best stove for me dik geurts

Best Stove For Me ?

Best Stove For Me? Efficiency and exceptionally good looking!

A modern wood burner is more efficient than many central heating systems and far more appealing to look at than a traditional white radiator.

The appeal is not just about installing a fashion statement. 

According to reports, regular use of a wood burner can knock a third off fuel bills, providing savings of at least £950 a year.

There is a huge range of stoves to choose from, ranging in price from £500 to more than £2,000. 

A key consideration is how much heat it will pump out. 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.

Advantages of a wood burning stove

  • The net fuel cost is cheaper than heating oil, natural gas, and electricity.
  • Wood sourced locally can be free!
  • Fuel in the form of logs, wood chips, brush clippings is a renewable source, and sustainable.

If you combine these advantages along with the elegance a wood burner brings to your home its worth considering without doubt.

Help needed?

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

stoves in smoke free zones log burner

Stoves in Smoke Free Zones

Stoves in Smoke Free Zones. Wood stoves, what does the future hold?

An increased awareness of environmental issues, together with rocketing fuel prices, has led to a dramatic uptake in demand for wood burning domestic heating systems.

More than one and a quarter million UK homes are already using wood burning stoves. Additionally this could be set to rise dramatically over the next few years.

The installation of wood burning, and multi-fuel stoves is “monitored” under Building Regulations.  As well as the relining or installation of flues and chimneys associated with such heat producing appliances.

Should you live in an urban area that is smoke-controlled, you’ll need to check the stove you are buying is approved. Approval 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.

It is highly recommended that stove installation work is carried out by a HETAS registered installer. The reality is that many stoves get put in unprofessionally.

Incorrectly installed stoves can be dangerous both to health and a can be fire hazards.

Expert advice

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

Help?

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

stove installation service dik geurts

Stove Installation Service

Stove Installation Service for Log Burners.

The cold days are hopefully coming to a close.

This is an ideal time to start planning for the next season, wood stoves and chimneys need maintenance to keep them safe and efficient.

Many owners unfortunately leave this task until the new season is about to begin, they often find it difficult to get an engineer due to work loads. If you can plan well in advance!!

Environmental benefits of servicing your stove

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.

Always use professionals (HETAS registered)

In addition to keeping your stove clean inside and outside, be sure to have it inspected by a licensed professional (HETAS) at least once a year to make sure that everything is working perfectly.

It is vital to have your chimney cleaned and checked by a chimney sweep at least once a year or more often if you use your wood burning stove on a regular basis.

Poorly maintained or blocked chimneys pose a serious safety risk because they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and chimney fires.

Benefits of using a registered fitter (HETAS)

  • Easier to insure your property.
  • Peace of mind.
  • Total burner efficiency.
  • Long term support.
  • Qualified advice.

Help needed?

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

Fueling The Revolution

Fueling The Revolution, The Wood Stove Revolution Continues….

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

 As we all know the cost of traditional methods of heating our homes has increased over the last two or three years and it shows no signs of stopping!!

Installing a wood stove really warrants consideration, many people who have already installed a stove including myself are reaping the rewards. As such, fueling the revolution. A correctly installed stove will save you money in the long term and enhance the value of your property.

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.

Do not burn damp wood!

 This is the most fundamental thing to get right when you’re burning wood. It might be surprising, but green wood is over 50% water. Therefore that means that for every kg of green wood you add to the fire, you are effectively adding around 500ml (a pint) of water.

Make sure that your fuel has been dried properly.

Hardwood is a must for efficiency and the environment.

 Seasoning your wood

Hardwoods are denser woods that burn hotter and longer than softwoods, but you will 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.)

Can we help?

 If you would like assistance in planning, please do contact us.  One of our qualified (HETAS) registered fitters will be happy to help.

Benefits of a Woodburning Stove

Benefits Of A woodburning stove, what is it and could it benefit me?

A wood burning stove is a home appliance that is used to heat the home. It is made of a metal such as cast iron or steel and generates heat by burning wood fuel in an enclosed fire chamber. They can be placed in most rooms of a house and need to allow fumes and gases to be drawn away from the room and out through flue. Wood burners have been around for many years but have risen in popularity in recent times due to their efficiency and low running costs.

Estimated savings  and benefits of a woodburning stove.

  • 74% cheaper to run than an electric fire.
  • 31% cheaper per kw than a gas effect fire.
  • 44% cheaper than oil filled heater.

Heat output.

One of the most desirable features and benefits of a wood burner is the heat output it produces. As such a wood burning stove provides a powerful heat source for your home. This means that the room or rooms get warm very quickly and effectively.

Ever more popular year on year.

In total, over 250,000 woodstoves were installed in 2023 according to the Stove Industry Alliance. This is up from 218,000 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.

Can we help?

For your protection and safety, you should always have a fully qualified HETAS registered professional. They should install your wood/pellet burning appliance. At Kent Stoves, we will evaluate everything for you to ensure your safety and maximise efficiency. Contact Us to find out more and to arrange a free site survey.

