Pointers to look out for when selecting your new wood stove!

A stove that is too small for the room will not be powerful enough to heat the room adequately, on the other hand, if you have a stove that is too large it will need constant attention to keep the temperature down.

A result of this is the combustion within the stove will not be complete and you will quickly have a build-up of soot not just on the glass, but up the chimney as well.

With this in mind, when calculating the required output, a slightly greater output should be considered (no more than 1.5kW), as there will be a greater need for rapid heating in the long dark cold months of winter.

Always fit where possible in a central position in the property.

As you are making a large investment within your home installing a new stove it really will pay to get expert help (HETAS registered) when selecting the stove to meet your needs.

Wood stoves are cleaner and more efficient than you think.

Open fireplaces are great, but they are not very energy efficient at approximately 20%. Wood burning stoves are much more efficient, at around 80%, so you get all the benefits of a real fire without most of your money going up the chimney in smoke!

Only burn mature logs – Vital information for heat and efficiency.

Wood is a far more environmentally friendly fuel than oil, gas and electricity – and subject to far less price rises. Freshly cut wood contains a lot of water, so you should dry it out before you can burn it. This can take as long as 18-24 months.

It is very unwise to burn wet or unseasoned wood as this will cause a soot build up in your chimney and make your burner very dirty.

Can we help?

If you would like assistance selecting and installing a new log burner, please get in touch and one of our HETAS qualified fitters will be happy to help.

 

Cheaper Winter Heating with Wood stoves. Log burner wood stoves are still gaining ground in the race for cheaper heat.

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

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

Wood burning stoves are a real alternative for cheaper winter heating. 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.

Why install a wood burning burner?

People in the UK tend to spend most of their time in one room – the living room, and as such a lot of the heating costs are focused here. Therefore, if you can use a cheaper form of heating in just this location, then the costs of the central heating and additional heating should fall considerably.

How much cheaper is it? Well, the cost of wood logs is obviously variable, depending on your source and where you live. Some people have access to free wood from gardens and the local area, which is fantastic – this essentially means once you have installed the wood burner, you can heat your home for free, just imagine that!

The big 3 advantages!

• Fuel in the form of logs, wood chips, brush clippings is renewable, and sustainable.
• Wood supply prices are relatively stable and have been for years.
• Professionally installed stove will add value to your property.

Help needed?

If you would like to explore your heating options, please do make contact. One of our qualified fitters (HETAS registered) will be happy to assist.

Stove Installation. Installing a new wood stove can be quick and very easy.

If you have an existing chimney installing a wood stove is relatively easy. The fitter will usually insert a liner inside the existing chimney from the burner to the exit point. At Kent Stoves we cover the whole of Kent for wood stove installation.

For straight chimneys this can made up of sections of jointed metal pipe, which can be either single or double skinned. A double skin is more airtight and lasts longer than a single skin but of course costs more. For chimneys that aren’t perfectly straight, a flexible non-flammable liner is used.

It is important to note, chimneys should be swept at least once a year and twice if they are in heavy use. Otherwise, creosote (a by-product of inefficient combustion) builds up on the walls of the chimney to become a fire hazard. Creosote builds up gradually over time as fires burn less efficiently. When they are just getting started but can accumulate very rapidly if you burn unseasoned or damp wood.

Wood Stove Air vents used correctly will improve efficiency

Vents, usually mounted near the door, can be opened or closed to increase or decrease the airflow through the fire. When choosing your new stove do pay special attention to the airflow controls, a fitter will explain which fire would suit your home.

General Stove care

In addition to keeping your stove clean inside and outside, be sure to have it inspected by a registered fitter at least once a year to make sure that everything is working perfectly. If there are any signs of damage such as cracks, leaks or warping. Finally if you have any problems with the stove have it repaired immediately.

Can we help?

If you are thinking of installing a new burner or require your existing one serviced do make contact. One of our fitters will be happy to help.

Are Stoves Economic? Keep warmer and reduce those horrible heating bills

With the colder weather beginning to hit the UK, how do you stay warm? I am sure you will be like the majority and turn up the thermostat on the central heating system. However, a growing number of people are opting for renewable heating sources instead such as wood burning stoves.

 After purchase and fitting of your new stove can you really make savings?

 A lot of experts estimate after installation and purchase costs households will start to see savings within 3 years. There has been a big increase in sales of wood burning stoves lately, both for adding character to a home and adding value to your property – some estate agents say a certificated wood stove could add as much 5%to the sale price. 

A stove is a highly efficient source of heat – delivering more than 80% efficiency in many cases. The current generation of stoves are clean and very easy to use and control.

Estimated savings of a wood stove

• 82% cheaper to run than an electric fire
• 46% cheaper per kw than a gas effect fire
• 80% cheaper than oil filled heater

It is very important to note you must always only burn fully dried wood logs and these should have matured for 18-24 months. Imagine if you could source your own logs from a local forest free – how much you could potentially save a year?

Can we help?

If you would like to know more, please do contact us. One of our fully qualified fitters will be happy to assist.

Burn Hardwood in Wood stoves – Hardwood is a must for heat efficiency

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

Seasoning your wood

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. Plus, your hard-earned money will be wasted.

You will 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 and in turn save money.

Heat efficiency

Seasoned wood burns better than green wood, because it produces more heat and less creosote build-up in the fireplace and chimney. Green or unseasoned wood, on the other hand, is hard to light and difficult to keep burning. If your wood smoulders and burns poorly with little heat, it’s probably green wood.

You can tell if wood is seasoned by looking at it. On the outside, seasoned wood probably looks grey and dusty from sitting around for a while. But on the inside, it’s often dry and white, usually lighter than on the outside. Therefore burn hardwood. New wood, on the other hand, looks like it came fresh from the timber mill with the same colour throughout the wood.

Can we assist?

If you would like help selecting and installing a new wood burning stove, please do make contact. We have fully qualified (HETAS) fitters and advisers waiting to take your enquiry.