Fitting a wood burner

[flanajb]

I am planning ahead in readiness for the 5 months of cold dismal weather and am going to install a wood burner in the garage.

Just wondered whether there are any regs and if people know of a good place for buying cheap burners / flue pipe.

I have seen you can buy converted gas cylinders pretty cheap.

 

[custard]

Log on to your local council web site to find out if you're in a smokeless area. If you are you can still have a woodburner, but it'll have to be one the modern approved types like the Morso Owl.

 

[Kazsub]

Hi,

There is a new reg coming in on the 1st of Sept... all outbuildings, boats etc that have a new wood burner fitted have to use double wall, insulated flue pipes exiting the structure - single is fine internally but, where it passes through the roof it has to be double wall now (apparently to stop gases cooling too quickly and falling back down the flue).
Hope this helps!

 

[flanajb]

Thanks. We are not in a smokeless area so that is ok.

Maybe I should get one fitted now so as to avoid the new regs.

I was also wondering how high through the roof does the flue have to go ?

 

[ondablade]

Judging by a friend's experience with a wood chip boiler - be careful to use a highly enough specified flue. You can get tar build up from wood on a flue that can eventually start a fire - so the flue needs to be able to handle this without enough heat getting through to surrounding structures (roof etc) to cause a fire or other problem.

My guy arrived home in time to find a glowing red flue, and the roof just starting to burn. he was lucky.....

 

[Lons]

Judging by a friend's experience with a wood chip boiler - be careful to use a highly enough specified flue. You can get tar build up from wood on a flue that can eventually start a fire - so the flue needs to be able to handle this without enough heat getting through to surrounding structures (roof etc) to cause a fire or other problem.

My guy arrived home in time to find a glowing red flue, and the roof just starting to burn. he was lucky.....

+1

Happened to friends a few months ago only 2 months after having the stove fitted.
Poor quality and badly fitted flue was the culprit and very lucky to have caught the fire in time to avoid major damage :shock:

 

[Chems]

A very common occurancy round these parts. Regular cleaning and a good quality flue should mean you never have you roof catch light.

 

[flanajb]

Anyone able to comment on what is meant by flue quality ?

 

[JMcK]

This site may be of interest:

http://www.poujoulat.co.uk/

We use woodburners here for our heating. Although it is more expensive and "only" for a workshop I would go for the double insulated flue.

It has advantages in relation to safety,including less resins condensing and forming on the inside which can be a fire hazard and make for more frequent sweeping.

An opinion.

 

[RogerS]

I know Nick Gibbs used the Relax stove from Hot Spot for burning everything including sawdust.

 

[Graeme]

I have just been looking at the Relax stoves web site. Not having done much research, does anyone have a view on the quality and efficiency?

http://www.relaxstoves.co.uk/index.asp

 

[BradNaylor]

I have just been looking at the Relax stoves web site. Not having done much research, does anyone have a view on the quality and efficiency?

http://www.relaxstoves.co.uk/index.asp

We've got a Hotspot stove - pretty much the same thing.

It kept us warm all through last winter - and you know how cold it got. We burn everything from sawdust to MDF offcuts on it and it is amazingly efficient when you get the hang of it. We reduced our electricity bill by over £1000 compared to the previous winter!

We have a single skin flue but pass it through a second larger diameter pipe where it goes through the roof. The gap between the two pipes is packed with Rockwool.

This is the method suggested by Hotspot and it works very well. The flue in the workshop is hot but is completely insulated where is passes close to the roof timbers.

 

[Carlow52]

Thanks. We are not in a smokeless area so that is ok.

Maybe I should get one fitted now so as to avoid the new regs.

I was also wondering how high through the roof does the flue have to go ?

From the relax stoves link here:
A minimum of 3 metres of flue is required for a good draw.

The key issue is adjacent roof heights/proximity:. may need to check regs.

2 observations: ease of access for cleaning should be considered, one way is to fit a downward facing 45 degree TEE close to where the flue exits the stove and you shove the brush up there.

some ideas here : http://www.fluesystems.com/

On brushes I bought my gear here : http://www.tamarbrushes.co.uk/accessories.htm

super products, the rods are not cheap but sweeping is such a joy: just connect the nylon rods to the cordless drill and away u go: I have a 7m stack and I can do it in 15 minutes using an access hole in the flue.

Finally, the flue life for metal flues is a matter of debate: depending on the permanency of what is required: some folk say that with slow burning of resinous timber with infrequent cleaning : 3 to 5 years.

I went for a volcanic ash lego type from here: www.schiedel.ie/products/chimney-systems/

It worked out the same price as the metal flue and has a 60 year life

HTH [ am happy to take PM's on the specifics]

 

[flanajb]

Those relax burners look ideal and well priced too. I think I will have to get an order in soon

Thanks.

 

[Carlow52]

Those relax burners look ideal and well priced too. I think I will have to get an order in soon

Thanks.

Just consider making provision for flue cleaning. It looks like a top loader so unless u can get through the ash box...

 

[flanajb]

Those relax burners look ideal and well priced too. I think I will have to get an order in soon

Thanks.

Just consider making provision for flue cleaning. It looks like a top loader so unless u can get through the ash box...

Good point