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

Hi there,

I'm wondering if you could give me a ball park figure price. Iv purchased a house with no heating system at all. There is a chimney there.

I'm wondering how much it would cost for basic stove with back boiler and radiators for 3 bed small house (old council house). Anybody break down these costs for me please and if plumber had a bare house, what the price would be.

Thanks

buppydogs wrote: »

Hi All,
I'm looking for recommendations on a 20kw boiler stove please.
I've seen the Henley, Hota, Boru and Hunter stoves - has anyone experience of any of these?
Thank you

limerick/cork area.
thanks

We have a Boru 20kw boiler stove fitted... its a multifuel but we burn only firewood so we removed the grate and lined the base with firebrick... very happy with it but I dont have any real experience of operating other stoves. A lot will depend on what you intend to burn in it... its not really a woodburner and if you were intending to burn firewood only I would suggest that you remove the grate... was not happy with it before we made the modifications, really happy with it now...

Sanchez83 wrote: »

Stovax are one of the best stoves on the market.
Boru are a decent stove but you cannot compare the two.There is no comparison in quality and efficency with the Stovax winning hands down.
However it is a lot more expensive and possibly overpriced.

Curiousity question Sanchez, what are the efficiency figures for the Stovax insert and Stovax boiler stoves? I think the Boru insert is 82% and the boiler stove is 77%... Both are multifuel which is clearly a disadvantage when burning firewood

Jack180570 wrote: »

We have a Boru 20kw boiler stove fitted... its a multifuel but we burn only firewood so we removed the grate and lined the base with firebrick... very happy with it but I dont have any real experience of operating other stoves. A lot will depend on what you intend to burn in it... its not really a woodburner and if you were intending to burn firewood only I would suggest that you remove the grate... was not happy with it before we made the modifications, really happy with it now...

Hi Can you tell me bit more about removing the grate, I have a Boro Carraig Mor, with grate,

I wont be burning coal,

Will be burning Firewood only

Thanks

Sanchez83 wrote: »

A Stovax Riva can be got either wood burning or multifuel.
Don't know the Stovax efficiencies off the top of my head but normally over 80% and certification to prove it.
I'd take Boru efficiencies with a pinch of salt as I have never seen an efficency cert from them.Again though,they are a decent stove.Im Just trying to emphasis you cannot compare the 2 brands.Its like comparing a Ferrari to an Opel.
The fact that a stove is Irish made whether it's Boru or Yola or Inis means very little as there is no stove regulation here in Ireland.It may as well be made in Timbuctu.British made stoves are generally the best as there is tough legislation over there.Some very good Scandanavian stoves out there too.
If I wanted to I can make a stove in my shed tomorrow and call it Irish made and start selling them.That doesn't make it a good product.

I think you are being a bit unfair to Boru because as I understand it all stoves are certified using the same EN standard when determining efficiencies. In addition Boru are now exporting to the US where their stoves have passed the stringent EPA emissions test for new generation high efficiency stoves.

I do not own nor have I operated a Stovax stove and therefore I am not in a position to give an opinion based on experience.

I agree that there are good UK manufactured stoves but to be fair, it is generally accepted that the best woodburning stoves on the market are the European brands due to their long history of woodburning and the sheer volume of firewood used for domestic heating.

You are correct to say that you could start making stoves and selling them tomorrow, however, Boru stoves are certified and therefore meet a minimum standard regarding construction, efficiency and emissions.

OLA!, VIva ze Stoves Sanchez....

A lot of people are asking about Casette insert stoves. I can recommend Meg - a British made stove. We got ours from Oldens in Cork. I think they are the sole Irish distributor. Top quality stove and not as expensive as Stovax. I compared the Stovax with the Meg at the time and whereas i found the Meg solid and robust in all aspects, i found the Stovax a little fiddly. The Meg contemporary 4.5 insert throws out serious heat also. Recommended and one that goes under the radar.

olestoepoke wrote: »

Hi guys sorry if this has already been covered but I'm looking at boiler stoves to heat 12-14 rads, stanley reginald looks like the dearest my question is are the stanley overpriced? i don't want to cheap out and regret it later, what other stoves compare to the reginald ? thanks in advance

I would say the Stanley are mid-range in terms of price. Not the dearest in the market. Not the cheapest. They have a good reputation amongst any of the Irish plumbers i have spoken to. Stratford would be dearer for instance - also a good reputation. Then you have some of the more cheaper brands like Henley, Heritage, Olymberly, Mulberry, Blacksmith etc at the other end. Comparable stoves? I would look at Yola which has a 20kw stove that would fit the bill and is well priced. Boru Carraig Mor would be similar. Charnwood has a good reputation as well. Hunter is another one to look at though they have varying reviews. Nestor Martin have a very good name and I know a couple of people that have them and they are happy - though people are saying they are no longer in business but they can still be bought and parts wont be an issue as they share similar parts to Efel who are still in production.

olestoepoke wrote: »

Thats great info ta very much, its mind boggling reading reviews online its great to have a site like this where i can get genuine advise from people that aren't trying to sell something cheers

I was where you are now, 6 months ago. Looked at all the brands, read all the forums and talked to lots of plumbers/fitters/work colleagues. Everyone has to arrive at a conclusion that suits their own needs and the fun is in the learning. Its frustrating at times as this is probably one of rare areas where you possibly have too much choice but that also holds the chance of giving you exactly what you need if you get it right.

Glad to help.

buppydogs wrote: »

Hi All,
I'm looking for recommendations on a 20kw boiler stove please.
I've seen the Henley, Hota, Boru and Hunter stoves - has anyone experience of any of these?
Thank you

limerick/cork area.
thanks

Out of that list i would favour Boru but I would also look at Yola (which I can recommend), Stratford (pricier but excellent build quality), Charnwood (good rep also). I would tend to focus on Irish/British and Scandinavian made.

k123456 wrote: »

Hi Can you tell me bit more about removing the grate, I have a Boro Carraig Mor, with grate,

I wont be burning coal,

Will be burning Firewood only

Thanks

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403424226473715.1073741841.254379584711514&type=1&pnref=story

Hope this works as I have been unable to attach photos...

k123456 wrote: »

Many Thanks, just out of interest, do you find the stove more efficent after removing the grate

Your welcome, yes stove is far better after the modification in a number of ways.
1. Fire lights up much quicker because the ash bed insulates the fire allowing it get to a good operating temperature more quickly.
2. I am able to get a hotter fire because I have an extra 2 inches in height which allows the logs on the fire to insulate heat into the core of the fire.
3. Higher efficiency - because the fire is hotter it is performing at higher efficiencies because it is able to burn the volatile compounds in the wood more completely rather than they going up the chimney unburnt.
4. Additional efficiency in that small bits of char that are not entirely burned in say todays fire are burned in tomorrow's fire because the ash is only removed every few weeks.
Its brilliant all round and is the technically correct way to burn when burning firewood only.

Hi there, purchased a Charnwood 16b recently and haven't been getting much heat to rads at all from it. I think it's possibly plumbed incorrectly as the pump is on the cold water feed to the stove. Plumber says this is correct as hot water rises through convection and cold water is fed to system then to be heated. This makes little sense to me and my research on here tells me it's not right but maybe there's something I'm missing. Any help greatly appreciated

Have my Henley achill fitted two weeks now (Non boiler) , have to say highly recommened, pumping the heat out. At the moment burning coal logs and briquettes , efficency is excellent , im now wearing shorts in winter and the moth is toasty.