Installed new wood burning stove.

[mongrel]

Had the pleasure of installing our new wood burning stove on Christmas eve, with the mother-in-law watching, she was up for Christmas.

All went well after removing all the baby bricks from the old baxi to make room for the flue, getting a couple of meters of 5" steel flue pipe up your chimney is not fun!

Never had a wood burner before so lots to learn about stoking and what to burn, first time light it went out after 30 minutes! turns out our Seasoned" logs where too wet.

But question is it better to burn one large log or split logs, sorry if it's a stupid question but installing was easy running it like having another animal to care for, and it did not come with any instructions!

ANY HELP APPRECIATED

Mongrel

[diamond lil]

Wow, very nice ! I can't help though as I burn coal and peat. But somebody will

[preppingsu]

We tend to burn split logs, only because they fit in the burner better and they stack easier in the space we have. I don't know whether it makes a difference or not, heat is heat...

[dibley]

When we lived on the Boat, I used coal to get a corner of the stove hot then whole logs cut to 9 inch lengths stacked on the hot coals once it was going. it tended to burn left to right so we built our hot coal bed in the left hand corner to work with the way it burnt.

Then it was damped down and it lasted about 8 hours which got us through the night. I lit it the same way in the morning, with a hasty scrap out of ash and a restock before going to work.

loved the fire found a house so cold without one.

have fun experimenting as from what was said around the marina everybody did it different and every stove behaved depending on location.

Merry Christmas
Dibley

[skippy]

We found (when I had a woodburner) that once you get a fire going, stack the next lot of logs against the outside of the stove on one side so they dry nicely. Do put something non flamable against the hot metal to stop them getting too hot tho. we used an old roof slate for that. Made it much easier to get it going the next time. also make sure it is drawing properly as that will make a huge difference.
Once it gets going on dry wood then you can add slightly damp ones and it will drive the damp out as it burns.

Have fun .... ours goes in during January

Skippy

[dizzydays]

Dry stuff is key to start. I use very dry sticks and small pieces of coal to get it going. Once you get the thing warm it works a lot better. Some people burn some paper to start so that the chimney warms up and it draws better. Once it's going then split logs are better I think.

my tip of the day - get something round the top of the chimney - bit of chicken wire or whatever, otherwise the birds fall in. They must sit there in the morning, warming their backsides and thinking things over...and then wham! straight down the flue (and sending soot everywhere!)


DD

[TomW]

With our fireplace we use both. Split seem to get going a lot easier so we use those first then add a full log with mote split if it starts to die. Most.of all you can't.use enough kindling, build up a good base or burning coals and your away, pallet wood us great but burns quick. Good luck

[tfish]

You have notififed the state you have done this havent you?

A Wood Burner install is a "notifiable change"

If not and it hasnt been signed off by a HEATAS Engineer the Waffen SS will be knocking on your door to take you away.

[diamond lil]

"the Waffen SS will be knocking on your door to take you away."

Preppers Lesson 1 - tell the bloody neighbours NOTHING!

[the-gnole]

But seriously there is a very good reason to get it signed off as correctly fitted and working, a bit like having pressurised hot water systems signed off, and gas installations signed off, and it is for yours and other peoples safety.

http://www.hetas.co.uk/

Off course there is a difference between saying to others about your food stashes, your equipment stockpile, but only a freaking idiot breaches the safety guidelines and doesn't get the correct safety paperwork done

http://www.hetas.co.uk/specifier/building-control