Hi just introducing myself. I'm from UK living on edge of city so would need smokeless cleanburn. Have an old victorian semi that still has fireplace/chimney in lounge. Not been used for years, just boarded off at moment. Mainly use central heating but last year we actually had more snow than I've ever seen around here before, and my Mum was visiting and I thought it would have been great to have some sort of wood burning stove for harsh winters/emergency power cuts etc. The area is central/southern UK so the climate is usually not too freezing but it does get around 5C below zero if we get a bad winter. The stove would be mainly to suppliment the central heating (the lounge faces north and gets quite chilly for sitting in the evenings) and I would also like one that I can boil water on the top if the electric went off. My room is approx. 14 x 14 foot. Oh and I thought multifuel would be good so I want to have that option. And the clearwash door cleaning system.
I have had one site survey from a local company so far who have suggested that my chimney breast/mantlepiece etc. are very solid (which is true) and that the easiest option would be to site the stove in front on the grate with the flu venting out the back and up the chimney. This would also then give clearance to put kettle on top. They said thought that this would mean sweeping costs would be more as it would take two men to move it each time, unless I had a "ash box" higher up.
My main questions are:
What is ash box higher up chimney breast?
Looking at stoves on internet some quote as having a hotplate for boiling kettles etc. Have read that this is necessary as they direct the heat differently and that other stoves the top doesn't get hot enough. MY sister says one she had wouldn't boil on top. One company I phoned said some are hot enough even without hotplate. As optional emergency cooking is one of my main criteria I'd like some clarification on this.
How do chimney's get swept once you have a stove? Do they all need removing each time anyway? Is it once a year that this needs doing? (bearing in mind my intended usage wouldn't be too heavy).
Any ideas on lifespan of say a mid-range multipfuel stove with light usage?
I also wanted to try roasting some chestnuts in it are there any special requirements?
If the whole thing gets too expensive/complicated I may just get the chimney swept so I could use an open fire if it got really cold but I can see myself never bothering with using that as it's more hassle to keep remove/replace draught excluding board etc.
Hope this is in the correct section.
Fifi
I have had one site survey from a local company so far who have suggested that my chimney breast/mantlepiece etc. are very solid (which is true) and that the easiest option would be to site the stove in front on the grate with the flu venting out the back and up the chimney. This would also then give clearance to put kettle on top. They said thought that this would mean sweeping costs would be more as it would take two men to move it each time, unless I had a "ash box" higher up.
My main questions are:
What is ash box higher up chimney breast?
Looking at stoves on internet some quote as having a hotplate for boiling kettles etc. Have read that this is necessary as they direct the heat differently and that other stoves the top doesn't get hot enough. MY sister says one she had wouldn't boil on top. One company I phoned said some are hot enough even without hotplate. As optional emergency cooking is one of my main criteria I'd like some clarification on this.
How do chimney's get swept once you have a stove? Do they all need removing each time anyway? Is it once a year that this needs doing? (bearing in mind my intended usage wouldn't be too heavy).
Any ideas on lifespan of say a mid-range multipfuel stove with light usage?
I also wanted to try roasting some chestnuts in it are there any special requirements?
If the whole thing gets too expensive/complicated I may just get the chimney swept so I could use an open fire if it got really cold but I can see myself never bothering with using that as it's more hassle to keep remove/replace draught excluding board etc.
Hope this is in the correct section.
Fifi