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Rising fuel bills

Due to rising fuel bills homeowners are seeking alternative cost-effective heating options

Installing a wood burning stove is a real alternative, these days they 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. Facts are a professionally installed wood stove can increase the value of your home.

Installing a wood stove

If you have an existing chimney installing a wood stove is relatively easy. The fitter will usually insert a liner inside the existing chimney from the burner to the exit point. For straight chimneys this can made up of sections of jointed metal pipe, which can be either single or double skinned. A double skin is more airtight and lasts longer than a single skin but of course costs more.

For chimneys that aren’t perfectly straight, a flexible non-flammable liner is used. It is important to note; chimneys should be swept at least once a year and twice if they are in heavy use. Otherwise, creosote (a by-product of inefficient combustion) builds up on the walls of the chimney to become a fire hazard.

Creosote builds up gradually over time as fires burn less efficiently when they are just getting started but can accumulate very rapidly if you burn unseasoned or damp wood.

The real key to the improved efficiency of wood stoves is the way in which they control the air supply. Vents, usually mounted near the door, can be opened or closed to increase or decrease the airflow through the fire. When choosing your new stove do pay special attention to the airflow controls, a fitter will explain which stove would suit your home.

When installing a new burner it is vital to have it fitted by a registered professional (HETAS) for both safety and insurance purposes.

Can we help?

If you are thinking of installing a new burner or require your existing one serviced do make contact and one of our (HETAS registered) fitters will be happy to help.