In recent years log burning stoves have seen a huge surge in popularity, spurred on in large part by the healthy cost savings to be had when compared to alternative heating solutions, but also because they add a certain something to any home. So if you’re considering fitting one in your own home then you’re far from alone.
But be honest – how much do you genuinely know about what installing a wood burning stove actually involves? Astonishingly, many people do indeed start off with just a vague notion that all that’s required is to just hook it up to some kind of vent to the outside.
For a kick off there’s a huge bunch of regulations to contend with, starting with smoke control legislation. So if you happen to live in a smoke control area then you are not permitted to burn wood for heating; and that is that. Unless of course you also happen to buy an “exempt appliance” – a log burner that is so efficient that it releases almost no smoke anyway.
But even then, you have to apply to be “exempted” and there are still more regulations to comply with, including subjects such as building control, health and safety and environmental effect on your immediate neighborhood.
So already you can perhaps start to realize that even the initial ground work can be quite tedious and time consuming. You will also need to be sure that your household insurer is happy about your plans to install a log burning stove in your home (they may well want to charge a higher premium though).
When it comes to the actual fitting of your wood burner (or wood fueled boiler) then you are seriously best advised to use the services of a qualified specialist. Poorly installed log burning stoves can perform considerably below their optimum efficiency and also be highly dangerous.
Professional installers of wood stoves have the tools and expertise to hook everything up so that it performs efficiently and safely. Also, if you want to heat water by attaching a boiler then again this has to be carefully integrated and you may also need to install a heat accumulator to store surplus heat.
So to conclude then; if you want to join the countless thousands who already enjoy the benefits of owning a wood burning stove then be prepared to do battle with endless regulations and red tape, but above all else don’t even think about fitting it yourself. Get a qualified professional.
If you found this article interesting then these links provide much more information about both log burning fires and installing a log burner.
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