Log burners - who's got one?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Cheers Walesy :D

 

Yeah the stoves are bloody expensive. The ones which took my fancy were £2,500 upwards, so I'm holding back on taking the plunge. I do prefer open fires overall though, despite their inefficiency. Pros and cons really. Stoves don't have the drawing problems that open fires do and they burn the wood for longer, but for when you're entertaining a bird in front of the fire with a glass of wine, you can't beat an open fire :D

[Walesy 0]

All well and good until you're at the critical money shot moment and the chimney goes up in flames or dumps it's innards on your lounge floor! :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

:lol:

 

I tend to overload my fires and have had a few burning logs roll out onto the carpet in my time! So stoves are a lot safer in that respect :D

[Wendy 0]

Tart comes to mind !!!!

 

Kev - not all stoves are pricey - seriously - check out the website attached -http://www.woodburningstoveslimited.com/

I got mine from here after being recommended by 'the old boy atthe local B & Q'.

He also advised to get the smallest possible due to the heat they give out - he was right. My room size where the burner is situated is approx 12' sq ft.

This company were really helpful - knew their stuff and significantly cheaper than the local shops/outlets that have set up all over the place now.

They are made from Iron ore - which I am led to believe is stronger and more durable than cast iron which can crake - so I am told.

 

Being really tight fisted, Ibought one with a flat top, so I could put a saucepan/kettle on the top to save on other heating applainces.

 

Perhaps not a good idea if you are trying to pull the women though !!!! I actually thought you were married and No that is not some kind Come On. !! ;-)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I think that was more wishful thinking :lol:

 

Blimey, those stoves are very cheap compared to most others I've seen! Thanks for the tip!

 

I should perhaps point out I was initially looking at minimalist designs, like this Stovax, which aren't cheap! - http://www.stovax.com/builtintothewallfires/builtinfires/built_in_wood_burning_only/riva_studio_edge.aspx

 

Maybe I should lower my sights a little :lol:

 

Married? Nah, that and kids is something I decided many moons ago just isn't for me. Surprisingly enough, my girlfriends don't tend to hang around for long after I break it to them :lol:

[Wendy 0]

Wow - that is a nice Stove and reminds me of the radiators I found when looking for something stylish and different. The one I fell in love with - was like a piece of art and came in at £2000. Needless to say - I did not buy it.

 

I bought this Stove - http://www.woodburningstoveslimited.com/images/189_1.gif which is nothing like as fancy and decorative as most on the site and at £299. I do have to cut logs a tad smaller than easypops does too but it works brilliantly. I also did not bother with a fireplace surround, just a single Oak shelf on the chimney breast and a black marble heath - which does have an effect of keeping it very minimimlist.

 

You comments made me laugh. I should have been working from home today and so far have achieved nothing, well not work - guess I will be working now one day over the weekend

[Walesy 0]

Haha, that's a posh one, not like my old thing which is a hand-me-down, gratefully received though! even if it did look like this when I got it :lol:

 

 

As for hearths, I made mine out of a snooker table slate which I picked up for £80, they're great as they're really thick so meet regulations, one slate was enough for me to cut a hearth and a doorstep from and it looks much better than I thought it would when its in!

 

While the pics out, there's a vent at the top of the stove above the glass, it doesn't seem to do anything, does anyone know what its purpose is and when/if I should be using it for something? :lol:

Edited February 10, 2012 by Walesy

[Toohottotrot 10]

The Chimney sweep always does the smoke bomb thing after cleaning my fire too.

I too burn more wood than anything else, but have been thinking more recently about getting some coal. i was aware it burnt at a cooler temperature to wood.

I also don't burn paper other than when lighting the fire, it scares me to think that may have gone up my chimney and set it alight.

 

Re the Insurance side of things, when I installed my burner, I was in contact with building regs and it was agreed that I did not need a liner in my chimney, so surely in this case I am ok ?

I do have cracks in my plasterwork, how would I know if I had cracks in the brickwork ?

