The Woodburning Centre
The Woodburning Centre
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Frequently Asked Questions

There are many things to be taken into consideration when buying, installing and operating your stove. We are always able to provide advice to you based on our years in the business and good, practical experience. In this page we have tried to present some of the questions we are most frequently asked and the answers to them. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

What if I don’t have a chimney?

There are many different flue systems available if your building does not have an existing chimney. Please contact us for advice or consult your qualified engineer.

Does my chimney need lining?

This is not normally necessary in a modern building with a lining already built in to the chimney stack. Older buildings with large, stone-built flues may well need lining if your stove is to burn properly. Ask us for advice on your particular situation or consult your qualified engineer.

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Can I connect two stoves to one flue system?

No. All stoves must have their own, individual flue.

What kind of wood can I burn?

Burn only dry, well seasoned logs. For best results, use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 20%, which has been cut, split and stacked for at least 12 months. This is known as ‘seasoned’ wood. There are also waste wood products that will burn as effectively as logs and we can advise you on those. Burning wet or unseasoned wood won’t produce a satisfactory heat output. It will also create tar deposits in the stove and chimney which could seep through and stain the walls or, if the build-up of deposits is severe, cause a chimney fire. Wood burns best on a bed of ash and it is therefore only necessary to remove surplus ash from the stove occasionally.

Can I burn peat?

Yes, in turf or briquette form, but the moisture content must be very low otherwise you run the risk of tarry deposits condensing in the flue.

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Can I burn wood on a multi-fuel grate?

Yes. Multi-fuel appliances are capable of burning wood as well as coal or smokeless fuels. Many stoves have built-in mechanisms to enable you switch from one type of fuel to another; wood burns best on a bed of ash, coal ash should be removed more frequently to prevent damage to the grate bars.

What shouldn’t I burn in my stove?

Petroleum coke fuels or household waste must not be burnt on your stove. Only authorised smokeless fuels may be used in smoke control areas.

Can I sweep the chimney through the stove?

Yes – it is possible to sweep the chimney through the stove. A clip-in boiler installation should have an additional means of access to the flue system to allow cleaning – usually a soot door in the first length of flue pipe.

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Is fluepipe supplied with a stove?

Every stove installation is different and so the fluepipe necessary will be determined by your situation. For this reason it wouldn’t be practical to include flue materials as part of the stove price. We can advise on what you will need to get and where it will be available.

Can I run my boiler stove disconnected?

No. The stove should not be fired with the boiler disconnected or empty as this could cause serious damage to the appliance.  

What about installing my stove?

The Woodburning Centre does provide an installation service and we’ll be happy to answer your questions about that without obligation. All of our stove installation staff are fully trained to current industry standards as recognised by Government in relation to biomass and solid fuel heating appliances, fuels and services, including the registration of competent installers and servicing businesses. When we fit your stove you will receive a Certificate of Compliance and also a Carbon Monoxide alarm as now required by the Building Regulations. Some insurance companies are already asking for Compliance Certificates for stoves - be safe as well as warm and have your stove installed by The Woodburning Centre!

If you are thinking of installing your own stove you will find it helpful to read through the Building Regulations relating to heating appliances. The regulations are designed to ensure the safety of both people and property and the relevant document you need to ask for is:

Building Regulations 1997
Technical Guidance Document J
Heat Producing Appliances

Or you can download a copy here with our compliments.

Document

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We couldn’t include every possible question to cover every possible situation, so if we haven’t answered your question please contact us for more information.

Call The Woodburning Centre on: 028 32643

Ask a Question

We are happy to answer your questions and never try to persuade customers into buying something that they don’t really want or that won’t meet their needs. Unlike some of the very big suppliers in this business, we aren’t simply interested in ‘selling you the box’ and leaving you to work out what to do on your own.