Blog by Kent Stoves | Faversham Kent

Super clean and very efficient

20th August 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Don’t let this hot spell fool you, winter will return, and heating bills are going to rise this winter if all the experts are right.

Have you considered a wood burning stove which can be used as an excellent alternative to the main central heating system in your home? Instead of turning up the thermostat try lighting the burner and you will be able to reduce the thermostat in a cold spell. If your home is well insulated and draught free you could even leave doors open and the log burner will heat assist all-round the house. You will immediately see a reduction in your heating bills, that is certain.

So, as you can see there are many benefits of installing a log burner not to mention the fact that a professionally fitted one could increase the value of your property. Property experts say this increase could be as much as 5.5% on the original value! Read more

The summer months are good for seasoning logs

13th August 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Acting now for a warmer winter

Wood stove owners have a tendency to underestimate just how much moisture firewood contains. Nothing will cause your stove to function less efficiently than to fill it with green wood, so to avoid the problem you should begin the seasoning process in the early spring if you want your wood to be ready by the next winter. To make life a lot easier you can buy a moisture content meter to measure your woods consistency, ask locally or search the www.

If you plan to use any wood that is larger than normal, you will need to set it out to dry even earlier. Essentially, you should be harvesting your wood about 18 months in advance of when you actually plan to burn it, if you want to guarantee that it will be properly seasoned.

Summer time is a great time to season wood, just make sure the air can flow round the stacked timber for efficient drying. Read more

Your wood stove, planning ahead

7th August 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Stove maintenance and safety If you choose the correct stove for your home should be fairly straight forward. But there are a few steps you should take to keep it efficient and safe.

To keep your stove in good working order, the Stove Industry recommends that you have your chimney swept at the beginning and the end of the winter to avoid a build-up of soot, which could damage the chimney and stove when not in use.

From a safety point of view, blocked chimneys can also cause deadly carbon monoxide. Read more

The summer months are busier than ever before

30th July 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Sales of wood burning stoves are increasing year on year, but this year has seen exceptional growth compared to the same period last year. The strange thing is that the summer is normally quieter than the winter months, but this year is completely different as sales and maintenance enquiries keep rising.

When you look at the facts these figures are not that surprising especially as traditional heating costs seem to be increasing daily. The increases we are told are down to the looming Brexit talks and the weaker pound so if this is the case will they ever reduce?

Homeowners have responded to these increases by looking for alternative forms of heating and a log burning stove is very high on the wish list.

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. When used efficiently, a kilowatt of heat per hour costs about one fifth of kWh of electricity and about one third of kWh of oil and gas. Read more

More and more popular

23rd July 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Wood burning stoves are becoming increasingly popular, mostly due to the incredible benefits that having one can have for your family, your home and the environment. Here are some of the most prominent benefits to having your very own wood burning stove.

Power cut – no problem!

A wood burning stove makes a wonderful addition to your home at any time, but during a power cut they really come into their own. Wood burner stoves do not require electricity to work, therefore when the power cuts off, you can rest assured that your wood burner will be there to keep you toasty whilst you’re waiting for the power to come back on. Read more

Can a wood burning stove save money?

16th July 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

At first glance, it would appear that installing a wood-burner is a costly exercise, with owners spending upwards of £540 to get one installed. However, the long-term financial benefits are far more appealing as they can result in reducing the cost of other fuel sources.

Wood burning stoves are getting rave reviews and are now a very serious alternative to any other form of secondary heating. Households up and down the country are looking for cheaper alternatives due to the frantically rising traditional energy supplies. Wood burners come in all shapes and colours these days and will enhance any household.

It is vitally important to have the appliance installed professionally by a HETAS registered fitter and once done will increase the value of your property.

Excellent quality dry wood can be found in most areas and prices differ from supplier to supplier. Obviously if you can source your own then the savings are generous indeed. Read more

Want to make your home warmer this winter?

9th July 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

A wood-burning stove can be installed virtually anywhere in your home, providing there is a way to run a vent pipe to the outside of the house. This means you can zone-heat any room or space. Heating bills continue to rise seemingly on a monthly basis, so this would a good time to have a look at the alternatives.

Wood stoves have various benefits and if you install one the costs will very quickly returned. Obviously the only cost once installed is the wood you will burn, now just imagine if you could get a supply free! You may have a public woodland close by that could provide the fuel for you winter warmth.

Economical heating

Wood is an inexpensive fuel source. It costs less per BTU than oil, gas or electricity. Homeowners who practice strategic zone heating in their homes can save hundreds of ££’s on utility bills each year. Read more

Safety & Efficiency

2nd July 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

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.

One thing is for sure, if you have a stove fitted and you are selling your property the buyer is likely to want to see a certified certificate for the installation of the stove.

Homes with a certified fitted boiler 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.

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. Read more

Choosing a new wood stove?

26th June 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Choosing 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 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. Read more

Many benefits of a wood stove

18th June 2018/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Why would you want to install and use a stove in the first place?

There are plenty of benefits of using a wood stove for your residential heat. The most obvious is the cleanliness of burning wood, which gives off less particulate matter and is a renewable resource, unlike gas-powered alternatives. Another chief benefit is the cost efficiency as wood can cost a great deal less than electricity and gas.

Not to mention a professionally installed stove can add value to your property. Read more