 

Really appreciate your comments Toohottotrot - better safe than sorry.

No worries Wendy :)

The building regs change all the time and can be different from one area to another, If building control were happy at the time then all's good.

Sounds like you may have mortar cracks but it's no big deal, walls don't fall down easy even when cracked. The time to worry is when the crack is stepped, one side further into the room than the other.

Paper is ok to burn if screwed up into a ball or twisted, it's when it floats up the chimney that it can cause a fire.

Mj :)

Oh and Machine Mart are good for stoves too, especially when vat free.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Toohottotrot

[jamiehamy 0]

Wendy how long have you had your stove? Have you had any issues with it? I've been round to the showroom for the place you mentioned, the woman is slightly crazy, but very helpful. I keep getting put off by stories of cheap ones, so we're saving for something a bit more. Once you start researching, there's so much to find out and know! Doing it all myself, liner on gumtree for half the price, will fit myself, like Kev says, what builders/roofers charge is just silly.

[Toohottotrot 10]

Builders are people too! ;)

Trouble is with all the health and safety crap you are supposed to scafold and stuff, it all costs money. I know lots of builders might risk a ladder as I probably would, but if it goes wrong and you fall or do damage you are in the SH 1T.

When I was about 15 I went with my dad to remove a tall chimney stack on a 3 storey victorian house, the stack was one of the tall slim kind just above gutter hight. "One of us has to go up there and start taking the bricks off", my dad said looking at me!

I went up the ladder, got on the roof and leaned a ladder from the roof slope on to the stack. I climbed the ladder and as I reached the top the stack leaned out over the edge around 2 feet!

S*it my self wasn't in it!!!!!

[Wendy 0]

jamiehamy - my stove is in its fourth year and I have not experienced any problems what so ever.

 

It wwas a nightmare when I had my installed - as even though only 4 years ago, building regs had to keep checking the legality/rules etc.

Infact that Company you visited helped through many of the issues. Oh - the B & Q - old chap had had tow of this manufacture of stoves and could not recommend then highly enough. He also had one on a narrow boat, so - if that's not risky and a sure thing of safety and recommendation heh - what is ? !

 

I didn't think - the company I used - being so close to you - result !

[elliott 10]

Strange how things come full circle? Looks like burning wood is the way to go lol.

 

Just had a stove installed here and it's a great addition to the living room. Yes the wall gets nice and toasty all the way up the stairs but thats the point is it not?

 

Check these guys out, the build quality is fantastic and the big window is a must have, Not as expensive as stovax, morso and jotal. http://www.woodwarmstoves.co.uk/

[Walesy 0]

Yeah, it's supposed to get 'warm' - but mine was getting really hot! So much so that I was stopping myself from lighting it until about 5-6pm as opposed to 10am so that it didn't overheat! :lol: Anyway, I eventually bit the bullet and bought a solid liner, just for peace of mind, it's being installed next weekend,

[yacobwood 0]

Mine got that hot the mantle glowed red and a 10pm sledge hammer and hose pipe job was required. Flu now goes right to the top and no issues to date :)

[Walesy 0]

:lol: You know it's getting too hot when it gets to that point! I'm looking forward to the flue being fitted so I can get the thing burning all day again!

[jamiehamy 0]

Well, thought i'd update my progress :)

 

Finally opted for a Charnwood C4. Lovely looking stove, modern and simple with a nice handle mechanism. Was way over the budget we'd allocated, but feel it'll be worth it in the long run. Was a pain getting the fireplace ready, but worth it.

 

Burns really well, although the glass gets dirty with coal, but stays pretty much clear with wood. Heat is great when you learn how to fire it right!

 

A before and after pic. Excuse the purple - it was experiental!

[easypops 8]

Looks great mate 8)

[elliott 10]

Very nice, still not finished mine as it still needs plastered but makes the weather easier to live with when it's on. :)

[Wullie 1]

Cat seems to like it. That's serious approval

Edited April 27, 2012 by Wullie