lower heating bills with gilcar stove

Lower Heating Bills

Lower Heating Bills. Wood burning stoves continue gaining ground in the race for cheaper heating.

Wood burning stove installations are increasing annually and over the last 2 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.

Don’t sit on the fence get advice NOW!!

Expert advice

For your protection and safety, you should always have a fully qualified professional install your wood/pellet burning appliance.

At Kent Stoves (HETAS registered) we will evaluate everything for you to ensure your safety and maximise efficiency. 

Can we help?

If you require assistance, please do make contact and one of our fully qualified fitters will be happy to help.

 

arctic stove wood burner

Stoves Save Money

Stoves Save Money. After purchase and fitting 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 8%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

  • 77% cheaper to run than an electric fire.
  • 41% cheaper per kw than a gas effect fire
  • 76% 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 – just how much you could potentially save a year?

Wood burning stoves, important information.

We all know the British weather can be very damp and cold, this is when you need a wood burner the most.

A professionally fitted wood stove will also reduce your home’s carbon footprint by at least 21% as burning wood is environmentally neutral and renewable energy. Just make sure you only burn the correct wood as recommended by your supplier.

Can we help?

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

safe and efficient stoves hereford model

Safe & Efficient Stoves

Safe & Efficient Stoves, and eye catching into the bargain.

A professionally fitted wood burning stove can save you hundreds on annual fuel bills.

Before having one installed be sure your new stove is suitable for your home, this is vital.

There are a large range of wood burning stoves to choose from, ranging in price from £500 to more than £5,000. 

Years ago, you had to live in the countryside to enjoy a wood burner, but technological improvements mean they can also provide a great heating solution in many town and city homes.

Homes with a certified fitted wood stove can be worth a lot more money when selling. Also bear in mind some insurance companies will not accept the risk unless the stove has been professionally fitted.

Cut energy bills.

As the cost of electricity, oil and gas remains sky high, heating a property can be extremely expensive.

Although the initial cost of a wood burner may be more than a gas fire, it will certainly save you money in the long run. As such, when used efficiently, a kilowatt of heat per hour costs about one fifth of kWh of electricity. Additionally about one third of kWh of oil and gas.

One of the main reasons many people choose to install a stove is because they have a unique heat. This warmth feels cosy and more pleasant than other types of fuel. Did you know that wood burners emit heat for a long time after it has actually gone out? Something that gas fires do not do. There is nothing like sitting in front of a wood burner.

A HETAS registered fitter is fully trained in fitting and able to give advice as to the most suitable wood burning stove for the area to be heated.   

Help required?

If you would like assistance selecting your new stove or require help with your existing one, please do make contact. One of our qualified (HETAS registered) fitters will be happy to assist.

arctic stove wood burner

Brand New Stoves

Brand New Stoves by Kent Stoves.

HETAS registered installers

When it comes to installing a brand-new stove, it is often best to request the help of a professional. A stove is an investment you don’t want to get wrong – an incorrectly installed stove could not only perform badly but could also be dangerous.

Contacting a HETAS installer is the best way to get your stove fitted properly. Since any changes to your chimney is considered building work, there are a number of building regulations that you will need to adhere to.

The benefit of having a HETAS installer fit your stove is that they already know every wood burning stove regulation, saving you the headache of reading up on them yourself!

Chimneys

Your chimney should always be checked for cracks or damage before a new stove is installed. If cracks are present and your chimney is at risk of leaking smoke, you will be required to fit a flue liner. It is strongly recommended that chimneys built before 1964 are lined as they were made from brick alone.

You might also be required to have a flue liner if your chimney is too big. Most stoves require a flue of 5-6 inches, so if your chimney is bigger than this, a flue may be necessary.

Help required?

If you would like assistance selecting your new stove or require help with your existing one, please do make contact and one of our qualified (HETAS registered) fitters will be happy to assist.

log burner wood burner

Wood burners are in Demand

Wood burners are in demand!!

Wood-burners have become a sought-after design statement during the past decade.

They can provide a sense of charm and ambience to a property. Modern wood-burning stoves give your home that warm heart as you sit around with friends and family on winter evenings.

A professionally installed burner can increase the value of your home. Estate agents will tell you that a home with a log burner is very sought after.

Ever more popular this year.

In total, over 300,000 wood-burners have been installed this year, according to the Stove Industry Alliance. This is up from 247,000 in 2022.

Fuel costs, as we all know, are increasing rapidly with electricity and gas prices leading the way. Installing a wood burner will help keep these rises in check.

HETAS approval

Poorly installed stoves do pose very real risks from carbon monoxide poisoning to house fires and smoke inhalation. All of which can have devastating and fatal consequences.

It is recommended to use a HETAS qualified fitter to install any wood burning appliance for safety and insurance purposes.

Long term maintenance

A stove is not a “fit and forget” product. As such the burner itself may need very little maintenance but without regular cleaning soot builds up in the flue. This can cause chimney fires. It is highly recommended to have your burner cleaned and serviced at least once a year for safety and peace of mind.

Help?

If you require some assistance with your current or new stove, please do make contact and one of our fully trained fitters will be pleased to guide you.

