Newbe to site and woodburners

[Rickshaw]

Just to say hello to all here. 

Im hoping to get some answers to what might appear dumb questions on installing a wood burner.

Ive not done it before so its a learning curve.

Thanks in advance!

[markc]

welcome, always worth searching for answers to your questions before posting. - wealth of knowledge on this site and most questions have been answered already.

Edited January 20, 2021 by markc

[joe90]

Welcome, No such things as dumb questions, dumb is not asking, don’t be afraid, we all started somewhere.

[Temp]

Fire away ?

[nod]

30 minutes ago, Temp said:

Fire away ?

Brilliant as always ?

[Rickshaw]

Fire away - like it!
 

well here goes

Just moved into a new build house complete with chimney. The room fire place opening is on concrete floor. As I feel or touch the sides of the opening I think its concrete. Looking up Just above a thin barrier sheet into the opening there is circular  grey brick or block work tube chimney all the way up . Its got a flap of cardboard temp covering the circular cut-out at the moment.

My first question is does it need a metal flue, does the fire attach somehow to that brick tube. Ill try an attach photos.

[ProDave]

Who built the house or have you just bought it like that "unfinished"?

 

What is the sides and top of the recess made of, looks like plasterboard to me.

 

Normally you would have a stub of flue pipe and a register plate, but I am not yet convinced that lining is fireproof, and I would have expected the flue liner to be encased in insulation like vermiculite but there is nothing to hold it in, so I suspect not.

 

I would be having words with the builder.

[Temp]

Officially  wood burners are meant to be installed by a Hetas improved installer otherwise you need Building control Approval. So perhaps get one to come check it out.

 

Some builders cast a concrete slab/lintel with a pumice liner block/tube through it above the alcove. Above that there are more tubes suffounded  by insulation and around that the square or rectangular stack built from building blocks. These change to bricks in the loft. If that's what you have it might be fine.

 

The pumice liner tubes we used are 225mm in diameter approx. 

 

Below the pumice liners/slab you need an adaptor. This is called a register plate as @ProDave mentioned. Sometimes they are just a stainless steel plate with pipe through it that matches your stove. The plate is sealed and screwed to the underside of the slab/lintel. Sometimes they also have a little door in to aid sweeping but only if the chimney is a lot bigger than the stove pipe. In other cases the register plate is more like a funnel. Thats the type we have. It adapts the pumice liners to the stove pipe. You can get them in standard sizes or made to order online. Wood burners produce tar that can run down the chimney so the pumice liner should fit inside the register plate/funnel and the register plate/funnel should fit inside your stove pipe. Special fire cement is used to seal these joints.

 

Below the stove you have the hearth. This has to be one of two types depending on the stove...

 

1) If the stove is certified that it cannot raise the hearth over 100C then you only need a slab of something non combustible like granite, slate or glass. It must be a larger than the stove to catch any embers that fall out. Must also be 11mm higher than the floor in the room to discourage rugs from migrating too close. We used some 20mm black granite kitchen work top i found at a local stone masons. He honed the top so it wasn't glossy. 

 

2) if the stove isn't certified as above you need a "constructional hearth" that is typically a thick slab of concrete in the floor. I forget if it has to be 125mm or 225mm thick. More on that if needed.

 

As I mentioned the hearth has to be bigger and project out the front of the stove.  This info can be found in Approved Document J Page 38 Diagram 26a.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/combustion-appliances-and-fuel-storage-systems-approved-document-j

 

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by Temp

[Temp]

PS If you have the budget I recommend Clearview woodburners. 

[Temp]

Example funnel type "register plate" adaptor for pumice liners..

 

https://www.woodburningstovesdirect.com/product/232/clay-liner-adaptor-internal.htm

 

[PeterW]

Can you measure the inside and outside diameter of that concrete liner as it looks quite small in the picture. 
 

Also need to smoke test the flue before you do anything - check it’s not blocked or leaking. 

[Russdl]

2 hours ago, Temp said:

PS If you have the budget I recommend Clearview woodburners.

+1 to that. 
 

When we finally get in to our new gaff we’ll be waving a sad farewell to a Clearview wood burner. 
 

They’re not the Rolls-Royce of wood burners, they are the Tesla of wood burners. 

[PeterW]

2 hours ago, Temp said:

PS If you have the budget I recommend Clearview woodburners. 

If you have a big budget then buy a Hwam... 

[Rickshaw]

Thanks for the replies guys especially ‘Temp’ for all time plus the detail and photo that really helps.

I’ll take a look at the stoves you recommend and links. 

I spoke with the foreman today, Its the pumice liner block arrangement.

No requirement for metal flue. Sides concrete as is floor. 

Im fairly practical so I think will do the hearth first to the standards.

 

[Trw144]

20 hours ago, PeterW said:

If you have a big budget then buy a Hwam... 

 

or a bit less of a budget and know a friendly buildhub member who supplies them again ?

Edited January 21, 2021 by Trw144