Planning permission for wood burning stove or DIY

[HawkEye244]

Hello all,
I'm contemplating making an opening into the fireplace in one of my bedrooms at the lowest point in the house and intend to fit a 5k log burner in anticipation that the heat will rise through the house.

I will have the chimney swept plus a smoke test. And will find out if its first for purpose. If it is, I intend to fit a suitable hearth and make sure the wood burner I buy will be a sensible for the hole. The flue will be directed up into the existing hole but I am not looking to take the cost of living the whole chimney stack.

I may decide I don't want the wood burner in the future and may remove it to sell, or give to someone else. So my question is : is this ok ?
I would look for a DEFRA approved wood burner.

Many thanks for any tips.

 

[cdbe]

Wood burners come under building regs - you need to have it installed and certified by a HETAS engineer or certified by Building Control if installing yourself.

 

[cwhaley]

I put a wood burner in in 2017 and was quoted £220 by the council for an inspection.

I couldn't understand why it was so high, so I never paid it and just went ahead putting the burner in, complying to all regs as I had 'approved document J' to go from during the whole install. If the stack is sound and the liner of good quality all you really need focus on is ensuring there are no combustibles nearby.

I've had two different chimney sweeps since then and both said the install is absolutely fine. Depending on the age of your house, the heat may not rise up as much as you anticipate -- it takes a good number of hours before the chill is taken off the house (without the heating on) and it never warms it up alone up there.

When we move, a buyer can either get indemnity insurance or I can take the stove with me!

 

[jlaw]

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[jlaw]

I put a wood burner in in 2017 and was quoted £220 by the council for an inspection.

I couldn't understand why it was so high, so I never paid it and just went ahead putting the burner in, complying to all regs as I had 'approved document J' to go from during the whole install. If the stack is sound and the liner of good quality all you really need focus on is ensuring there are no combustibles nearby.

I've had two different chimney sweeps since then and both said the install is absolutely fine. Depending on the age of your house, the heat may not rise up as much as you anticipate -- it takes a good number of hours before the chill is taken off the house (without the heating on) and it never warms it up alone up there.

When we move, a buyer can either get indemnity insurance or I can take the stove with me!

And between now and then, in the event your house burns down you'll be uninsured.

I'd rather pay the few hundred quid and never think about it again.

 

[cwhaley]

And between now and then, in the event your house burns down you'll be uninsured.

I'd rather pay the few hundred quid and never think about it again.

Golden rule -- never leave a stove or fire unattended!

The house had a working fire in place of it at the time of purchase anyway, which was declared but not signed off as it had been there since 1947 --how would that be covered?

 

[jlaw]

Golden rule -- never leave a stove or fire unattended!

The house had a working fire in place of it at the time of purchase anyway, which was declared but not signed off as it had been there since 1947 --how would that be covered?

Not sure what 'declared' means or who the existing fire was declared too, but obviously regs are continuously updated and change over time.

The view taken would be - at the time of install does whatever it is comply with the regs at that time yes/no.

Not knocking your approach, each to their own and all that, just saying that its not much ££ to not have to worry about falling asleep in the armchair.

 

[cwhaley]

Not sure what 'declared' means or who the existing fire was declared too, but obviously regs are continuously updated and change over time.

The view taken would be - at the time of install does whatever it is comply with the regs at that time yes/no.

Not knocking your approach, each to their own and all that, just saying that its not much ££ to not have to worry about falling asleep in the armchair.

Declared means it was declared on the house insurance. It is an original feature but has never been subjected to any modern regs as there has never been a legal requirement for this. In the event of a fire which was determined to be caused by the stove, how would they know when the stove was installed? It could have been put in before the 2010 regs.

I do understand your point, but all that really matters is that the flue is swept and inspected twice a year, I have detectors and that I never leave it unattended. These measures ensure there isn't a fire. My sweep gives me two certificates a year and I know it's safe.

 

[jlaw]

Declared means it was declared on the house insurance. It is an original feature but has never been subjected to any modern regs as there has never been a legal requirement for this. In the event of a fire which was determined to be caused by the stove, how would they know when the stove was installed? It could have been put in before the 2010 regs.

I do understand your point, but all that really matters is that the flue is swept and inspected twice a year, I have detectors and that I never leave it unattended. These measures ensure there isn't a fire. My sweep gives me two certificates a year and I know it's safe.

All good matey - like I said each to their own.

But I'm sure if there was a fire they'd be looking at things like the stove model, flue parts etc. to ascertain dates. Asking for invoices from your chimney sweeps, contacting both your sweeps to make sure legit, asking about the install . . . . "oh yeah, he did ask me if it was ok as he put it in himself"

I've had two different chimney sweeps since then and both said the install is absolutely fine.

 

[Mottie]

Over our allotment, one of the plot holders has built his own shed. It has double glazed patio doors and....a wood burning stove. In the dark winter months, he walks over there most evenings with a few friends and they have a pop-up pub!

 

[cwhaley]

But I'm sure if there was a fire they'd be looking at things like the stove model, flue parts etc. to ascertain dates. Asking for invoices from your chimney sweeps, contacting both your sweeps to make sure legit, asking about the install . . . . "oh yeah, he did ask me if it was ok as he put it in himself"

And they'd find all they needed. Certs confirm it's all to regulations and the sweeps have never questioned who put it in.

As I say -- be sensible and safe with it and you won't have a fire.

 

[jlaw]

And they'd find all they needed. Certs confirm it's all to regulations and the sweeps have never questioned who put it in.

As I say -- be sensible and safe with it and you won't have a fire.

Sorry must have been me misunderstanding, I thought you had said you didn't have the certs to confirm its to regs. All Good

 

[big-all]

worth mentioning iff you go the building control route you are required to inform them before you start then install to part j and comply with any stipulations building control require [like comply with part "J" and special requirements off stove manufacturer] or what ever else like staged visits

 

[bernardgreen]

I will have the chimney swept plus a smoke test.

Smoke tests can fail to find a leak where the mortar in the brickwork has cracked, A trickle of cold smoke finding it's way into the space between a ceiling and the floor above for a few minutes is harmless and may easily go un-detected. A persistent leak of hot flue gases into the same space is a fire risk.

Use a HETAS installer to line the chimney

 

[HawkEye244]

Thanks everyone for commenting.

I'm interested to know why a wood burner needs to be monitored like an open fire would? It is an enclosed burner, so why can it not be left unattended ?