coozer
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 01:52 PM |
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OT: Wood Burning Stove?
Anyone got a wood burner in the living room?
Wondering what the ins and outs are for getting one in place of the gas fire?
Do they knock out good heat, are they easy to use/keep clean etc?
[Edited on 12/2/10 by coozer]
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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eznfrank
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:01 PM |
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I've got a multifuel Stovax Stockton 8 in my living room, nice big stove which belts out boat loads of heat.
You'll need to have your chimney tested and in some cases lined which can be expensive. You also need to check if you're in a smoke
control area as this may effect your decision - it doesn't mean you can't have one but you do have to be selective about what fuel you
use.
They're much easier to use than most people think although they do take a little getting used to to get the control right. I clean mine out
whenever the ash gets full and the door windows need cleaning quite often - IMO these clean airwash systems are nonsense and don't seem to
work.
Once installed if you've got a free/cheap wood source they run pretty much for nothing. Just be wary of burning some offcuts. I burnt some
tanalised decking and it was all sorts of crazy colours and stank!!
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franky
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:03 PM |
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I've got a multi-fuel one so can burn wood/coal etc.
You need a chunk of wood to get good heat but coal gets very hot, also its not instant heat, you have to plan 90 minutes in advance.
They do look nice though.
I wouldn't go back to gas when all said and done. Once the stove gets hot its like having 20ft radiator
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m8kwr
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:04 PM |
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Yes i have one, an aga one. 4.7kw off the top of my head.
Over 5kw you need an extra venting system in the room.
I had the chimney knocked out for the stove.
I did not have a liner put in, one was not needed (or so i was told), and this did save a lot of money.
The heat output is good, but to the honest the nicest part of it is to have the door open and hear the fire crack away, and see the flames.
I had a reclaimed oak beam, as the mantel, which looks very nice, can give you there details if this is the route you wanted to go, i think it cost me
about £110 ish.
keeping clean is quite easy, the glass, i just wet some newspaper, put some soot on it, and then clean the blackness off, comes up a treat. then i
hoover the bottom to get the soot which did not go into the tray.
I built a wood store in the back garden, so another project, the ones you can buy seem expensive for what they are, and making it, you make it to fit
where you want it to.
Sourcing wood is the hardest bit for me, try and buy it in bulk, and make sure the wood store will then hold it all!!!!
Never regretted having it installed.
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locoboy
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:04 PM |
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Do a search as it was discussed a few weeks ago.
I have a crap one but i know that a good one wil be cheaper to run than gas ( assuming you get good wood supply).
I have plans to change mine for a better one in the future.
Be carefull with the kw output of the stove as IIRC anything over 5kw will need aditional ventilation in order to burn properly.
ATB
Locoboy
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miikae
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:40 PM |
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I have a Multi fuel one that does the central heating located in my sitting room, the only down side is the dust that seems to get every where as i
dont like house work but the up side is this house is never cold.
No gas supply around here as we are very fortunate to have electric and water.
Mike
[Edited on 12-2-2010 by miikae]
If it can be done it i will be done .
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02GF74
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:53 PM |
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I have a cylindircal top loading one.
And a wood nearby where I can go to collect wood.
I mention top loading as when in process of getting it going or topping up, it needs the lid lifted and that is when fumes and smoke are emitted. I
open the door for ventialation and all is good.
since the wood is damp, it tends to give of smoke/steam so top loading has its draw backs.
my living area is 3 rooms - kitchen, living coom plus extension with double doors - but only one radiator - the stove, once gets going is enough to
keep that a nice temperature.
I am thinking of some means to extract more heat as I am sure I lose a significant percentage up the flue, e.g. geting longer horizontal flue to put
stove further away from the fireplace.
Oh, and then every second day, the ash needs to be emptied, another source of mess.
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Peteff
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:56 PM |
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We have a little Hunter stove in the front room which burns wood or coal. It is rated at 4kw and is nice to sit in front of with a pint
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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graememk
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 02:56 PM |
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i have one and as soon as summer get here i'm taking it out, to much muck and dust.
lots of heat though
[Edited on 12/2/10 by graememk]
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Davey D
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 05:00 PM |
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Ive got a Firefox 5 stove.Its a 5kW output multi fuel stove.
There has never been a gas supply to the stove, so installation was easy j.
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nick205
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 08:19 PM |
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 christ...it's a wonder we've got any trees left standing.
It's something I'll be looking into a multi-fuel stove next time we move house though. I like the idea of being that bit more
self-reliant and less tied to energy prices.
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plantman
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 08:37 PM |
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we have a wood burning stove we use virtually no oil at all. We put an extractor fan in the fire room which pumps hot air to the bedroonms
upstairs.
if we light it mid afternoon the bedrooms get over 20deg late evening.
Saey something woodburner
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mad4x4
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 08:39 PM |
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we have a pallet maker here and we can get offcuts, at £12 a TON.
