STOVES questions and answers here(see mod note in post 1)

HousetoHome wrote: »

Thank you for taking the time to reply, Stove Fan. Much appreciated.


The room is superbly insulated with Platium Bead pumped into a 100mm block cavity and "Contega" fleece tape all around the 4 double glazed windows and one extenal door. It has 3 external walls. I would consider it very air tight.


I had a look at the Charnwood Island 2 on HETAS website and even though it is rated with a high efficiency (71.5%), it is only a Wood Burner Stove, unfortunately. I double checked that in Charnwood's own website too. So, that one is ruled out, as I'd prefer a multi fuel stove, please.

I was considering Dovre 2000 Multi Fuel 11KW Stove. It has a 72.75% HETAS Effiency rating. I also liked it for it's rustic, old style looks.
http://www.dovre.co.uk/html/canopy-2000.html
Have you any experience of it, please?

Or, what other quality multifuels could you recommend, please?

Thanks very much for your time.

Hi, the charnwood island is multifuel and says about the grate in the specs, http://www.charnwood.com/range/island.aspx

Also see this link about the grate and to the right lists Island. http://www.charnwood.com/multifuel-grate.aspx HETAS may of only tested it on wood and not coal.

The Dovre is very much like an open fire and not as good as a Charnwood island. The charnwood island has great control of the burn rate and is a great quality stove.
The other stove thats good quality is Dunsley stoves.
http://www.dunsleyheat.co.uk/multifuelstove.htm


Stove Fan:)

Hi stove fan, can you elaborate on your comment the Dovre is like an open fire. i am curious nothing else.:) thanks again for all the advice. I still have not purchased my stove and with each day get more confused, but I had a chimney fire a few months ago and am waiting for the repair to the chimney at least it cleaned it, though an expensive sweep.:D

profitius wrote: »

I've heard that most stoves only last a few years. Maybe thats just cheap stoves?? Can anyone recomment long lasting stoves, please.

No this isn't true but you do get what you pay for, but some are way better made/quality than others.

If you want a quality stove look at.

Clearview.
Woodwarm.
Morso,
Charnwood,

All the above are premium brands but woodwarm is good quality and cheaper price than the others although clearview are considered the best.
see www.whatstove.co.uk for owner reviews.

Stove Fan:)

Stove Fan wrote: »

framework123 wrote: »

https://picasaweb.google.com/104668533240332803418/March2201202#5715357691870895778

https://picasaweb.google.com/104668533240332803418/March22012#5715357282315929666



Hi,

Looking for recommendations and rough price guide for a free standing stove...Basically looking to replace our 'open fire' with a free-standing stove, to cut costs on coal/wood etc.
House is 4 years old so we have standard block chimney I guess- Will I have to do anything to the chimney?
I have attached a pic as there is some 'grooves' in our fireplace so wondering if these will cause issues?
As regards installation is something I could attempt myself? What else would I need besides the actual Stove?
Room is 17 Square metres and not looking to heat rads or anything like that.

Thanks for any advice , hoping to start shopping around 2mor for 1

Hi:) If you want a freestanding stove I think your fireplace would need a lot of work to extend the hearth out and if the surround is wooden then that needs to be a set distance from the stove.
You can get arch plate adapters to fit an arched insert stove from online irish providers for your existing arched fireplace. This may be your best option.
Or remove the fireplace and start again either new marble surround and insert stove or freestanding.

Stove Fan:)

Thanks for reply..the surround is marble so is that ok?

Prob a stupid question but why does the hearth need to be extended?

Hi stove fan, many thanks for that. I did not realise it was the Dovre 2000 (the franklin type) I just love them but again I would agree they must be very like the open fire, I guess that they use a lot of fuel. I wonder if the other Dovre models are good buy.
thanks again for all your help, reading your comments is a real education.

profitius wrote: »

I heard that a steel pipe leading out the chimney is better than a normal chimney. Is that true?

