REGULATIONSFor DIY installers worried about the DEFRA regulations. Antique stoves do not need individual exemption certificates, PROVIDED they are used to burn FUEL which has been passed as smokeless..
If a stove is not approved by DEFRA then the minimum chimney diameter is 150mm SO THAT MEANS ALL OF OUR ANTIQUE STOVES MUST BE FITTED WITH 6"/150mm adapters to 6"/150mm chimney liners or flue pipes Burning wood inside a woodstove, is a much more eco-friendly option than burning any smokeless fuel on an open fire, but the regulations do not yet account for this. The excact wording on the defra regulations states: - "The following appliances do not need exemption: those burning only an authorised solid fuel." A list of authorised fuels is available HERE SAFETY *It is advisable to get a qualified fitter for your stove installation*. You need the correct chimney liner, 150mm minimum for your chimney and the outlet pipe behind the stove needs to be increased to match your liner before entering the chimney The angle of the pipe exit needs to be LESS than 90 degrees (72 degrees maximum) across a certain distance and the distance from the stove to the wall and the material under and near to the stove needs to fit with regulations...ask your fitter for more details or try our links to help you research this yourself. |
DIY and SAFETY
It is advisable to get a qualified fitter for your stove installation. But it is not illegal to do it yourself. You can follow regulations if you take time to understand them for your individual situation and you can then ask a qualified fitter to approve and certify your work. Brief outline of main rules
USEFUL LINKS
The Log Pile..fascinating tips and very good links The Log Pile ; installation specifics DIY doctor.INSTALLATION .this has very good descriptions and photos.. Stove fitters manual Building_regulations DEFRA authorised smokelss fuels list installing into boats FIRE SERVICE SAFETY ADVICE, more safety finding a certified installer FITTING IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY ecofans...fit one and save your wallet and the planet! FUEL POVERTY. What wood to burn Ecofuel Energy Efficiency Grants Energy Saving Information Why Choose Wood or Biomass...is it suitable for you? Guardian newspaper recommeds wood stoves 2008 GENERAL GUIDELINES Lining the chimney How to clean woodstove chimney Problems with chimneys and stoves |
OUTPUT of MODERN AND ANTIQUE STOVES The test required for manufacturers to conduct when calculating the output of a MODERN stove, can be "adjusted" to suit what the manufacture wants from a particular model. Results are sometimes inaccurate. Antique stoves have not undergone any such tests, and so the only way to calculate the output of an antique stove (without having investment to test them under equal circumstances) is to look at the firebox size and design and try to guess, by comparing it to a modern style of similar design and size IN GENERAL, THE SMALLER THE STOVE THE SMALLER THE OUTPUT. However, multifuel stoves, when burning coal , could always have a higher heat output because coal burns hotter. So do all the smokeless fuels available. MORE ABOUT SAFETY CERTIFICATES These are given for modern models produced in large numbers to the most recent standards and design specifications. Costing roughly £1,700 JUST FOR THE EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE without including the testing fees, it's still not the kind of thing an owner of one antique stove, nor a small artisan enterprise, like ours, can usually consider. This is because Antique stoves come in such a wide range of models, which can't ever be in reliable supply in large numbers. HOWEVER, If you are responsible for a very large stove in a listed building, and it would require thousands of pounds to replace, or your stove is very valuable or integral to an important design or chimney structure it may be well worth having a modern test of it carried out. If you are able to afford this for your antique model we would love to help you take it through the process. TECHNICALLY, many serviced antique stoves, IF TESTED, may actually comply with modern standards but without carrying out these tests under the exact circumstances, we cannot know for sure. |
