Wood Burning Stoves

[expertgasman]

You can't get "cheap" wood. You MAY have a source of free wood, which needs to be properly seasoned and stored to avoid flue problems. Wood, where sold is about twice the price of a 3 years ago, it's called market economy.

Also, the flue it is stupidly expensive, and a decent gas fire is much more efficient than your current one.

I could never be bothered with the work involved in s/f and you cant turn it on for 10 mins when coming home from t'pub.

 

[njkmr]

dont forget the output for a duel fuel stove is around half on wood iff you stoke it probably every 20 mins this will possibly drop to 25 to 30% output if you go to stoke it every 40 mins and once an hour may be 15 to 20 percent
it obviously depends on the stove and the wood concerned
but a 1/4 to 1/3 output would be reasonable if your not prepaired to be wedded to the stove

3kw off heat at the radiators cost around 10p with gas
iff your wood burner is say 8k on wood giving out say 2kw thats a saving off 7p an hour is that time or money well spent when you are probably taking 10 mins an hour stoking tending and cleaning so for 6 hrs you have spent 1hr and saved 42p good use off time and effort you choose

enjoyable yes but iff its to save money dont buy the stove as the hetas instilation flue linning cost off the stove and buying wood for a year will probably be 1k so take several generations to pay for instalation

Thanks for taking the time to work all that out .It is more a labour of love I suppose .My main reason is because my gas hole in the wall does not get used at all .Legend firestrata ,cost over a £1000 and no use whatso ever .I wont put the heating on in the house just for me when I am off mid week ,but i will put a few logs on the fire if its just me in the house .I also intend using one of them eco fans to move some warm air around the house as well .My daughter always complains she is freezing ,because we sit in the living room with the doors closed whilst she is in her bedroom and the thermostat switches the heating off when living room is upto temp
I am having the flue fitted etc as I have been advised the fires work better with the flue liner fitted ,and I may as well do the job right .
I know the payback will be some time ,but I have already started lopping trees down in the garden and have no intention of paying for wood if I can help it .
Thanks Again
She has Childline on speed dial !!

 

[njkmr]

The make of stove is very important, as there's a big range in efficiencies over the different manufacturers, and also a huge difference in how controllable they are. Make sure you're getting a good one or you may well be disappointed, Town&Country are the best ones to go for, highly controllable and very efficient, up to 20% more efficient than cheaper makes. If you get a cheap one you may find it's every bit as ineffective as your current gas fire. http://www.townandcountryfires.co.uk/[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the link there .I have gone for a Franco Belge Savoy Elegance 8kw .Sorry I have no idea how to put a link up !!

I did have a good look at which one to go for and took plenty of advice .I was going to go for bigger kw,s ,upto 15kw ish but was told I would end up needing a wheelbarrow of wood to fill it and would have to sit there in my undercrackers ,so went for the happy medium I hope .
Regards
Rob.

 

[njkmr]

You can't get "cheap" wood. You MAY have a source of free wood, which needs to be properly seasoned and stored to avoid flue problems. Wood, where sold is about twice the price of a 3 years ago, it's called market economy.

Also, the flue it is stupidly expensive, and a decent gas fire is much more efficient than your current one.

I could never be bothered with the work involved in s/f and you cant turn it on for 10 mins when coming home from t'pub.

Your quite right about the price of wood .In fact one website actually stated the prices had gone up due to increases in price of other fuel sources .
Are we running out of trees now ffs!!!!
Regards
Rob.

 

[Norcon]

There was an article in the mail yesterday that said forests in europe are becoming denser if you can believe that.
Probably down to more sustainable management.

If there was no natural gas or oil though, what few trees we have left I think would quickly vanish.

 

[muggles]

The make of stove is very important, as there's a big range in efficiencies over the different manufacturers, and also a huge difference in how controllable they are. Make sure you're getting a good one or you may well be disappointed, Town&Country are the best ones to go for, highly controllable and very efficient, up to 20% more efficient than cheaper makes. If you get a cheap one you may find it's every bit as ineffective as your current gas fire. http://www.townandcountryfires.co.uk/[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the link there .I have gone for a Franco Belge Savoy Elegance 8kw .Sorry I have no idea how to put a link up !!

No worries, and I've heard good things about F-B although never seen one in action, I don't know how controllability compares with the exceptionally good T&Cs, but as I say they're supposed to be very good