Last time I was in I filled the back of my Ranger Pick up and it cost us a fiver
Scot's do it better in Kilts.
MK INDY's Don't Self Centre Regardless of MK Setting !
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 12/2/10 at 09:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
It's something I'll be looking into a multi-fuel stove next time we move house though. I like the idea of being that bit more
self-reliant and less tied to energy prices.
In my house, if we lose either gas or electricity then we lose all heating - we don't even have a chimney. 
We looked into getting a chimney built - roughly £5K plus architects fees, planning permission, and so on. Still thinking about getting it done
though.
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Badger_McLetcher
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| posted on 13/2/10 at 01:46 AM |
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AS with others got a multifule one, it's brilliant knocks out so much heat if you're not careful the room becomes like a sauna.
Going a bit ot my granddad told me a funny story the other day. He used to run a garage with a mate, and they had this coke burning stove that
exhausted into a very tall chimney (since the garage was on a lower level than the surrounding houses). Any way they came back one evening and it had
almost gone out, so his friend put some old engine oil in it... big mistake! A cloud of smoke started coming out of the dampers when all of a sudden
it took with a WHOOMPH and the smoke disapeared, sucked back in and the damper and door slammed shut. All they could hear was a roaring so they went
outside and flames were coming out of the top of the chimney! Luckilly it died out quite quickly before the neighbours noticed!
If disfunction is a function, then I must be some kind of genius.
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coozer
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| posted on 13/2/10 at 10:49 AM |
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Thanks chaps, we do indeed live in a smokeless area and there now lives a gas fire where once was a roaring coal fire. Indeed when i was a child it
was the only source of heat in this house.
So, I already have the chimney, its unlined atm and has a good draw.
I'm hoping its just a matter of some building work at the base.
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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rgdavid
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| posted on 13/2/10 at 02:23 PM |
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this year i'm trying out a stove that is designed to run on wood chippings (like what comes out of branch shredders)
the stove has 2 boxes, one wher the chippings fall into a grid & burn & the second where the flame "expands"
which is where the heat radiates,
it's got a hopper on top which is filled up with the chippings & fall down by gravity into the "grid box" , the hopper lasts
about 3 hours,
ive made the first part of the flu coming out with 3 tubes tu recuperate the heat, & the rest is in stainless tube,
works really really well heat wise& because it has a very effecient burn it almost doesnt make any smoke, tthe flue is very clean inside aswell,
not of that black crap,
another good thing (for me anyway) is no going into the forest,chopping down trees, taking the branches off ,tidying the crap ive made in the forest,
transporting & stocking all the wood,
so price for price (my time, the chainsaw fuels & maintenance etc) works out about the same
no more chainsaw, no more aching back,
just take me trailer and fill her up,
only problem is it doesnt stay on all night like my lasts stoves (home made)
word of warning, you need an "air source" near your stove (usaually an air vent from outside near the stove) because the fire takes a lot
of oxygen from the room, thats why you get that comftably drowsy feeling with an open fire or stove,
what i like about wood stoves is it's "dry" heat compared with gas ou parafin,
keep warm
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jacko
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| posted on 13/2/10 at 09:15 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rgdavid
this year i'm trying out a stove that is designed to run on wood chippings (like what comes out of branch shredders)
the stove has 2 boxes, one wher the chippings fall into a grid & burn & the second where the flame "expands"
which is where the heat radiates,
it's got a hopper on top which is filled up with the chippings & fall down by gravity into the "grid box" , the hopper lasts
about 3 hours,
ive made the first part of the flu coming out with 3 tubes tu recuperate the heat, & the rest is in stainless tube,
works really really well heat wise& because it has a very effecient burn it almost doesnt make any smoke, tthe flue is very clean inside aswell,
not of that black crap,
another good thing (for me anyway) is no going into the forest,chopping down trees, taking the branches off ,tidying the crap ive made in the forest,
transporting & stocking all the wood,
so price for price (my time, the chainsaw fuels & maintenance etc) works out about the same
no more chainsaw, no more aching back,
just take me trailer and fill her up,
only problem is it doesnt stay on all night like my lasts stoves (home made)
word of warning, you need an "air source" near your stove (usaually an air vent from outside near the stove) because the fire takes a lot
of oxygen from the room, thats why you get that comftably drowsy feeling with an open fire or stove,
what i like about wood stoves is it's "dry" heat compared with gas ou parafin,
keep warm
Can we see some photos please i like the sound of your fire
Jacko
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coozer
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| posted on 14/2/10 at 12:13 AM |
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Ok chaps, what size uoput are you all using?
I have a biggish 4x5m living room with open stairs and open plan dining room and kitchen. Total length from front window to kitchen window is 10m.
Wor lass always complains "its a cold house this" and I agree, we have to have the gas CH well up in this weather and I must say during
the day I'd rather have the coal fire back....
Theres a bloke up the street who I hate has one and I growl when I walk past in this weather and he has the windows open!
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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