Blog by Kent Stoves | Faversham Kent

Log Burner Options

11th September 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

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.

Hardwood Efficiency

5th September 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

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

28th August 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

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

28th August 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

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.

Choose The Best Stove

14th August 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Choose the best stove. The wood burning stove revolution speeds up as winter approaches.

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

The figures go to prove without doubt that the British public are taking very seriously the increased costs of heating their homes.

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

Seek qualified advice (HETAS registered)

Before selecting a wood burning stove for your home get expert advice as to the correct model to suit your circumstances. Choosing the wrong stove will cost extra money and can be inefficient which let’s face it is just the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.

Managing the air is crucial for efficiency.

As far as your stove is concerned, air comes in two types. Primary air feeds the bed of the fire, and secondary air feeds the flames above it. Nearly all the energy from wood comes from burning gases released when it is heated – which means that secondary air is much more important than primary.

Make sure you fully understand how to control the air to your new or existing stove.

Can we help? Let our years of expertise help you choose the best stove.

If you would like some assistance, please do contact us and one of our qualified fitters (HETAS registered) who will be happy to help.

Going for the natural look with a wood burning stove

7th August 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Going for the natural look?

For all those who have left the grid behind and are making a go of it on their own, wood stoves are one of the best options available anywhere on the home heating scene.

It’s also a fact that a home with a professionally fitted stove can be worth up to 5% more than one without.

Sales of wooding burning stoves are going to reach record levels this fiscal year and the future looks very bright and very warm indeed.

Log burners make great focal points for interiors and come in all shapes and sizes, they are cleaner and more efficient than open fireplaces, and can even save you money on your heating bills.

If you’re dreaming of installing one, you’re in good company – 200,000 are installed each year in the UK.

To enjoy using a log burner safely and responsibly, it’s important to do your research. Think first about the size of area that needs to be heated, as a rule of thumb, 1kW of heat output for every 14 cubic metres of space is needed to make your room 21C when it’s 1C outside.

Expert advice

For your protection and safety, you should always have a fully qualified HETAS registered professional install your wood/pellet burning appliance. At Kent Stoves, we will evaluate everything for you to ensure your safety and maximise efficiency.

Can we assist?

If you are looking at going for the natural look install a new wood burning stove, please do make contact and one of our qualified fitters (HETAS registered) will be happy to guide you.

Woodburners Save Money

24th July 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Woodburners save money. Wood burner costs and savings

How much a stove could cut your energy bill depends on various factors, including how you use your stove and how often you use it, also how well your home is insulated. Also, think about how much a stove might cost to install – it could be anything between £850 and £4,000.

A lot of factors can affect the installation price.

If you need a new chimney built or an existing one relined this will cost extra. Once you have installed your stove the savings will start, make sure your supply of wood is of a good quality and at least 2 years matured.

Always use a registered installer

To ensure you get the maximum benefit from your new wood stove it is vitally important to have it fitted correctly.

The installation of a wood burner must comply with building regulations and the easiest way to do this is to use a qualified fitter.

HETAS-registered installers deal with wood, solid-fuel and biomass domestic heating appliances and can self-certify that their work complies with building regulations, so it’s safe and legal.

Stove benefits

Increased property

Smaller heating bills

Power cut – no problem

Environmentally friendly

Help with fitting and servicing?

If you would like assistance choosing a new stove or to discuss how woodburners save money for your home, please do make contact and one of our HETAS qualified fitters will be happy to help.

Do you have an open fireplace?

6th July 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

If you have then fitting a new woodstove into the fireplace is going to improve your heating and what’s more reduce your bills!!!

But please remember firstly and most important ….

Burning wood with a moisture level of below 20% will give twice the heat output of freshly felled timber and will also help to reduce a build-up of tar in your chimney and the environment. To achieve this correct moisture level, the wood should be seasoned or matured for approximately two years. Storage should ideally be outside and be stacked to let the air flow around the timber, this will then dry naturally.

The green benefits of burning wood are gaining wider and wider support. Burning wood cleanly only releases the same amount of CO2 into the atmosphere as from a tree when it is left to rot naturally as it would do at the end of its lifecycle.

What is more, harvested trees are replaced with new trees, which in turn absorb CO2 in the process of photosynthesis as they grow.

Wood burning stoves 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.

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.

Can we help?

If you are considering installing a wood burning stove it is particularly important to select the correct one for your home. We have fully qualified fitters (HETAS registered) who will be able to advise you on the best stove to meet your needs so please do make contact.

Woodburning Stove Choice

25th June 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

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.

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, sending warmth in all directions.

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.

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.

Service your Stove

18th June 2023/in Uncategorised /by Kent Stoves

Now is a good time to service your wood stove.

Summer is here and we all forget about our lovely cozy stoves which keep us warm in the winter.

Now is the right time to do all the maintenance jobs to keep them functioning properly.

To keep your stove in good working order, the Industry recommends that you have your chimney swept at the beginning and the end of the winter to avoid a build-up of tar and 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 and fires.

One sweep should only cost £65-100.

Use matured logs only, saves money and keeps your chimney cleaner.

Wet or unseasoned logs will leave more sooty deposits and could increase the number of sweeps you need, so it’s best to use seasoned or kiln-dried wood to cut down on maintenance (minimum 2 years old).

If you have a pellet stove, you will also need to have a yearly service, as the stove has electrical working parts. This can cost around £150-£250. It’s also a good idea to clean out the ash from the ash pan and to clean the glass regularly. Keep in mind though that leaving a layer of ash can help to start a wood fire and keep it burning longer and cheaper.

It’s best to check the manufacturer’s guide for specific instructions on how often to clean your stove. If your stove has a cool air vent that helps to stop tar building up on the glass, you may not need to clean the ash or glass as often. Some stoves also have special clean-burn or clean-heat technologies, which pull in extra air to help burn off more smoke, reducing sooty deposits.

Can we help?

For all your wood burning appliance needs please get in contact and one of our registered fitters will be happy to assist.