Yes a stainless steel flexible liner is a much better job than a clay lined flue. The clay lined flue is for an open fire being minimum of 8 inch internal. Most stoves are 5 or 6 inch flues so the clay lining is much larger than needed.

The clay lined flue absorbs the heat and can cool the flue gas temperatures and can lead to tar/ condensation the higher up the flue due to cooling of the flue the higher up you go.

The stainless steel flexible liner keeps the flue much warmer quicker so improves the draw and as its warmer less likely to form tar if the wood/fuel is dry.

Line the flue if you can especially if it's old. All flues should be smoke tested before use.

Stove Fan:)

hey you dont need all that work recommended by stove fan. our fireplace was something similar to yours and we put in a free standing hamco stove. it just heats the room

Stove Fan wrote: »

framework123 wrote: »

Thanks for reply..the surround is marble so is that ok?

Prob a stupid question but why does the hearth need to be extended?

Being marble then you wont need to worry about it:). The only issue if you place a stove on the marble hearth (base) then you should for building regulations have at a minimum 9 inches infront of the stove. Ie the marble hearth 9 inches infront of the stove.

This is to protect the floor from heat/ hot coals falling from the stove.

What I would do if you can is to either get another piece of marble to match and fit it infront or slide the hearth forward and then add the new piece on the back or fit a whole new piece. It can be anything so long its fireproof. You could then sit a small stove ontop like a stanley oisin providing the rear flue is low enough to go through the fire opening. You would get a arched metal plate fitted infront to match the arch with hole in for flue. If possible connect the stoves fluepipe to the clay liner using 2x 45 degree bends and a clay flue adapter. This is better as you dont have to remove the stove to sweep the chimney and no soot builds up in the old fireplace recess. A fire hazard. This adapter is needed to connect to your clay flue. If not lined fit a stainless flue liner.

Stove Fan:)

Thanks for the advice...I was actually looking at the Stanley Oisin yesterday in my local hardware store...

Is this a good stove?
How many years should I get out of it?
Is 430euro a good price for it?

Hi Stove Fan, I looked at the Dovre and certainly they are extremely heavy but that is as far as I know. there are no standards in Ireland, and that goes for all walks of life. As far as I know all those regualtions regarding the flue, and its installation do not exist . here. I stand corrected if I have it wrong.
I was wondering how one manages to put an air vent in 4ft or more walls in order to comply to stoves producing more than 5KW.
Many thanks

guinness queen wrote: »

Hi Stove Fan, I looked at the Dovre and certainly they are extremely heavy but that is as far as I know. there are no standards in Ireland, and that goes for all walks of life. As far as I know all those regualtions regarding the flue, and its installation do not exist . here. I stand corrected if I have it wrong.
I was wondering how one manages to put an air vent in 4ft or more walls in order to comply to stoves producing more than 5KW.
Many thanks

Hi yes fitting a vent in a thick stone wall is a big job!!

There are stove install regulations here it's just they are not adhered too or enforced by a building inspector. The regs are very similar to document J in the UK.
See Irish regs here.http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1650,en.pdf

Here is a list of all Irish building regulations. Click on Full List of Technical Guidance Documents 1997 - 2011
http://www.environ.ie/en/TGD/#Full List of Technical Guidance Documents 1997 - 2011

Stove Fan:)

jbyrne10 wrote: »

Hi Stove Fan,
It looks like nobody that we know has a Tara oil stove. I don't know what to think as today is my deadline to buy a stove. Thanks for all your help.
John

Hi, see if in the manufacturers instructions they state the oil consumption per hour. If not then give stanley a ring:). At least then you could work out how many litres a day it would use and cost.

My own thoughts are though if your house/room is cold enough to need the oil fire on then it would be more efficient to have the condensing boiler on than the oil stove, especially if your having the central heating on anyway.

Good luck in your decision and I hope you get some feedback on the oil stove:)

Stove Fan:)

selfbuild2012 wrote: »

Love this informative thread....am planning to start building house later this year and am still deciding on what heating system to implement. I'm considering a solid fuel boiler stove with solar panels.

