Relight your fire with a new stove
Systemising your fireplace with an enclosed stove simply makes sense. They are three times more efficient than an open fire, and operate at 80%-plus performance, according to most manufacturers. Fuelled by wood, briquettes, pellets, bituminous or anthracitic coal, a stove is cleaner, harnesses more heat and is relatively safe to leave alight overnight. It can also heat the entire house if you include a boiler, so let’s go over the basics before you get overheated by their sheer good looks on the showroom floor.
The haunting flame and delicious scent delivered by wood is impossible to replicate. Wood is a renewable resource, making wood burners the sustainable choice for radiant heat. A dedicated wood stove might seem exacting but if you have a steady supply it will squeeze marginally more kWs out of the timber than a multi-fuel model, burning it directly on a bed of ash 25-50mm deep.
Securing and storing seasoned logs becomes a preoccupation for the devotee. Erratically purchasing logs in small bundles from local shops will winkle up those fuel bills, but in rural areas, prices for split logs can be keen.
Budget for lining and insulating the chimney for a wood-burner. Pellet burners are highly engineered with superb efficiencies of 5.02 cent per kW (SEIA). They do require a touch of electricity to drive a fan in the housing.
Being able to choose your fuel according to supply is an undeniable advantage. Using a grate ventilated from below, multi-fuel stoves burn not only coal and anthracite, but can also handle wood, briquettes and compressed eco-logs. With a cast-iron build, these stoves are modern icons of design and performance. Bulk fuel supply is the most economical approach. Compared to carbon-neutral wood, fossil fuels contribute the CO2 burden in the atmosphere.
Many stoves act purely as space heaters, but you don’t have to stop there. Back boilers are a godsend as a primary source of domestic water and central heating or as a means to supplement a conventional oil or gas fed system. One approach is to split the heating between areas handled by the stove’s heating system and that fed by the oil or gas boiler. For occasional spaces, a stove without boiler is often enough with doors propped open to distribute heat to adjoining spaces.
Back boilers work on both inserts and free-standing stoves. The amount of energy you can extract from a quantity of fuel is not limitless, and the performance of a stove featuring a boiler will be split between the energy drawn down into water heating and the kWs thrown out into the room. If the stove is too small, and the area draughty, the drop in kilowatts as water is whisked away from the integral boiler will lead to a perceptible fall in temperature in the room.
The credentials of a stove with a back boiler will therefore give two maximum and nominal kW ratings.
Termed an ‘output ratio’ one set of numbers is space heating potential, and the other covers modular central heating. The kilowatts given for a boiler stove varies depending on what it is doing.
The visual effect of your stove can be anything from an insert or plain Bauhaus iron box to a crinoline-edged Victorian fancy. Top and rear flue options can also tailor a fit. Free-standing, the stove’s sides and even a flue pipe add radiant warmth.
For freestanding models, canopies must be well away from mantles and overhanging beams, and the flue collar and pipe accommodated safely by the reveal of your fireplace and beyond, including any necessary bend.
The minimum kilowatts produced by the fire must match the room size, and you will need a high firebox temperature for efficient burn. An oversized fire kept too low can create gases that’ll interfere with the air wash system and flue draught. Heat enough water for a decent bath, and the family might be flame-grilled by Dante’s Inferno if the stove isn’t balanced for both jobs.
Take the dimensions of the room your stove will be set in (including ceiling height) for firsthand advice from a heating specialist.
Q: I have an old Stanley solid fuel cooker and the top is all scaled from cooking — pots boiling over etc. Any advice on how to remove this scalding?
A: Long term staining is hard to remove without gouging precious enamel. Try Astonish cleaning paste, a biodegradable product with a slightly abrasive quality, or a very mild cream cleaner like Cif. If the dirt doesn’t loosen, a soft nylon pad should help. Work when the stove is slightly warm or cold, but not hot and be patient.
Q: How can I work out the size of stove I need to heat my front room?
A: As a rough guide to the kWs needed to use a stove as a space heater — multiple the width, depth and height of the area in metres. Multiply them together and divide by 14, rounding up to the nearest kW. This does not allow for insulation levels and experience.
Q: I want a multi-fuel stove for central heating and to warm an open-plan room. Do I need an inset or freestanding stove in the fireplace?
A: With the right output ratio, free-standing boilers have greater energy potential for most homes and the fire-box is standing right in the room convecting and radiating heat. A heating specialist will have valuable feedback and knowledge for siting and choosing individual brands and models.
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