28 replies to this topic

[happymanoftheworld]

I DID buy woodburner in the hieght of the 2009 blizzard --- picked it up that very day - took me four hours to drive the 20 miles. Didn't realise how heavy it was so it was precarious steering a ford 1.3 fiesta with the weight in the tail on thick snow/ice!!!

Got stove and chimneys in caravan, next day, still snowing I borrowed the electric saw for the hole in the roof. wife saw me, asked what I was going to do with the saw ..............

immediate end of project...... ......... stove sold one month later on Ebay! (the guy that bought it was dead happy - till the delivery men dropped it on the pavement - not wise with cast iron!!! Now somewhere in recycled metal!

[surreydodger]

Ahhhh, so you negated to get Building Control involved from the outset huh. Tsk, tsk!! Solid fuel buring devices have to be installed to meet Part J B.C. regs nowadasy as well as SWMBO.

There is no route to appeal and the SWMBO's decision is final.

[happymanoftheworld]

...SWMBO's decision is final.

Yep---- coz she has been really good about freezing!!!! (By the way - do you really need building control for putting a fire in???)

[greenmeadow]

Hi,

As far as I now it just needs to be fitted by a competent person which must be open to interpretation!

Green Meadow

[che]

Talk about going off topic this forum is surreal

[shepie]

Check out H.E.T.A.S. website for instalation of wood/ multifuel burning stoves , prety straight forward but always good to check .

[surreydodger]

Sadly, new chimneys and solid fuel installations have to meet Part J Building Regs and yes, HETAS (another 'professional body' formed to grab money) do exist to implement fireplaces, etc.

[shepie]

As Surreydodger says a grab money lot ie . £370 for a one day course and after a test you are a qualified installer well nearly.

[happymanoftheworld]

Sadly, new chimneys and solid fuel installations have to meet Part J Building Regs and yes, HETAS (another 'professional body' formed to grab money) do exist to implement fireplaces, etc.

OOOPS!!!

[Romany]

Hi SD
How did you fit your woodburner? Did you build a heatproof opening for it first? I'd like to replace the gas fire in my static with one, got plenty of wood to keep me going for a large part of this year. Any advice?

Romany

[surreydodger]

Hi Romany,

The first thing I did was lay down two paving slabs to make a 4ft x 2ft base. This creates a heat shield for the base of the woodburner, though once a good hearth of ash is created, not much heat comes out of the bottom of a wood burner.

Next, I cut a hole in the roof. The first meter of my flue s single sking, black vitreous pipe. On top of that goes a twin wall, stainless steel pipe - these tend to be pricey but you are probably better off having this in place to pass through the ceiling/roof. I cut a hole, 2inches wider all round than the flue so as to leave a reasonable space between the twin wall and the ceiling/roof lining. The twin wall gets suprisingly hot so be aware of anything in your roof that might combust (unlikely, but check).

On the roof I have a cone flashing. This is basically like a witches hat with the top half cut off. The brim of the hat is fixed to the top of the roof and then sealed to stop any rain getting in.

Finally, on top of the twin wall, sits a cowl top.

I have about 8inches gap between the back of the stove and the wall. Now my stove has a water jacket (not currently plumbed in) so the back does not get as hot as a stove without one but even so, the heat of the back of my stove is pretty intense. If I didn't have a water jacket, I would put a piece of firewall between the back of the stove and the wall. This will not only protect your wall but will help reflect extra heat into the home rather than get soaked up into the wall.

I am not a HETAS engineer and can't think of anything more ridiculous to become,, other than as someway to earn extra money,, so my advice is as someone who hasn't burnt their house down,, yet

[Groundhog]

"Red Sky At Night Me Caravans Alight"

[che]

"Red Sky In The Morning Ignored Groundhog's Warning"

Sounds a bit scary but probably similair to the methods the manufacturer would use.

[shepie]

Hi you can buy a lit for installing a wood burner in a caravan.

[che]

Any idea where you buy a llit from and how much shepie

[surreydodger]

Go on, explain to me thicky side what a 'lit' is?

[Romany]

Thanks SD!
My static already has flue/chimney etc from gas fire, I'm guessing this would be no good for the woodburner due to the different heat outputs?
By water jacket do you mean like a back boiler? Are you able to heat your hot water (and possibly run radiators or heating pipes) from your log burner?

Just the thought of your blazing fire makes me feel warm (and I'm still in a house atm!!)

Romany

[che]

Go on, explain to me thicky side what a 'lit' is?

Assumed he meant kit but suppose it could be a box of matches

[happymanoftheworld]

Go on, explain to me thicky side what a 'lit' is?

HA! This from the man who wrtes (at top of page) "first meter of my flue s single sking" - Is that like double bobsleighing????

Oh! And you need a roof plate of a type of asbestos ---- specially made for caravans to make sure roof wooden battens don't catch fire!!

Sarah-Jane at http://www.naturalheating.co.uk/ is absolutely excellent.

[Groundhog]

My static has exactly the same type of set up as yours SD but also has 2 rads running off it,they sell the heat resistant cone on ebay,looks like a road cone ! I couldnt understand why it doesnt melt as it is snug around the chimney.It can be used on a yurt as well