Need to know how to fit a woodburner from start to finish

[Rtony]

I've posted this on Total France with no luck, so I' thought I'd try again here.

We have a good sized old fireplace and a straight open chimney with a new open stack on the roof and want to fit a woodburner, liner, chimneypot etc. & maybe a boiler.
Can anybody guide us through the process , from start to finish please.
We've heard you need a register plate?, stainless steel flexible liner of a certain grade?, insulation around the liner?, a vent from inside the chimney through the chimney breast? amongst other things.

Thanks in advance,

Tony

[0Helen]

When you buy your new fire there will be comprehensive instructions with diagrams.  Also there are many French diy books with general information.  You can trawl through these in the supermarkets and then buy the most suitable one.  Try searching the web - it is amazing what you can find.  Good luck.

[David584]

Tony

Before you go ahead and order your woodburner, can I bring this matter from elsewhere to your attention?

http://brittany.angloinfo.com/forum/topic.asp?whichpage=1&topic_ID=958&forum_ID=7&cat_ID=2&topic_Title=installing+wood+burning+stoves

It may or may not affect your final decision.

 

[Rtony]

Thanks for the replies.

Tony

[Dick Smith]

I tend to agree with David - ours was fitted by a specialist, he sold it to us as well, and the fitting costs were very reasonable (and it was done in a morning).

[Peter72]

Most of the links seem to concentrate on the fire risk of beams penetrating the chimney breast which is a real danger with an open chimney but should not be a problem with a lined flue. Most things I have read recommend about 30cm clearance around an uninsulated liner or use the insulated type, follow the manufacturers recommendations.

However nobody seems to mention the dangers of carbon monoxide, known as the silent killer, and is usually produced by incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. A good fresh air supply to the heating appliance is essential, the manufacturers literature will give you the minimum size of air vent required for the room and should be maintained regardless of how cold it is. I would also recommend a CO alarm of the type that wakes up the whole house before the lower limit of 30ppm CO is reached. Obviously the little cards with a spot that changes colour are less than useless unless you are going to stay awake to watch the colour change.

Regards

peter

[Rtony]

[quote]I tend to agree with David - ours was fitted by a specialist, he sold it to us as well, and the fitting costs were very reasonable (and it was done in a morning).[/quote]

Dick,

Did you have the woodburner, register plate, liner, insulation, chimney pot and all, fitted? 

If yes, would it be too cheeky to ask you, roughly how much it would cost including materials, (ignoring the woodburner cost)?

We have 3 to do.

Thanks alot,

Tony 

[Dick Smith]

Ours was a Godin Colonial, fitted into an existing Normandy chimney, with register plate and the usual (French) 2 metres of pipe (I was concerned about that, but told that it's perfectly OK and normal) - to existing chimney stack. Total cost (inc woodburner) €835, fitted in a morning. I'm not sure what proportion of that was fitting, but it can't have been more than €150 (invoice is just for the Godin). I have seen the burners cheaper, but the deal was free fitting on a more expensive price, if you see what I mean!

[Hegs]

We're having two poeles we already own fitted properly into existing chimneys, I have the devis in front of me.

Materials are eur 646, fitting is 304 for the pair (152 each I guess), both prices HT. This includes sweeping, 13 metres (8+5) of flexible dual-walled tubing, two metres of "nice" tubing where the stove goes up into the chimney, the hats on the top of the stacks, collars on top and bottom.

The big cost is the tubing which is brand Tenliss, and priced at EUR 32 a metre.

Seeing as we had a chimney fire (well, not quite, but we thought it was) last year due to user error, it really is a small price for peace of mind, and years of warmth.

 

 

 

[Rtony]

Thanks Dick, Hegs & All,

Hegs, does your quote mention insulation around the stainless steel flue pipe above the register plate, or a vent hole in the chimney breast, which are supposed to be obligatory?

Tony

[Hegs]

As I understand it, the liner is double skinned with insulation inside, which the plumber said was a new requirement. As to the air vent, it's the first I've heard of it. Mind you, the chimney is old and leaky....

[Rtony]

[quote]As I understand it, the liner is double skinned with insulation inside, which the plumber said was a new requirement. As to the air vent, it's the first I've heard of it. Mind you, the chimney is old ...[/quote]

Hegs,

I read some instructions for fitting a woodburner when I was in Bricomarche & it mentioned the chimney breast vent requirement & showed an illustration of the air flow inside the flue, outside the liner.

After reading the various posts on different Forums I've come to the conclusion that most people are unsure as to what is really required & even the specialists do their own thing.

Thanks,

Tony

[Tresco]

We have a stainless steel liner right the way up the chimney, all costs roughly the same as Dicksmiths - we are in 17, Charente Maritime.

The final decision was, 'where do you want the poele?'. Well, now I know the guy should never have asked me this question. He knew, and should have told me the best position for it in the fireplace.

Unfortunately, at that very moment, I had visions of friends and family, on holiday and drunk, leaning on the lovely stone fireplace, in front of the poele, and burning themselves. "Put it near the back", I cried.

Big mistake. 

The woodburner needs to be as far forward in the fireplace as possible, otherwise all the heat goes up the chimney/into the stonework. I paid for this last winter, both in fuel, and humiliation - well, it's so obvious once someone proves to you that all the heat is rising to the (little used) room above, and TOH points this out at every available opportunity. The horrible thing is, he's right. (for once).

tresco

[Rtony]

[quote]We have a stainless steel liner right the way up the chimney, all costs roughly the same as Dicksmiths - we are in 17, Charente Maritime. The final decision was, 'where do you want the poele?'. We...[/quote]

Tresco,

If what I've read is correct, fitting a 'Register' plate in your chimney, above your woodburner should solve your problem and stop any heat going up it.

Regards

Tony