Multi Fuel Stoves.

[snail59]

I'm planning on having a Multi Fuel Stove in the new house when we move in. It already has a chimney as it has an open fire grate. Is it possible to just fit a register plate into the chimney and then connect the stove flue to that and allow the smoke to go up the chimney as an open fire would. Or do I have to fit the Stainless Steel Flexible Flu Liner. Just seems a waste of £200 to put flexi liner inside a chimney. Anyone have the answer please.

 

[Mark1964]

you need a flue liner and at £22 per metre wont be cheap i would go for an open fire as this is what set us back as well as having a marble fireplace which apparently you cant have with a stove or open fire. Oh forgot you need a cowling on the top of the chimney too if using a stove,,, new regulations so we were told by the builder man

 

[unclepumble]

You can do what you like, however if you do your house insurance will be null and Void.

You need to have it Hetas certified, for insurance purposes, std install is around £400-500.

UP

 

[snail59]

Thanks Guys thats answered that then.

 

[Mark1964]

were in council accommodation thats what they said but ive been known to bend the rules :thumb:

 

[Dave1970]

We have a multifuel stove. When it was fitted we were told that lining the chimney or not depended on the age of the house. From memory it was to do with older houses having lime based mortar which the chemicals in the smoke can attack. Ours is 1950's and we didn't need to have a liner....not sure at what age the mortar changes.
We had to have a proper chimney pot fitted but not a cowling...possibly as you say new regs, ours was done 6 years ago. The inside of the fireplace was coated with a kind of sandy render...the fitter said that plaster would crack with the heat.
You also need to watch what you buy, we recently had the chimney swept and the sweep was saying that he's been to a lot of houses lately that have bought cheaper pressed steel Chinese imports that he said were ****, not lasting at all. Ours is a Morso, from somewhere in Scandinavia and it's a great little bit of kit.

 

[snail59]

Found this on the tinterwebnet

Using an existing chimney

With a stove, 80% of the heat goes into the room, with an open fire 80% of the heat goes up the chimney and this means that the smoke from a stove is great deal cooler than from a fireplace. The result of this is that a stove will usually never manage to bring a masonry chimney up to operating temperature. This can mean that the stove will never draw properly, and the cooling smoke will condense, causing excess soot and, more dangerously, tar deposits. Tar deposits are not removed by a sweeps brush and cause chimney fires and you may get black tarry condensate leaking out through the bottom and sometimes even through the mortar joints of the chimney.

For this reason it is good practise to line and insulate a chimney whenever you fit a stove

Which kind of makes sense when it's put like that

 

[Dave1970]

can't agree with "will never draw properly", fully open the bottom air supply on ours and you can hear it drawing. The tarry deposits are a potential problem, we have some stuff called 'Hotspot' that the sweep recommended. You sprinkle a scoop of it onto a good hot fire once a week and it reacts with the tar, loosening it so that sweeping will remove it.

 

[unclepumble]

I also have a morso, & fitted it myself, (with a Liner), I have had the stove 3 years and it is as good as the day I bought it, not like some i have seen, that have had less use than ours. Morso Stoves are the Dogs Danglies.

A liner is easy enough to fit as long as you don't mind heights, some recomend you tip vermiculite around the gap between the outside of the liner and the chimney, so you get the best draw, I didn't bother and dont know whether the vermiculite helps, but I suspect it will.


There is nothing stopping you installing yourself then getting a HETAS registered installer to test the system for you, It does work out a little cheaper, & you can find all the install regs on the HETAS website, they are easy enough to follow.

They give you details of minimum height of Chimney from the roof & minimum Hearth size requirements etc.

I can well recommend a multifuel, I have not turned the central heating on yet this year, no need as one stove heats the whole house.

UP

 

[snail59]

Thanks Shane. Was thinking of fitting the liner when my mate does the faciers as can use his scaffolding while it is up the gable wall. If I can get someone in to test in when fitted then will go that way. You can insulate the liner with custom made insulated wrap that just wraps around the liner before it goes down the chimney (been watching lots of U Tube videos)

 

[Dave1970]

UP have you used yours with coal? I've never tried, we only use it a a woodburner. I'd be interested to know how they run with coal

 

[Mark1964]

would love a multi stove they are great but council dug out the fireplace backing when we had a gas fire so dont know how much it would cost to build it back again the only thing stopping us is the lovely marble fire surround and hearth we got for a wedding present 11 years ago its too nice to just rip out.

 

[unclepumble]

UP have you used yours with coal? I've never tried, we only use it a a woodburner. I'd be interested to know how they run with coal

I wouldn't use coal on it, smokeless briquettes are alright, as Is anthracite, (only really good on narrow stoves though and it does burn the grate out fast).

You get less heat but longer burns between loading, and I think smokeless fuels work out more expensive than wood.

I have burnt peat too,it lasts ages but smokes like feck and doesn't give out tons of heat until its hot, and requires digging out every day due to the large amount of ash, as does smokeless fuels.

Woods good as you only change the ash tray once in a blue moon.

UP

 

[shocker]

On a straight woodburner , especially one without a grate or under-draught I found coal a waste of time and effort . Multifuel - another ballgame .

Flue liners can often be had second hand from architectural salvage or scrap metal yards for a lot cheaper than new . However you really DO need one in a chimney . There are shortcuts and bodges.....but they are just that , probably best avoided .

The vermiculite thing , thats a great idea .I have recently istalled my waterford woodburner in a friends place where I am staying and had tried to fill the gap between liner and outer metal flue with rockwool , well , a test section , to less than perfect results . I dont advise it .

This lot gives an idea of the cost of the parts ,sections ,joiners and twinwall ready insulated etc....

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/searc ... ory/page/1

 

[bluebell]

I dont know if youa re aware that there is a vast difference in efficiency between stoves as well? All will be more efficient than an open fire but the better designed ones will be a lot more efficient and a lot easier to use normally. I have a dual fuel and wouldnt change it as we have had instances of our central heating braking and relying on our stove as the main source of heat, then you get through the wood awful quick and you will not be able to get dry wood till the next summer.

 

[shocker]

Is there an update on this project Snailly ? Interesting and informative thread , theres a lot of knowledge knocking about this forum ! :thumb:

 

[snail59]

Not yet. Still not got a move date yet. Was just looking into this ready for the big move. Im looking as though I will get a linner and install that when my mate does the faciers and possably going to get a well known named stove off Fleabay second hand rather than a cheaper new one.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Hi Mick,
I've just fitted a wood burning stove for a smoke control area...FANTASTIC.. an Esse100SE...
My house is a 1935 brick built with lined chimney, was going to line but didn't after advice..no smoke or smell at all..
You will need to buy a 7 year non removable battery carbon monoxide alarm to get it passed.

Made in England 5kw

 

[snail59]

Looks nice Litttle Pud :thumb

Have just put the Flue Pipe up the Chimney or have you fitted a register plate. Who has approved your instalation for the insureance company and how much was the alarm and where from please.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I fitted a register plate Mick, not had it certified yet.. The CO alarm was off ebay. <<CLICKY>>

Galvanized steel that I cut to size and made an hole for flue, I then glued some ceramic rope around the pipe.

BB