Wood Burning StoveGuide to Buying and Installing a

Introduction 03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Buying and Choosing the Stove 04. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pellet Versus Log 05. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cast Iron Versus Welded Steel 06. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How Many Rooms Will it Heat 07. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Installation 09. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How Will it Fit in Your Home 08. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Where do you start?How do you install it securely? How do you keep your wood burning stove in good condition?

Buying and installing a wood burning stove is a daunting prospect all the same.

A wood burning stoveis a beautiful thing.

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Size and layout of your homeOptions availableYour preferences

Before buying a stove, you should consider the following:

Buying and choosing the Stove

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More convenientTypically o�er automatic ignitionLess messy when storing fuel indoors

O�er more of a ‘real fire’ feelCheaper

This will be one of your first decisions when shopping for a wood burning stove.

Pellet versus Log

These are subjective concerns, but it’s good to know your preferences before buying.

Pellet stoves:

Log stoves:

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When choosing the material you’d like in your stove, the two main options are cast iron or welded steel. Your main concerns here are aesthetic and price.

SimplerLess decorativeMore modern in designCheaper

Stoves in a period drama or a western, for instance, are usually cast iron.

Cast iron stoves used to require more maintenance, and welded stoves had a reputation for being inflexible, as they had fewer replaceable parts. However, as both designs have improved in recent years, these di�erences no longer apply.

Cast Iron versus Welded Steel

More traditionalUsually more ornateHeavierMore expensive

Cast iron stoves: Welded stoves:

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DimensionsStyle Décor

Before buying your new stove, look at the room you have in mind for it, particularly its:

How will it fit in your home?

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Age of your property State of its insulation

Will you be using it along with radiators?How big is the room you want it to heat?

CONSIDER:

Will it heat one room or more?

An open-plan room is probably best suited to a stove.

Remember, bigger isn’t necessarily better. It’s important to pick the right size stove for the space available, and to take existing sources of heat into account.

WeightSturdinessStrength

LocationOperationMaintenance

Part of the appeal of a stove is its:

This means you should have a thorough plan for installing it. They are unwieldy, and the clearer your plan, the smoother it will go.

Even if the stove is installed by the seller or by a third party, you will be responsible for:

Installing a Stove

Here are some things to consider before

installation:

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Some people like the stove to be the central focus of a living room, while others prefer to have it in the kitchen. In an open-plan home, a communal living space is o�en the preferred location for the stove.

Another key consideration is the chimney. While it’s not essential to install the stove directly in line with the chimney, make sure that the stove’s pipe is central in the home’s foundation, ideally directly under a main support beam.

Choose the location carefully

A wood burning stove will generate immense heat – more so than other heating appliances such as radiators. Owners of wood burning stoves should consider this before installing one.

There should be ample room for the stove to generate such heat without getting so close to walls, floors or roofs to damage them.

It should also be a safe distance from combustible materials, such as rugs, curtains, or picture frames. The stove’s manufacturer will provide a clearance rating guide.

Consider ‘clearance rating’

The surrounding floor requires appropriate floor pads to absorb heat and possible stray sparks and embers.

A non-combustible floor pad is essential for your stove’s base. Ideally, your stove should be standing on brick, marble, ceramic tile or another non-combustible substance.

Prepare the floor

Heat shields on the walls are also important, further reducing the risk of damage or fire.

These heat shields should be considered when you’re examining the space and clearance requirements for your stove.

Prepare the wall

Stoves are heavy and cumbersome so if moving one yourself, follow health and safety regulations.

Use levering tools if necessary to roll the stove into position.

Move it carefully

Whether it’s an existing chimney or a new one specially installed for your stove, make sure it’s clean and well-maintained to ensure your home is safe.

Connect it to a chimney A stove is not a sophisticated machine, but it still demands meticulous attention to detail to ensure safe, clean and enjoyable use. If you’re in any doubt, enlist a qualified professional to install or advise on the maintenance of your stove.

A wood burning stove is an ingeniously simple invention, which goes some way to explaining why it remains a popular staple of homes a�er so many centuries. With just a little research and preparation, it will prove a huge addition to your home, providing years of warmth, cosiness and happy memories.

Consider professional assistance

Before installing, make sure that you’re allowed to do so. Check your building’s planning permission and your home insurance.

Check planning permission and insurance

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