chimney then a twin wall flue can be fitted.

How do I know if my house has a chimney? Most houses built before 1960 were built with chimneys. Houses built after 1960 may or may not have a chimney as there are all different types of flues that were used in the construction of homes after this date. You can check if your house has a chimney by looking to see if there is a chimney breast either in the room or outside & by looking at the roof to see the chimney stack coming out above the roofline. 

My house does not have a chimney can I have a stove fitted? Yes, as long as we are able to fit a twin wall flue. These are stainless steel insulated flue systems, they can be powder coated to any colour (the most popular being black) or left as stainless steel for a modern look. This type of flue is erected to go up on the property just like a chimney would to roof height in order to create sufficient draw on the flue. The flue can run internally or externally. The stove can be freestanding with the flue exposed or we can create a false chimney breast & conceal the flue within this.

My house has a working chimney do I need to have it lined? No, you do not need to have a liner fitted if we test the chimney, it passes a smoke test & has provisions for sweeping. However, we strongly recommend that you have a liner fitted. New stoves are much more efficient than they ever have been before, this means that only a small amount of the heat they produce goes up the chimney which can cause problems with the draw on the flue & the controllability of the stove if fitted to a cold, large, unlined chimney. There are two different types of liner, both of which are stainless steel. The 316 grade liner is cheaper & only suitable for wood burning whereas the 904 grade costs a little more but is suitable for burning wood & solid fuel (i.e. smokeless coal).

What heat output do I need for my room? It is important to have a stove that is not too small or too big in order for the room to be a comfortable temperature & the stove to perform at its optimum level. If you put the dimensions in the calculator below it will work out the heat output in kW that you require.

[PLEASE ADD A CALCULATOR HERE: User to enter Room Dimensions H W D: Calculation Formula: (HxWxD)*0.06 = lower limit in Kw, (lower limit*1.5 = upper limit in Kw. For reference see current webpage]

What is the difference between Freestanding & Inset stoves, & which are best? Freestanding stoves are stoves that are fitted either into an open fireplace recess or freestanding in the room. A freestanding stove needs space around it & you see the stove pipe coming off the top or back of the stove. An inset stove is fitted flush either into a fireplace or as a hole in the wall. Neither one is better than the other, they are both just as efficient. In different situations a freestanding or inset stove may be more appropriate to the installation or you may have a preference based on the aesthetics of the stoves.

What is a smoke control area, how do I know if I am in a smoke control area & if I am, can I have a stove fitted? Smoke control areas are usually more urban areas, for example in Nottingham the city centre & suburbs are all smoke control areas, however most of the surrounding villages are not. To find out if your house is in a smoke control area you can ring your local council & they will advise. For example, here in Rushcliffe, only West Bridgford & Edwalton are smoke control. If you are in a smoke control area you can still have a stove fitted but it must be one that is approved by DEFRA. In our showroom all stoves on display are DEFRA approved, if you look on our product pages, we have detailed which stoves have DEFRA approval also.

What is the difference between a Multi Fuel Stove & a Woodburning stove? A multi fuel stove is a stove that is suitable for burning wood & smokeless coal. Multi fuel stoves are designed to have an elevated grate for the fuel to sit on with an ash pan underneath. This is so when burning smokeless coal, the ash can fall into the pan below. Woodburning stoves do not have a grate or ash pan, the wood is placed directly onto the bottom of the stove as wood prefers to burn in its own ash. Woodburning stoves are not suitable for burning smokeless coal, only wood can be used.

Can I burn any wood or coal on my stove? No. It is very important to burn the correct fuel. If you have a multi fuel stove & wish to burn coal it is important to only use smokeless coal, traditional house coal is not suitable. It is also important to try & source coal with a low Sulphur content. If you are burning wood, you should only burn seasoned or kiln dried hardwood from a Woodsure registered supplier. If you burn wood that is not ready to burn (i.e. has a high moisture content) or scrap wood such as old fences or pallets it will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the stove as well as damaging the stove & chimney or flue lining.

What is all the press recently about stoves being banned, is this true? No this is not true; they are attention grabbing headlines. There are new regulations coming into force in 2022 which goes further to regulate stoves, ensuring that only the cleanest & most efficient stoves can be sold. Many of the stoves we sell already comply to these new regulations, on our product pages we have marked these as SIA Eco Design ready. If you already have a stove or purchase a new stove before 2022 which is not Eco Design ready, you can continue to use this stove after 2022, as the new regulations only affect new stoves sold after this date.

I am having a house built & would like a stove to be fitted, what do I need to know? The most common problem we have with self builds or small developments is chimneys not being built correctly. Builders often just build a breeze block void clad in brick rather than correctly constructing the chimney with clay liners. It is best to speak with us as construction commences to look at your options & we can discuss with the builder the opening size & chimney requirements to ensure your chosen stove can be fitted.