HETAS Registered Installers

Hetas Registered Installers.

Thinking of joining the crowd soon? If you are thinking of installing a wood burner in your home like so many others, here are a few things you should know.

If you have a new stove installed it’s likely to increase the value of your property. This is due to the current demand but remember it must be fitted by a registered installer.

Efficiency

As great as open fires are they are not energy efficient and only give approximately 20% output. As such Wood burning stoves are much more efficient. At around 70-90%, so you get all the benefits of a real fire without most of your money going up the chimney!

Use a registered installer (HETAS) registered.

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. In addition they can self-certify that their work complies with building regulations, so it’s safe and legal.

Chimney

The chimney may need to be lined before the wood burner can be installed.

Homes dating from the mid-1960s onwards should have had a concrete or clay chimney liner fitted when they were built. However ask a qualified installer to check out the chimney, whatever the age of your home. This is a service that we offer at Kent Stoves.

There are lots of benefits to having a chimney lined, including better energy efficiency.

Can we help?

If you would like advice concerning your new or existing wood stove, please make contact and one of our fully qualified fitters (HETAS) registered will be happy to assist.

 

mendip christon stove specialists wood burner installation

Log Burner Advice

Log Burner Advice.

Get prepared before you select your stove.

When you for stoves you will see lots of lovely looking options, now is the time to be prepared. Contact Kent Stoves for Log Burner Advice wherever you are in Kent.

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.

This issue is one you will need to spend time on, ask yourself if you will ever want to burn other fuels, such as pellets? Get the opinion of the fitter as they will be able to inform you of the pros and cons, thus ensuring you make the correct choice.

Other considerations.

Before anything happens check you have a good supplier of well-seasoned wood, this should be 18-24 months old and dried correctly. Make sure the supplier is ongoing.

Next thing to look at is where you can store the wood at home when your supplier delivers, normally outside and partially covered.

Perfect wood for your stove.

To make sure you get the most out of your wood-burning stove, and do not create additional pollution to the atmosphere, it is important to use the right kind of wood. First and foremost, you need to burn wood that is as dry as possible – it should only contain less than 20% moisture. To help you work out how dry your wood is, you can also buy a moisture meter – these cost around £20.

Help required?

 If you would like help choosing or fitting a new wood burner, please do make contact and one of our fully qualified HETAS registered engineers will be happy to help.

Log Burning Stoves

Log Burning Stoves.

A very elegant heating solution for your home.

Today’s wood heating appliances are designed for beauty and economic performance. Log burning stoves 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 in the long term.

One of 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 for example.

Environmentally friendly as well!

If you compare using fossil fuels for heat, natural gas, propane, coal, etc. wood is eco-friendlier. It’s considered “carbon-neutral,” which means when it burns, it doesn’t add additional carbon dioxide to the environment.

This is because in its natural state as a tree, wood absorbs carbon dioxide that’s in the atmosphere. During combustion, a balance is maintained.

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 (HETAS) registered will be happy to help.

better for the enviroment log burner

Better For The Enviroment

Better For the Enviroment.

Stoves are much more eco-friendly now and present very little damage to the environment compared to many other heat sources.

We’re not going to bury our heads in the sand and claim that wood burning stoves are 100% eco-friendly. However, the technology and materials used to make stoves has come a long way. As such they’re nowhere near as polluting as they once were. Especially even less so than an open fire.

While most modern stoves are greener than their ageing counterparts, Ecodesign Ready stoves are even better for the environment.

By 2022, all wood burning stoves had to comply with the Ecodesign European directive in a bid to tackle air pollution and particulate emissions. Many stove manufacturers are beating the directive to the punch and producing Ecodesign Ready stoves that actually exceed the directive by as much as 75%!

High efficiency levels

Not only are wood stoves becoming more eco-friendly, but they’re also becoming more efficient. This means that more heat is used to heat your home rather than being expelled up the chimney.

Many new stoves have an efficiency of over 80%, which means that you’re not losing much heat at all – only 20% is being lost through the chimney and the rest goes into making your home nice and toasty.

An open fire loses as much as 75-80% of the heat through the chimney, making them incredibly inefficient at heating homes.

Older stoves will also have a lower efficiency rating. So if you want to ensure you’re getting more heat into your home, then a new stove would be a wise move.

Log Burner Stove Help needed?

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

hearld 5 front

Keep Warm For Less Money

Keep Warm For Less Money

Double bonus – keep warmer and save money!

With the colder weather hitting the UK in the next week or so, 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.

Log burners claim to not only be good for the environment but also a way to cut the cost of your energy bills, also as a bonus they could add value to your property.

So far in 2023/24 the stove industry is reporting record sales and installations of the traditional log burner. Sales this year are up a massive 26% on the same period last year and HETAS registered fitters around the country are very busy trying to keep pace with the upsurge.

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.

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 using a wood stove

  • 77% cheaper to run than an electric fire.
  • 29% cheaper per kw than a gas effect fire.
  • 51% 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.

Can we help?

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