kent stoves logo

Hardwood is a must for a cleaner environment and more efficiency

For the serious wood stove enthusiast, you may want to invest in hardwoods like oak, ash, hickory, walnut and fruit trees such as apple or cherry.

Hardwoods are denser woods that burn hotter and longer than softwoods, but you’ll need to let them season for up to 2 years.  (Ash is an exception and can be burnt a bit earlier although the wood burns best when seasoned.)

There is absolutely no point in burning unseasoned wood as you will be boiling water, and this is just inefficient and bad for the environment.

You’ll find that hardwood is more expensive to purchase than softwood like pine and fir. But the hardwood burns longer so you’ll need less wood Read more

kent stoves logo

Wonderful atmosphere with a wood stove

Sales of stoves continue to increase month on month as the UK public look for ways to reduce their heating bills.

Whether you are the proud owner of a shiny new stove, or your thinking to install one, there are a few things that you need to know to really get the most out of that heating machine in the fireplace.

Do not burn green damp wood

This is the most fundamental thing to get right when you’re burning wood. It might be surprising, but green wood is around 45% water. That means that for every kg of green wood you add to the fire, you’re effectively adding around 500ml (a pint) of water. This means that you will need to make sure that your fuel has been dried properly. There are a few ways of doing this, but the simplest are as follows. Read more

kent stoves logo

Increase the value of your property

Wood-burners have risen in popularity for the last five years as more homes discover the benefits they have to offer.

One benefit that generally goes un-noticed is how the value of your home will increase after you have installed the wood burner. Estate agents up and down the country are always pleased to sell a property with a HETAS certified fitted wood burner installed.

One local Surrey estate agent commented “We can always sell a good property with a certified fitted log burner easier; it is a major feature and will add to the price in a sale”. “This coupled with an energy efficient home will definitely see a high price achieved”. Read more

kent stoves logo

Installation of a new wood stove

We are always being asked the best place and way to install a new wood stove appliance. Stoves basically can be installed almost anywhere in the home but as with most things some are far better than others.

When it comes to flue pipes the hard and fast rule is the straighter they are the better the air will flow. Ideally, your piping should rise directly up into a chimney located above the stove, but angles can be added as required.

Straighter or less curved runs create stronger air drafts that will promote more efficient burning and heat creation. This will also reduce the amount of creosote build-up which is far safer for your home thus reducing the risk of chimney fires. Read more

kent stoves logo

Wood stoves are the economical heating solution

Wood-burning stoves have been riding the crest of the wave in the past few years and have proved extremely popular in the UK and Europe alike. Both efficient and practical, stoves have become a really viable heating solution. Their owners are also able to make real energy savings.

It is also a fact that a property with a professionally fitted wood stove can be worth up to 5% more. 

A professionally fitted wood burning stove can save you hundreds on annual fuel bills but do make sure your new burner is suitable for your home.

Many people tend to install without seeking professional advice, this is fine, but if you want to get total efficiency do seek advice from a qualified fitter. Read more

kent stoves logo

Wood burning stoves, want to know more?

A wood burning stove is simply a home appliance that is used to heat the home. It is usually made of a metal such as cast iron or steel and generates heat by burning wood fuel in an enclosed fire chamber.

They can be placed in most rooms of a house and need to allow fumes and gases to be drawn away from the room and out through flue/chimney.

Wood burners have been around for many years but have risen in popularity in recent times due to their efficiency and low running costs. They have become ever more popular since energy prices started rocketing. Read more

kent stoves logo

It’s getting colder by the day.

If you have a log burning stove you will no doubt see the full benefit this form of heating has to offer in the coming months.

Wood burning stoves are becoming more popular by the day as sales increase on an unprecedented scale. More households around the country are trying to reduce their heating bills and installing a stove can certainly help towards this aim.

With Covid19 rapidly taking a grip again we have to remain at home more than ever and to make this more enjoyable a lovely woodstove burning in the house helps.

One noticeably big mistake a lot owners make is not using correctly matured timber to burn, damp logs can be dangerous and cause chimney fires. Read more

kent stoves logo

Wood stoves gaining ground in the heating market

Wood burning stove installations are increasing annually and over the last ten years we have seen huge strides towards solving environmental issues.

Usually at this time of year interest increases due to colder weather, but this year has seen unprecedented increases like never before.

Due to rising fuel bills homeowners are seeking alternative cost-effective heating options.

Wood burning stoves are a real alternative, these days they really do offer an impressive range of options to meet your home’s needs. Long gone are the days when wood burners were seen as an ugly and dirty heating source. Read more