Wood/Multi Fuel Burners

[tree house tam]

Does anyone have one? Which kind do you have? Makes and models and is it any good please. Currently doing my head in trying to find a suitable one for my living room.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

14 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

Does anyone have one? Which kind do you have? Makes and models and is it any good please. Currently doing my head in trying to find a suitable one for my living room.

You'll need to decide if having one is worth having a hole in the wall that is draughty in the winter.

https://www.directstoves.com/resources/why-do-i-need-an-air-vent/#:~:text=If your home has a permeability of 5, 2200mm2 8 more rows

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

Got multifuel stove in living room when moved in. Not sure make and model but what a heat off it!  Wanted one since a wee boy.

Great to quickly heat up downstairs and eventually the rest of the house. Saved a fortune on heating oil in the last year.

Edited August 1, 2020 by HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows

[Dan Steele]

29 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

Does anyone have one? Which kind do you have? Makes and models and is it any good please.

I had one in our old house and it was the best change made. Chose the Franco Belge Elegance. Use seasoned wood or kiln dried wood. They give out a fair amount of heat, living room radiators never on and often left the living room door open. 

[tree house tam]

26 minutes ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

You'll need to decide if having one is worth having a hole in the wall that is draughty in the winter.

https://www.directstoves.com/resources/why-do-i-need-an-air-vent/#:~:text=If your home has a permeability of 5, 2200mm2 8 more rows

Only need 5kw so no ventilation required. 

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

Whats this vent chat?? Mines is an older house (50s) and only vent i have is in the kitchen?!??

Spose if i do slowly suffocate to death at least I'll be warm

ETA it was an open fireplace originally does that make a differnce???

Edited August 1, 2020 by HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

33 minutes ago, HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows said:

Whats this vent chat?? Mines is an older house (50s) and only vent i have is in the kitchen?!??

Spose if i do slowly suffocate to death at least I'll be warm

ETA it was an open fireplace originally does that make a differnce???

Read the link I posted, it is no different to a gas fire which requires ventilation for combustion.

It's best that you get the chimney swept regularly as well, the companies that install the burners should be able to provide this service and advise whether it is installed correctly and ventilation requirements.

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

3 minutes ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

Read the link I posted, it is no different to a gas fire which requires ventilation for combustion.

It's best that you get the chimney swept regularly as well, the companies that install the burners should be able to provide this service and advise whether it is installed correctly and ventilation requirements.

Ah sweet. Yeah, got the lum swept when moved in, will get this done again in October. 

[Bert the Sailor]

15 hours ago, HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows said:

Got multifuel stove in living room when moved in. Not sure make and model but what a heat off it!  Wanted one since a wee boy.

Great to quickly heat up downstairs and eventually the rest of the house. Saved a fortune on heating oil in the last year.

This is a ‘Clearview’ stove. Very decent brand. It’s a 5kw one.  Have one myself. That stove alone will cost you around £1000 or more to buy. 
 

We got a couple of Clearview stoves installed a few years ago. Bit pricey but you get what you pay for, they should last 20-25 years if maintained properly.  The design of these stoves mean that the glass doesn’t fog up unlike a lot of other stoves while burning. So you get quite a nice view of the logs burning. Hence why it’s called Clearview.  But aye there is plenty of choice out there. A good place for buying stoves we found was a place called Auldton Stoves in Ayrshire. Specialise in stoves and a good choice of brands. Very decent showroom as well. 
 

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by Bert the Sailor
More info to add

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

2 hours ago, Bert the Sailor said:

This is a ‘Clearview’ stove. Very decent brand. It’s a 5kw one.  Have one myself. That stove alone will cost you around £1000 or more to buy. 
 

We got a couple of Clearview stoves installed a few years ago. Bit pricey but you get what you pay for, they should last 20-25 years if maintained properly.  The design of these stoves mean that the glass doesn’t fog up unlike a lot of other stoves while burning. So you get quite a nice view of the logs burning. Hence why it’s called Clearview.  But aye there is plenty of choice out there. A good place for buying stoves we found was a place called Auldton Stoves in Ayrshire. Specialise in stoves and a good choice of brands. Very decent showroom as well. 
 

 

Ahhh, nice one man, thanks!! Yeah, pals with stoves said id need to get stuff to clean the glass but its always pretty clean, that will be how!!

Id just thought I was a boss and my firewood was dry as f**k!

