alcazar

iTrader: (2)

When we bought the house we now live in in 1988, it had a large open fire with a dog grate.

Unfortunately, it also had two TINY rads in a large room, and the fire would burn a 50kg sack of Coalite in under an hour, the room going from "Duffle coats on!", to "Oh my God, open the patio doors", to "Duffle coats on!" in around two hours.

So all in all, unsatisfactory.

The fire was removed and replaced by a living flame gas fire, one of the better ones that LOOK real.

At the same time the rads were changed for two much bigger ones, with the result that the gas fire now gets used once a flood, if that.

Last night, however, wifey just happened to say, "I've been thinking,", (huge sigh from me, since I know those words: they always come before work for me), "We could have a log burner or an open fire in here, couldn't we?"

So.........the question: ARE log burners available small? Do they need chimney liners? And what sort of cost am I looking at to fit one, once I've rebuilt the fireplace? Again.

tony de wonderful

So your log won't fit in her chimney?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

That didn't take long.......

My log is at present somewhat soft due to a treatment given to me by my (tree) doctor.

tony de wonderful

I'm sure you can get log burners of varied sizes.

Chip

"No dear, with the new safety regulations covering the installation of log burners our chimney is deemed to be too narrow to accommadate with the excess flow of carbon monoxide produced by modern log burning equipment."


Yes you can get small log burners, my brother has one.
Fit it yourself, easy.
As for lining the chimney, lots of info here,
http://www.nace.org.uk/content/technical_guide.htm
or here: http://www.woodburningstoveslimited....s.instructions

but yes I would unless you know 100% your chimney is sound.

Chip

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Ideally you need to line the whole of the chimney, which is very pricey, but few do this, opting instead to line only the fist few feet, with a blanking plate at the bottom of the chimney mouth. So, couple of bends and a 6' straight section of vitreous enamel flue pipe and you'll be good to go

Coalbrookdale make a nice little stove - the Little Wenlock IIRC, ~2Kw

andythejock01wrx

Wish

iTrader: (2)

If you have had a log fire then your chimney will already be clay lined.

We have just installed a chesney wood burner. It's only the small one but the burn rate is excellent and the flame is amazing.
We use to have a cheaper burner, but it was not very controllable and use to chew through logs at a high rate.

My advise would be buy the best and the saving will come over the years ahead.

Myles

iTrader: (40)

I have a woodburner in my dining room, presumably a period feature (not sure which period?!), but we never sparked it up when we lived there. As far as I'm aware the tenant has not either in 11 years! Do these small woodburners give off some good heat?

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

You can put a flue liner in if you want a cheaper option to a thermocrete lining..

If you going for something smaller,i would recommend a Morso Squirrell... We have a Panther and its been excellent for 10 years. The odd rerope of the door seals and its been impeccable..

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Morso Squirrell's are very nice - a friend picked one up used for £50

Check for cracks if going this route

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the replies, even the funny ones.

I'll have to do a bit of research on the types mentioned, although the Wenlock rings a bell. In France we have a Hunter: looks great, but in practice is a PITA: the fire falls out when you open the doors to put fuel on, it's not very controllable and the doors constantly need re-roping.......plus the little clips that hold the glass in are fearsomely expensive, presently replaced by brass strips, using the same screws, cost me £0.60p for a strip long enough to last me years.

hodgy0_2

we replaced an open fire with a log burner last year

fantastic -- is all I can say

ours is a midsize one, 9KW

ours is a Yoemans btw -- and the guys who installed it did it all in an day/afternoon (inc the chimney bit) so could not have been all that involved

Wish

iTrader: (2)

Hunter is what we had ... And like you say was a pita.
Our new chesney is absolutely spot on and worth the extra moneynwe paid.

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

The 'best' though have got to be the Clearvirew stoves

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

clearview pioneer 400 - expensive but worth it.

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

A beauty

njkmrs

Franco Belge for us and more than happy with it .Sat with it on now as a matter of fact .
Dont go too big as you will need a wheel barrow of wood per night !!

hodgy0_2

that's what you get for living oop north. its a barmy 17deg here darn sarth

(although did spend two hours today with the chainsaw, and "splitting maul" filling up my wood store)

njkmrs

Lol .Yep its nearly winter oop here .Damp and cold already .!! Got a few trees under tarpaulin already drying out for next year .Only burning a bit of light stuff at the moment ,eg cardboard tubes from shrink wrap and a bit of balsa wood or brickettes from old newspapers .Keeping the good stuff for next month onwards !!

hodgy0_2

you old pro, sounds like you've been doing this lark for years


ps sad I know, but when I drive around the countryside, and see a big juicy log pile, i get a tiny hard on

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

Ahhhhhhhhh...

bigsinky

you're such a tease

wood burning fire and strong cider. a drunken fumble would finish that night off nicely.

Wish

iTrader: (2)

I'm down south and had mine on today ... Toasty warm

Yours

Southern softie

Coffin Dodger

With respect to fitting it yourself - you can but all new installations are subject to building control so to comply you either need someone who is HETAS registered to fit it and provide you with a certificate or you need to get the buildings inspector round to sign off your work.

Without this if your house burns down and by whatever means your insurers are able to point the finger at your dodgy woodburner installation then your insurance is void. No house, no contents, just a pile of charred rubble. Not good. Personally I'd use someone who knows what they're doing

We had a Town&Country Rosedale fitted early on this year, very pleased with it and looking forward to to hearty blazes this winter It's the very bottom picture on this page: http://www.townandcountryfires.co.uk/

Cost around £2000 installed with a twin wall flexible stainless chimney liner the full length of a normal two storey semi-detached.

Leslie

I was told that in previous times they used to line chimneys with cow dung. Apparently it is very tough and hard wearing when it has fully hardened off. I thinks ours is like that-its a very old house.

Les

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

Not always cider

njkmrs

Lol ,yeh Im always on the look out for scraps of wood .When the fires on I cant help but keep going to it and having a poke !!

hodgy0_2

you do mean the woodburner don't you!!!

GazTheHat

We've got a real small log burner. It's quite a bit of hassle as some of the logs in the bags you get from garages wont even fit. I'd opt for a larger one, but not fill it as much. Very cosy, nothing compares.

I've even chopped up old plywood from work for it. As the door is closed, just get heat no gasses etc.