Wood burning stove advice

MistySky

Hi all,

I'm looking for some expert advice - hopefully someone can help.

When renovating my home last year I purchased a wood burning stove and flue system, but they were not fitted properly and the stove doesn't work. It was fitted by the fitter who works with the stove shop. Unfortunately both the shop and fitter have walked away and are taking no responsibility.

I have since learned that it was fitted in breach of HETAS and Irish building regulations. I suspect this is not the first time this has happened with these guys.

I want to avoid going down the legal route as I don't have the funds for expensive legal fees. Has anyone come across something like this before? Any helpful advice welcome!

Robbie.G

MistySky wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm looking for some expert advice - hopefully someone can help.

When renovating my home last year I purchased a wood burning stove and flue system, but they were not fitted properly and the stove doesn't work. It was fitted by the fitter who works with the stove shop. Unfortunately both the shop and fitter have walked away and are taking no responsibility.

I have since learned that it was fitted in breach of HETAS and Irish building regulations. I suspect this is not the first time this has happened with these guys.

I want to avoid going down the legal route as I don't have the funds for expensive legal fees. Has anyone come across something like this before? Any helpful advice welcome!

In what way was it not fitted to regs
How is it not working in what way
It doesn't matter about Hetas regs in Ireland as they are not setup here only in the U.K.
You only option is to threaten legal action if the problems aren't rectified

MistySky

Robbie.G wrote: »

In what way was it not fitted to regs
How is it not working in what way
It doesn't matter about Hetas regs in Ireland as they are not setup here only in the U.K.
You only option is to threaten legal action if the problems aren't rectified

I had a stove maintenance guy take a look and the extraction pipe from the stove has been fitted horizontally at the back (it's an insert stove). There is no draught so all the smoke comes out into the room.

I have threatened legal action to no avail unfortunately.

Robbie.G

MistySky wrote: »

I had a stove maintenance guy take a look and the extraction pipe from the stove has been fitted horizontally at the back (it's an insert stove). There is no draught so all the smoke comes out into the room.

I have threatened legal action to no avail unfortunately.

How vertical is flue
Max length of Vertical flue is 150mm
I don't see how it could be longer than that on a insert stove as all flues come off the top of insert stoves to the best of my knowledge

Sorry just after been brought to my attention I got my verticals and horizontal mixed up
Max horizontal flue run is 150mm

MistySky

Robbie.G wrote: »

How vertical is flue
Max length of Vertical flue is 150mm
I don't see how it could be longer than that on a insert stove as all flues come off the top of insert stoves to the best of my knowledge

It turns out the fitter connected the pipe from the stove horizontally from the back of the stove rather than from the top as it should have been done under all regulations. The pipe is 24 inches long and it meets the external flue system at a 90 angle. The external flue runs up outside the gable end of the house - there wasn't room upstairs to run a flue up through the bedroom and roof.

kurtainsider

I suggest that you look to the small claims court - citizensinformation.ie

You can get a reputable company to do the remedial work and claim up to €2,000 from the original installer. You don't need a solicitor and you can get the sheriff after them if you win and they don't pay up.

Get a report of the faults from the second company and submit that as support for your claim.

MistySky

kurtainsider wrote: »

I suggest that you look to the small claims court - citizensinformation.ie

You can get a reputable company to do the remedial work and claim up to €2,000 from the original installer. You don't need a solicitor and you can get the sheriff after them if you win and they don't pay up.

Get a report of the faults from the second company and submit that as support for your claim.

Thanks - I'll look into that. My concern is that no other fitter will be willing to fix such a big problem now but I guess it's worth a try! Is there any register of stove fitters? As I've been caught out I don't know where to turn now for a good fitter.

Calahonda52

MistySky wrote: »

It turns out the fitter connected the pipe from the stove horizontally from the back of the stove rather than from the top as it should have been done under all regulations. The pipe is 24 inches long and it meets the external flue system at a 90 angle. The external flue runs up outside the gable end of the house - there wasn't room upstairs to run a flue up through the bedroom and roof.

Op, unless you are an expert, go easy on quoting from the regulations: its neither productive or helpful.
If you are an expert please reference the underlined bit above.

Have you a air supply into the room that cannot be cut off?
How high is the external flue?
Does isy go about 2 feet above the roof apex if fireplace is in the middle of gable?

Robbie.G

MistySky wrote: »

It turns out the fitter connected the pipe from the stove horizontally from the back of the stove rather than from the top as it should have been done under all regulations. The pipe is 24 inches long and it meets the external flue system at a 90 angle. The external flue runs up outside the gable end of the house - there wasn't room upstairs to run a flue up through the bedroom and roof.

Can up put up pics of stove and flue as
An insert stove doesn't usually have a horizontal connection
Is it a free standing stove that's inset into the fire ope

Calahonda52

Op is at 37 posts so no pics unless they break up the html link to some site

Robbie.G

MistySky wrote: »

Thanks - I'll look into that. My concern is that no other fitter will be willing to fix such a big problem now but I guess it's worth a try! Is there any register of stove fitters? As I've been caught out I don't know where to turn now for a good fitter.

There isn't technically a register of fitters in Ireland as for now the solid fuel industry is unregulated
Oriel flues have a list of people that have done stove fitting training with them and also oftec.org are starting to reg fitters don't know how far on this is
Check out both websites and go from there