[EH75]

Most of the modern stoves have now got similar self cleaning glass systems to the clear views I think. We got a heta 45 installed last year. Stove was about 1k and the installation, building work etc was 2k. That was from an old opening from a gas fireplace that needed slightly opened up and made good. Got a massive cage of kiln dried oak last year which I'm still working my way through. That was about 300 quid. Stoves are great but don't kid yourself on into thinking it will save you money. Maybe if you can get free wood you might save enough in heating to cover the cost of the installation in about 50 years! 

[Sergeant Wilson]

20 hours ago, HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows said:

Got multifuel stove in living room when moved in. Not sure make and model but what a heat off it!  Wanted one since a wee boy.

Great to quickly heat up downstairs and eventually the rest of the house. Saved a fortune on heating oil in the last year.

That's like the house in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

[Mark Connolly]

1 minute ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

That's like the house in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I think he might be related to @mathematics

[19QOS19]

Stoves are great but don't kid yourself on into thinking it will save you money. Maybe if you can get free wood you might save enough in heating to cover the cost of the installation in about 50 years! 

Aye this. My in-laws have one and they give out a helluva heat but they seem to be burning a forest worth of wood on a weekly basis. I asked how much his bags cost and tbh if you tally it up I really don't think it's cheaper than just putting the gas central heating on.

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

1 hour ago, EH75 said:

Most of the modern stoves have now got similar self cleaning glass systems to the clear views I think. We got a heta 45 installed last year. Stove was about 1k and the installation, building work etc was 2k. That was from an old opening from a gas fireplace that needed slightly opened up and made good. Got a massive cage of kiln dried oak last year which I'm still working my way through. That was about 300 quid. Stoves are great but don't kid yourself on into thinking it will save you money. Maybe if you can get free wood you might save enough in heating to cover the cost of the installation in about 50 years! 

Yeah, should have added that i work in the woods, take a boot load of firewood home every day im out.

[Dan Steele]

8 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

Aye this. My in-laws have one and they give out a helluva heat but they seem to be burning a forest worth of wood on a weekly basis. I asked how much his bags cost and tbh if you tally it up I really don't think it's cheaper than just putting the gas central heating on.

 

The woodburner I had was in place of an open coal fire. The cost of coal was getting more expensive and most of the heat was going straight up the chimney. Definitely more efficient and cost effective than coal. It's much better and much cheaper in the long run to get a pallet load of wood delivered. Bags work out out far more expensive.

[Shadow Play]

21 hours ago, tree house tam said:

Does anyone have one? Which kind do you have? Makes and models and is it any good please. Currently doing my head in trying to find a suitable one for my living room.

Seeing as your mob took a couple of points off United at Tannadice here is my take on it Tam.

Much to my wife’s dismay I could spend hours speaking (boring people) about wood burners.  Do not read this if you are about to drive.  You have been warned!

I’ve got a Contura 586.  Doesn’t sit in a recessed fireplace so all the heat goes into the room.  Not sure I’d bother paying the extra like I did to get the side glass panels though as I tend to look at the main glass panel to see the fire.  Contura is reasonably pricey but it is a good make with great after care.

Very, very briefly:

-Keep it 5kw and under so that you don’t need a vent cut into your flooring or wall.

-A dedicated wood burner burns wood more efficiently than a multi fuel but if you buy a multi fuel burner you can add peat and coal which burns longer and hotter.  Burning coal means you can pop out for the match and there should still be enough embers to restart the fire when you get back home.  Can’t really do that with wood.

- Are you going to cut your own wood or buy it in?  Finding your own wood, cutting it and splitting it is obviously far cheaper but you obviously need to buy the tools to do that.  You also need space and shelter for the wood to season.  If you buy it in by the ton it can be quite expensive and you still need to space and shelter to store it but at least you can chose the species of wood you want to buy.  

-If you are buying your wood in it is very unlikely you will save money on your heating bills BUT there is nothing better than having a roaring fire on when it’s freezing cold or damp and miserable outside.  It’s more than just the heat that a wood burner provides.  It’s the atmosphere it creates.  Takes away any winter blues you may have.  Can’t really put a price on that!

-Different wood burns differently.  The poem listed below will help explain.

-Finally, if you’ve got a spare £20 kicking about buy the book Norwegian Wood.  That will explain everything a lot better than I can.

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnut’s only good they say,
If for logs ’tis laid  away.

