What Stove size (KW output) do I need for my home

? Many stoves are chosen on their physical size to match an existing hearth or opening but this has little relationship to the heat requirement of the room. Not withstanding variations in heat loss in individual properties, as a general rule you will need 1KW of heat for every cubic metre. This is based on a room temperature of 21 degrees celcius at an ambient of -1 degree celcius. For example, an average living room measuring 2.3m x 4.9m x 4.7m divided by 14 would require a stove with a nominal output of 4KW.

Flue/chimney requirements

Multi fuel stoves require a class 1 chimney and should conform to building regulations. Existing chimneys should be clean, sound and inspected by an expert before installation and lined, if necessary, with a class 1 chimney liner. 

What can I burn in a  stoves that are illustrated are multifuel, suitable for use with most smokeless solid fuels. Wood must be well seasoned, ideally split and stacked for at least two summers.

Will a stove be more efficient than an open fire Yes a stove will operate at efficiency levels between 65-85%. Most open fires operate at levels of 25% or less.

Where can I install a stove A suitable site will have a non combustible hearth and offer direct access to the flue system. The position will need to be at predetermined clearances from both combustible and non combustible surfaces. These are included in both our installation instructions and the building regulations 2002 approved document J.

What type of chimney will I need  Solid fuel and wood burning stoves require a class 1 flue system. Minimum overall height must be 4.5m to provide sufficient draught to safely exhaust the products of combustion. The flue/chimney system may be either mineral or stainless steel and must conform to current building regulations. There are separate regulations covering the installation of stoves in park homes and boats

Do I need any special ventilation All live fires need ventilation to ensure safe and complete combustion although stoves require significantly less than open fires. Stoves rated upto 5KW require sufficient room ventilation only. Stoves rated in excess of 5KW do require permanent ventilation and your installer will need to refer to the installation instructions for the specific size required.

What fuels can I burn in my stove Stoves classified as multifuel can burn a wide range of mineral and bio fuels.  seasoned wood, approved smokeless fuels as recommended by your local  coal merchant.

Who can install my stove It is essential that your stove is installed by a competent person i.e. a HETAS certified installer or equivalent who can sign off the installation. Alternatively the installation can be conducted under type A inspection and with the approval of your local authority building control department.

Lighting and combustion

The primary air is drawn into the stove through the slide on the door. The secondary air is regulated with the aid of a slider above the door. The heated secondary air flows down the viewing window and then feeds the fire; it is this secondary combustion that completes the burning cycle by turning unburned volatiles into flame.

 As much as half of the heat obtainable from wood is obtained from this secondary combustion. It is important that the firebox temperature is maintained at a high level as this also aids complete combustion. The use of a stove pipe thermometer is recommended, as this will indicate stove performance. For Example, when first lighting a stove it is important to get it really hot before closing the burning rate down. The firebox temperature should reach 400C which equates to approximately 250C at the flue pipe.

If the stove is operated at this optimum level very clean combustion can be achieved with little or no smoke visible from the chimney.