Nowadays it is always important to ensure all regulations are followed when dealing with any fuel burning appliances in the home. Failure to do this in some cases may have repercussions should you try to sell the house or dwelling in the future.Assuming there is an existing fireplace in the home with an existing masonry class 1 chimney the fitting of a woodburning or multifuel stove whether it is of traditional or a modern/contemporary design should not present any great problems.It is always wise to consult a qualified woodburning stove fitter such as a Hetas engineer for the fitting of the woodburning stove to ensure all regulations are met and the stove is fitted safely. Visit www.hetas.co.uk for more information.
In the case where a new woodburning or multifuel stove is to be fitted in the home with an internal or external class 1 double insulated stainless steel flue, consult your local building control department to ensure the fitter complies with all local regulations. In some areas building control may require an application for the work and issue a certificate after the fitting showing that the work has been carried out to the required standard.
Download ref:building control regulations UK 2002 approved document section J
Always have your chimney smoke tested if it has been out of use for a long period of time and have it properly cleaned by a registered chimney sweep in your area. A proper smoke test is important for an old unused masonry or clay lined chimney. As a rule of thumb always line unlined masonry chimneys with a twinwall stainless steel flexible flue for solid fuel burning before fitting your woodburning or multifuel stove. The flexible flue is connected to a section of rigid enamelled pipe from the woodburning or multifuel stove with a flue adapter. It is recommended in the case of a chimney already fitted with clay liners that this is also lined as above if the cross section area of the clay liner is 20% greater than the cross section area of the stove pipe from the woodburning or multifuel stove. This ensures that the stove does not draw more air into the fire chamber than is needed and results in better control of the woodburning stove with better combustion and hence higher efficiency. Always ensure that the rigid fluepipe from the woodburning stove is properly sealed when entering a masonry or clay lined chimney. This is normally achieved with the use of a metallic register plate. Failure to do this will result in great inefficiency of the woodburning stove and can lead to toxic fumes entering the living quarters.
When fitting a traditional cast-iron multifuel stove into a fireplace opening lined with a NON COMBUSTABLE material most manufacturers advise a space of 150mm either side of the stove and a minimum of 50 mm clearance at the back of the multifuel stove. Always consult the manufacturers fitting instruction manual on the stove or seek advice from a registered fitter before adjusting the fireplace opening for your multifuel stove. Visit www.hetas.co.uk for further information.
When constructing the hearth to support the stove, the hearth must be made of non-combustible material and should be 125 mm in depth extending a minimum of 300mm from the door of the stove and a minimum of 150mm either side of the stove. Be careful with this one as I have always recommended that the hearth extends slightly more than the door when it is in the fully opened position bearing in mind that most multifuel stoves now have a large single door. The reason for this is purely for safety. Fine hot ash can lies at the base of the door inside and may fall when the door is opened. It is also safer for ash removal from beneath the multifuel stove, reducing the risk of hot embers falling onto a non-combustible surface. It is always recommended to use an ash caddy when removing ash, purchasable at your local hardware store.
All woodburning or multifuel stoves require ventilation to the outside world if the output is greater than 5 kilowatts. Your approved hetas installer can advise you on this or visit www.hetas.co.uk for more information.Many contemporary/modern woodburning or multifuel stoves are now provided with a 120 mm inlet at the base of the back of the stove for this purpose. It is a clever system as it means this is can be directly connected to the outside and the air is then drawn directly into the base of the woodburning stove when the fire is lit. This method eliminates draughts in the room which can be felt with an indirect vent in the wall.
9th June 2009
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