Make a fire of Elder tree,
Death within your house will be.
But ash new or ash old,
Is fit for a queen with crown of gold

Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze bright and do not last.
It is by the Irish said,
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.

Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E’en the very flames are cold.
But ash green or ash brown,
Is fit for a queen with golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room,
Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom.

Oaken logs, if dry and old,
Keep away the winter’s cold.
But ash wet or ash dry,
A king shall warm his slippers by.

 

 

[tree house tam]

I think we're leaning towards the inset/cassette types tbh, the missus likes the look of the stovax range for some reason. The inset type seems more space and child friendly(easier to fence off) ,as we have a child under 3 months which by the end of this winter should be on the move and the room isn't the biggest.

Anyone got one of these?

[weebud]

We've just had a Charnwood Skye 5 installed in our cottage, really pleased with it and great heat from it.

[mishtergrolsch]

On 02/08/2020 at 11:12, Shadow Play said:

Seeing as your mob took a couple of points off United at Tannadice here is my take on it Tam.

Much to my wife’s dismay I could spend hours speaking (boring people) about wood burners.  Do not read this if you are about to drive.  You have been warned!

I’ve got a Contura 586.  Doesn’t sit in a recessed fireplace so all the heat goes into the room.  Not sure I’d bother paying the extra like I did to get the side glass panels though as I tend to look at the main glass panel to see the fire.  Contura is reasonably pricey but it is a good make with great after care.

Very, very briefly:

-Keep it 5kw and under so that you don’t need a vent cut into your flooring or wall.

-A dedicated wood burner burns wood more efficiently than a multi fuel but if you buy a multi fuel burner you can add peat and coal which burns longer and hotter.  Burning coal means you can pop out for the match and there should still be enough embers to restart the fire when you get back home.  Can’t really do that with wood.

- Are you going to cut your own wood or buy it in?  Finding your own wood, cutting it and splitting it is obviously far cheaper but you obviously need to buy the tools to do that.  You also need space and shelter for the wood to season.  If you buy it in by the ton it can be quite expensive and you still need to space and shelter to store it but at least you can chose the species of wood you want to buy.  

-If you are buying your wood in it is very unlikely you will save money on your heating bills BUT there is nothing better than having a roaring fire on when it’s freezing cold or damp and miserable outside.  It’s more than just the heat that a wood burner provides.  It’s the atmosphere it creates.  Takes away any winter blues you may have.  Can’t really put a price on that!

-Different wood burns differently.  The poem listed below will help explain.

-Finally, if you’ve got a spare £20 kicking about buy the book Norwegian Wood.  That will explain everything a lot better than I can.

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnut’s only good they say,
If for logs ’tis laid  away.

Make a fire of Elder tree,
Death within your house will be.
But ash new or ash old,
Is fit for a queen with crown of gold

Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze bright and do not last.
It is by the Irish said,
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.

Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E’en the very flames are cold.
But ash green or ash brown,
Is fit for a queen with golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room,
Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom.

Oaken logs, if dry and old,
Keep away the winter’s cold.
But ash wet or ash dry,
A king shall warm his slippers by.

 

 

That wee poem about wood is accurate as f**k. The two biggies it misses out are Cherry and Sycamore which I find to be  great burners. Especially in a smaller stove.

I've got an Esse One. Its a wee one but it's 5kw and kicks out some heat. I also have a monster stash of wood I've cut down and had seasoning. Im about to cut up two 30 foot oak trees that have been drying off for 3 years now so my chainsaw will be bricking it. Even at that I find that with the smaller physical size of my stove, ash, birch, oak, sycamore etc all seem to burn about as hot as each other but the length of burning time varies. I guess its about how much oxygen is in and around the wood. 

Elm is fucking shite right enough. Managed to fob my stash of it off on someone who asked me for some wood.

I did however get a big load of dried Larch last year off a pal who was getting rid. Hes a full on tree surgeon and normally only keeps hardwood for burning but had this stuff for a few years in his shed. Fucking hell it was like Satan's sauna in my living room. Windows and front door were open to get the heat out! Conifer is king of fleeting heating. Id always recommend mixing conifer with hardwood as you burn to keep the heat and help the hardwood catch quicker.

Also - pro tip for glass cleaning. Get a load of paper towels (the blue or brown ones in every school in the land) and wet them. Dip them in the ash from your fire and rub the glass. Cleans it right up.

 

And don't ever burn Laurel as it releases cyanide...

Edited August 14, 2020 by mishtergrolsch