I'm wondering can an underfloor heating be used with a boiler stove?....How effective are sitka spruce and lodge pole pine in these stoves? Is it difficult to combine a solar panel system with a boiler stove system?

In the kitchen i was thinking of putting the boiler stove and in the living room a non boiler stove. They are both of a reasonably large area 5m x 4m and will be inhabited more then any other rooms in the house.

Would greatly appreciate any wise words stove fan. Attached is a copy of the ground floor house plan.

Hi:) A solid fuel stove can run underfloor heating providing a thermal store is used. This thermal stove is like a hot water cylinder but super insulated. This can connect the boiler stove, ordinary oil/gas boiler and solar panels. They are available in a variety of sizes.
See this link for pictures of thermal stores. https://www.google.com/search?q=thermal+store&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-ie:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7TSEH_en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=BZFgT7APj5mFB9KsmaUH&sqi=2&ved=0CFkQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=587

The underfloor circuit water is taken from the lower part of the thermal store where the water inside isn't as hot. The radiator water is taken from the top if using rads/towel rails. The domestic hot water is produced by an indirect coil passing through the very hot water inside the thermal store, this domestic hot water is at mains pressure.

For your heating setup a thermal store is ideal.

If you have a plentiful supply of very cheap or free firewood consider a log gasification boiler in an adjoining outbuilding rather than a boiler stove.
These are more efficient than an ordinary boiler stove by around 15%.
The beauty of the log gasification boiler and thermal store setup is you have a hot fire going to heat up the thermal store and then let the fire go out. The gasification boiler burns off the gases and burns much hotter than an ordinary boiler stove. If the heat isn't being used the thermal store keeps this water hot for use later as needed. The other good thing with a gasification boiler your burning very hot so tar formation is less.


We have just a boiler stove with no thermal store or solar panels and use stika spruce. We find it good and hot although to heat our house using just wood isn't that economical cost wise. We have used 10 cubic metres this winter up to now and it's mild:eek: We find coal much cheaper to run. We pay 13 euro for 40kg bag of coal if buying in bulk. Or 60 euro a cubic metre for stika spruce delivered and cut etc. Our home is 100sqm with reasonable insulation. All walls kingspaned and extension with cavity wall insulation as well, 4 inch with 70mm aeroboard platinum.

The logs are nice to use but you need storage space outside undercover and stored near the boiler for easy refuelling. The gasification boiler would be best in an adjoining garage etc. With boiler one side and fuel nearby to make refuelling easier. If you don't have access to very cheap fuel I would use only a boiler stove. There are pellet boilers as well or straw bale boilers. I know nothing about these though.


Stove Fan:)

selfbuild2012 wrote: »

Thanks for response Stove Fan. I was'nt aware the log wood gasification was so much more efficent then the boiler stove. I do have a very cheap supply of sitka spruce and lodge pole pine with an old shed for storage. Would you see any problems having a log wood gasification boiler in a utility room as shed is some distance from proposed house? It could also then be located very close to themal store.

I wouldn't think there would be a problem in siting the gasification boiler in a utility room. Some owners could tell you how noisy they are. There is a thread on this forum, log gasification boilers. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055508301 There is the dealer mentioned in this thread and also Kotly as well. http://kotly.com/index.php?cPath=169_208
http://kotly.com/index.php?cPath=169_207

Or how about a wood and gas/oil boiler in one.http://kotly.com/product_info.php?cPath=169_210&products_id=1059 You would need to see what it's efficiency rating is and it works in gasification using wood. It would save buying and plumbing in 2 boilers.
When you build your utility I would built the utility walls in block rather than timber stud to help reduce the spread of noise.

Also while building the house have a masonry chimney built for it during the build:). As you have a cheap supply then it would pay you. Bearing in mind you may need 20 cubic metres a year of timber, but it depends on house size/insulation. Actual users may be able to advice on how much wood it would take.

Stove Fan:)