To enjoy using a log burner safely and responsibly, it is important to do your research. Think first about the size of area that needs to be heated and the style of burner you would like.

It is a particularly good idea to check the size and cost of logs you’ll need and whether you can buy them locally. Please also remember you will require an area to store your logs, preferably outdoors and dry.

Damp logs are simply no good for your burner and need to be air dried for at least 2 years, damp logs will cause soot build up and create extra cleaning.

Why are wood burning stoves so popular?

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.

Can they really save you money? most certainly YES!

At first glance, it would appear that installing a wood-burner is a costly exercise, with owners spending upwards of £500 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.

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.

Expert advice is a must

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.

 

This year has started with a huge increase in sales!

Today’s wood heating appliances are designed for beauty and performance. A wood stove or fireplace insert can be the focal point of any room. Regardless of your taste, there is a stove designed for you and your budget. In fact, it is difficult to find ugly stoves or inserts nowadays. With so many beautiful stoves to choose from and the costs coming down this does make a great heating solution.

Another great advantage of wood 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.

Can we assist?

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.

 

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.

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.

 

Things you need to think about when selecting a wood burner.

When you enter the store you will see lots of lovely looking options, now is the time to be prepared. Do your research and list down your requirements, then seek the advice of a fully qualified HETAS fitter who will point you in the right direction.

Wood only or multi-fuel – Get expert advice it pays!

A dedicated wood burner can be the most efficient so It’s worth considering if you’re never going to want to burn other fuels. Read more

If you have a log burning stove installed in your home you will no doubt feel the full benefit this form of heating has to offer.

Wood burning stoves are becoming more popular, sales have increased 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.

Wood burners are a great way of bringing the comfort of a real fire into your home, even if you don’t have a vast amount of space. If you live in an urban area that is smoke controlled, you’ll need to check the stove you are buying is approved by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) or go for one that has the option of burning smokeless fuels as an alternative.

Use matured logs only for efficiency and the enviroment

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 (HETAS registered) fitters will be happy to assist.