Wood Stove Noises - Clearview vs Woodwarm (and more generally too...)

[Oxbow16]

Hi all

 

I'm looking to have a wood stove installed soon.  We're pretty much decided on a Woodwarm Fireview 5kW for our living room. It was a close call between that and the Clearview Pioneer 400. With a Charwood Cove 1 coming in at third place

 

I was watching all of the videos on YouTube I could find earlier showing the Fireview in action and was surprised by how noisy it is. Pings and clangs and noises like that aplenty. I then read up on the subject and can see that this is to be expected as the metal expands and contracts. But when I was watching videos of other stoves (mostly Pioneers), they didn't seem anywhere as noisy as the Woodwarm.

 

I wondered if anyone with a Woodwarm or Clearview could pitch in on how noisy your stove is? If anyone has (or has had) both, then it would be great to hear from you as to how they compare. More generally though, any experiences of wood stove noises would be of interest. If the Clearview is significantly quieter, that would be another point in the "Pros" list and a step off the ropes.

 

Many thanks

[PeterW]

All depends how hard and fast you fire them. Anything metal expands, stick half a bag of kindling and a couple of dry logs into a cold stove and open all the dampers and light it and you can soon get some pings and bangs from any cast iron or steel stove.
 

Wouldn’t surprise me if they were using warm stoves in the videos as they do draw and light easier so you’ll probably get the same noises from any stove. 

[Bonner]

I had the Clearview which was excellent. Fully welded steel construction but still a few noises as it warmed up. These were not at all intrusive, just part of the character of a real fire.

[Oxbow16]

Many thanks for the replies.  

 

I'm quite sensitive to noise, which is why I'm harping on about this!  I've got no problem with the occasional noise, or more noise but for shorter spells (i.e. just when firing up / cooling down).  I agree that this is all part of the charm.  But lots of noise all the time would end up doing my head in.  And I have read of other people who couldn't stand the amount of noise their stoves made. 

 

I watched a few more videos last night.  This one showed a Clearview for the first hour or so after being lit:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XxzGgnGKeY

 

 

Noise starts at 01:47 and lasts for three minutes.  So definitely as it is warming up.  Quite intrusive but not long lasting.  There are a few more random noises at around 10 minutes, but other than that it is pretty quiet.  Here's another video showing the Clearview noise, starting at the minute mark:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuD6HnyL9X8

 

I could handle both of those, no problem, and it seems to concur with what you said @Bonner  

 

The Woodwarm seems to be noisy in most videos, which made me wonder if it would be nosier all round.  Plus, in some the stove has been running for a while and so is well passed the heating up phase and yet still noisy.  Here are the videos I found showing the noise.  Some are better videos than others (and most having music which doesn't help)!  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF52UVxdLxI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDAdpses4ls

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP7MVjL6BWM

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmPQFedN8mI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfiknx6EeTE

 

This one is especially bad towards the end.  Perhaps the hood is acting like an acoustic chamber?! 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXxBNo855xs

 

 

Perhaps I'm overthinking it.  I just don't want to spend around £3k on something that has me pulling my hair out!  Some noise = fine.  Constant noise all the time = I'm not so sure.  But aside from sharing my thoughts, I've made this a long and detailed post for anyone else looking into this in the future in case it may help their decision making.   

 

Cheers

 

 

 

[ProDave]

Why would you spend £3K on a stove or does that include the flue as well (which is likely to cost more than the stove)?

 

Our Mendip Churchill makes those sort of clicking noises as it heats up from cold but once going and stable that all stops.

[PeterW]

9 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Why would you spend £3K on a stove or does that include the flue as well (which is likely to cost more than the stove)?

Errr .... flue cost £300 here, stove cost ... at least 10 times that if not more ...! Stoves can be very expensive ...!! 

[Temp]

We have a Clearview Solution 400. Can't say I've noticed any noise as the burning wood makes quite a racket while its warming up.

 

What I love about the Clearview is the way you can slow it down to produce nice lazy flames. Not having to clean the glass so frequently  is also nice. Our other stove is a pain as the glass get obscured in a day.

[ProDave]

5 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Errr .... flue cost £300 here, stove cost ... at least 10 times that if not more ...! Stoves can be very expensive ...!! 

It is very variable.  Our stove was just under £1000, ex display model on sale at less than list price.  The long length of twin wall flue cost over £1000

[ZacP]

Our Flavel Aurndel cost £1100 inc installation, flue, cowel, vat... etc etc. 
 

No noise. Exceptionally good at making our bedroom very warm indeed! 

[Oxbow16]

I'm hoping there'll be some change from the £3k, but I'm not expecting much.  Yes - that includes everything - stove, installation, flues, hearth, etc.