Zydas67

Been using the stove for over four months. I agree there was a curing period but that was a very different odour. I contacted the the manufacturer and they said it could not be the stove causing a continuing problem like this.. I contacted Knauf re the Aquapanel, and this is the reply: "We have had our SMS dept come back to us and they have concluded that the issue lies with the incorrect finish being applied, ie. painted rather than tiled per our requirements. Please note that as painting is not part of our guidance, they are unable to confirm whether (with suitable adhesive) it would be possible to simply tile over now and that this will resolve the odour issue, whether the paint can be suitably stripped prior to tiling, or if the only recourse would be to remove and replace the Aquapanel Indoor with new." Stripping paint off cement board - any advice? Also, tiling would mean the tiles on the sides would not be flush with the slate slips on either side, and stand proud of the edge, as the Aquapanel was not fitted leaving an allowance for the tile thickness.... I would imagine removing the Aquapanel and replacing with vermiculite board would be quicker than paint stripping/tiling, and would not even need to be painted...

The opening is not centred. When the original fire was fitted there was a step of about 5cm to the render on the right from the edge of the right slip. On the left it is ok, ie. the render (now Aquapanel) finishes flush with the slip. By boarding it out there was no step, which is what I wanted. It looks great, but the materials are wrong. I'm not sure what is behind the Aquapanel on the right to fill the gap, if they filled it with anything (Rockwool?).

The fitter did everything. I supplied the Aquapanel but the fitter did not mention anything about tiling it. He treated it like normal cement board, and unfortunately recommended the wrong paint also. My preference now is for the fitter to remove the Aquapanel and replace with Vermiculite and leave it unpainted (according to Vitcas painting makes it absorb water). No written warranty but the fitter wants to remedy the situation and Hetas oversee such installations. The fitter wants to paint over with fireproof paint, but this is not a solution, as now I know Aquapanel must be tiled to be used like this.....

With hindsight ...No. Hetas fitter diagnosed damp (I believe wrongly). Asked me to get cement board. Aquapanel looked perfect being designed for high moisture areas and also described by Wickes as: "ideal when it comes to withstanding high temperatures making it ideal for use near log burning stoves that require surrounding walls that can withstand high temperature and are non-combustible." But only when tiled ....I didn't realise that, and the builder/fitter didn't say there could be a problem.

Model is ACR Earlswood III. Please see here for manual https://www.acrheatproducts.com/file/acr/earlswood-manual-ew3mf-0716-2-print-38499.pdf. It has a built in heatshield. On page 5 is states: "A clearance of 150mm is required at the back of stove (if the rear wall has a thickness of 200mm or more this measurement can be reduced to 50mm)" House is a Victorian terrace and there is definitely a thickness of 200mm or more behind the stove....

Correct - have just received the attached data sheet from Knauf. Contains "coated glass fibre mesh". So, why do Knauf have a 200°C limit for woodburner applications? It is described as A1 non-combustible. Melting point for glass is 1400-1600°C. Melting point for silica 1550°C. Melting point for coating unknown. I just burned a piece of the mesh and it lit with a black smoke, leaving the glass behind. The odour was not dissimilar from what I have experienced. But very likely the paint can't take the heat, please see attached. Contains vinyl acetate Veova polymer, which I believe gives durabilty for OUTDOOR uses. I looked up vinyl acetates - boiling point around 135°C (flash point 75°C). AQUAPANEL_Cement_Board_Indoor_datasheet.pdf MDS-Sandtex Trade High Cover Smooth Masonry.pdf TDS-Sandtex Trade High Cover Smooth Masonry.pdf

Re the stove - clearance from back (from manufacturer's data sheet): "A clearance of 150mm is required at the back of stove (if the rear wall has a thickness of 200mm or more this measurement can be reduced to 50mm)" Mean Flue Gas Temperature - 228°C - Wood I don't believe the odour is the stove itself. During the curing process there was, but no stove manufacturer could sell a stove that stunk so much you had to open windows several months after installing, and make a living. I spoke to them and they said it wasn't the stove. @PeterW - yes correct - exactly same thermometer, so 400F. Aquapanel With the previous installation the fitter used heat proof render. Over time this cracked and pieces fell off. I thought it looked very dry and sandy, and maybe the mix was not right from the beginning. When the fitter he arrived to quote, he noticed damp on the wall in the bathroom (which is due to water getting under the floor lining which has contracted). When he saw the render in the fireplace he said it was damp that had caused it to come off. Maybe he thought there was damp in the whole flat? There is no evidence of any damp, except the bathroom, and the flat had extensive work for subsidence in the 80s, if that's relevant. This meant when I suggested Vermiculite the fitter said it would crumble with the damp etc. I contacted Aquapanel and they said the finish i.e. exterior paint was not recommended and sent the attached sheet. The states that "Tiles must be used to finish the board" (Step 6). If the flue temp at 30cm above the stove is around 200C (circa 400F), what is the temp of the stove? According to Google - "A standard wood stove will generally burn at between 500 and 800°F". If the top of the stove is at max 800°F I would have thought the Aquapanel 50mm away will be getting very hot. The builders left offcuts of Aquapanel - looking at it, it's made of cement plus embedded sheets of fine plastic webbing. Aquapanel_behind_wood_burner.pdf

Hello, Replaced my old woodburner with a new Ecodesign model. Work was carried out by a Hetas fitter. Getting bad odour (hard to describe) a bit like burning rubber (plastic?). This happens at around 400C (from the stove thermometer). The opening is boarded out with Knauf Aquapanel (bought from Wickes who recommend it for woodburner installation). The clearance to the back of the stove is around 5cm, so it gets pretty hot there. The fitter advised painting the Aquapanel with exterior paint (I used Sandtex Trade). However, I contacted Knauf who advise Aquapanel is only suitable up to temps of 200C. Also, Sandtex advise NOT using their exterior paint for this purpose. I have reported the problem to the fitter, who has suggested painting over with a high temp paint. Questions (I believe the problem is with the area behind the stove heating up, not the stove which has been properly cured): Can the board be painted over, or does the existing exterior paint need to be removed first (and if so, how)? Could it be the Aquapanel giving off the odour, i.e. reaching 200+C? Could it be both? Am I better off getting the fitter to remove the Aquapanel and replacing with e.g. unpainted Vermiculite board (any other suggestions?)? Thanks....