 

kent stoves winchester ecodesign woodburner

Lower Heating Bills

Lower Heating Bills. Elegant heating solutions.

Today’s wood heating appliances are designed for beauty, performance and protecting the environment. A wood stove or fireplace insert can be the focal point of any room.

Regardless of your taste, there’s a stove designed for you and your budget. In fact, it’s difficult to find ugly stoves or inserts nowadays whether they be ultra-modern or traditional.

With so many beautiful stoves to choose from and the costs coming down this does make a great heating solution and saves money along the way.

Another great advantage of wood stove heating is having heat when there is no power.

There’s not much more satisfying than being warm and happy around your wood stove when all the lights in the neighbourhood are out. You’ll have that pioneer feeling, as you should. You thought ahead!

The biggest advantage homeowners have with a wood burning stove is the quality of heat the burner will give off. Wood stoves operate on the principal of radiant heat, which warms an area faster and more efficiently than warm air being blown through a home’s vent system.

The powerful heat from a wood stove radiates from all sides of the unit as well as the top, sending warmth in all directions.

Fitted in a central position in your home you will be amazed how the rest of your house suddenly gets a whole lot warmer and how much you can turn your thermostat down!!!

Like to have a chat about your options?

If you would like to know more about heating with a wood burner, please make contact and one of our fully qualified fitters will be happy to help.

 

saltfire stoves

Log Burner Options

Log Burner Options.

Are you considering a new wood stove?

As well as the making sure your new stove will physically fit into its new home. It is important to consider that the stove’s output is sufficient for the room. You should also ensure that it is not too large for the room, as this can cause just as many problems as a stove that is too small.

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. You will quickly have a build-up of soot not just on the glass. As well as up the chimney and flue.

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

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

Stoves these days come in all shapes and sizes so there is bound to be one that fits your requirements.

Crucial to performance – Wood selection

Most importantly the wood you burn must not have been treated or painted as this will affect the air wash system. Only ever burn mature wood which has been properly dried over 18-24 months, this will give you the highest heat output efficiency.

Can we help?

If you are thinking of adding a wood burning stove to your home do consider Kent Stoves. Please do make contact and one of our fully qualified (HETAS Registered) fitters will be happy to assist.

westfire uno wood burner

Hardwood Efficiency

Hardwood Efficiency.

Burn hardwood 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 extremely bad for the environment.

The secret to a good fire is wood that has been seasoned for more than a year. In the case of oak, you’ll want to season the wood at least two years, sometimes longer. Much of the wood for sale now is actually green and needs another year to season.

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. That’s because unseasoned wood has a lot of liquid inside. Fact, one fresh-cut cord of oak is said to have enough water to fill as much as six 55-gallon drums.

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. 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.

 

kent stoves winchester ecodesign woodburner

Reduce Energy Costs

Reduce Energy Costs

A very wise move to install a wood stove!!

The appeal of a natural fire is far more than just aesthetic. It can also prove a shrewd investment.

Experts will tell you…..

A fireplace and professionally fitted wood stove can add as much as 5% to the value of your home, thanks to its wow factor.

It can also save you a great deal of money. While energy firms have been hiking up the price of gas and electricity by 50% or more this year, the cost of a wood stove has remained constant.

Even though the cost of wood has risen slightly in the last 12 months, if you can get your logs for free just imagine the saving you can make!!!!

Research shows that an average family are spending over £300 per month just heating a 3-bedroomed house.

A wood burning stove could be the answer to reducing these outgoings, stove sales are at the highest we have ever seen for this time of year as homeowners prepare for the future.

A wood burning stove is a highly efficient source of heat delivering over 80% economy in many cases.

The new generation of stoves are clean and extremely easy to use making them a must for the majority of homes. A wood burner can be up to 75% cheaper to run than an electric heater and 35% cheaper than a gas effect fire.

Can we help?

If you are thinking of installing a new wood burner please do make contact and one of our qualified fitters (HETAS registered) will be happy to assist.

 

beltane ecodesign stove by kent stoves installed

Wood Burning Stove

Wood Burning Stoves

Quality heating and far more comfortable

The biggest advantage homeowners have with a wood burning stove is the quality of heat the burner will give off. Wood stoves operate on the principal of radiant heat, which warms an area faster and more efficiently than warm air being blown through a home’s vent system. The powerful heat from a wood stove radiates from all sides of the unit as well as the top. This sends warmth in all directions. Fitted in a central position in your home you will be amazed how the rest of your house suddenly gets a whole lot warmer.

HETAS registered installers

When it comes to installing a brand-new stove, it is often best to request the help of a professional. A stove is an investment you don’t want to get wrong. An incorrectly installed stove could not only perform badly but could also be dangerous.

Contacting a HETAS installer is the best way to get your stove fitted properly. Since any changes to your chimney is considered building work, there are a number of building regulations that you will need to adhere to.

The benefit of having a HETAS installer fit your stove is that they already know every wood burning stove regulation. As such saving you the headache of reading up on them yourself!

Chimneys

Your chimney should always be checked for cracks or damage before a new stove is installed. If cracks are present and your chimney is at risk of leaking smoke. You will be required to fit a flue liner. It is strongly recommended that chimneys built before 1964 are lined as they were made from brick alone.

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.