Hove BN3 — Chimney Stack Rebuild & ECOSY+ Hampton XL Installation

The Brief

Martin’s Hove home is a classic period property — the kind of tall, elegant terrace you find throughout BN3, with high ceilings, ornate coving and original features throughout. The existing fireplace had a Victorian style surround housing an old gas fire — presentable on the surface but masking a chimney that needed serious attention before any stove installation could take place.
This wasn’t going to be a straightforward job. A full survey revealed the chimney stack needed rebuilding, the existing liner was unsuitable and the coastal location — just a short distance from the seafront — meant an anti-downdraft cowl was essential.
Martin trusted us to handle the full scope of the project from top to bottom.

This is exactly the kind of complex, multi-stage installation where our expertise and attention to detail makes all the difference.

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The Work

Step 1 — Removal of the Victorian Surround and Gas Fire
The Victorian style surround and gas fire were removed, revealing the original fireplace chamber beneath. With the surround gone, the true scale of the chimney breast became clear — a beautifully proportioned feature that deserved to be shown off properly.

Step 2 — Fireplace Chamber Opening
The fireplace chamber was carefully opened out to its existing structural dimensions — maximising the opening size and creating the perfect proportions for the ECOSY+ Hampton XL stove.

Step 3 — Brickwork Cleaning and Repointing
The exposed brickwork inside the chamber was thoroughly cleaned and repointed. This is painstaking work but essential — properly repointed brickwork ensures the structural integrity of the fireplace and provides a sound base for everything that follows.

Step 4 — Chimney Stack Rebuild
Up on the roof, the chimney stack was in poor condition. We rebuilt it three courses down — removing the deteriorated brickwork, rebuilding with fresh courses and ensuring the stack was structurally sound and correctly aligned. This is specialist work that requires experience, confidence at height and a thorough understanding of chimney construction.

Step 5 — Reflaunch and Pot Reseating
The chimney stack was professionally relaunched — the mortar cap around the top of the stack was rebuilt to shed water and protect the brickwork below. The chimney pots were reseated correctly on the new launch, ready for the liner and cowl installation.

Step 6 — Midtec 316 Liner Installation with Anti-Downdraft Cowl
A premium 316 grade stainless steel flexible flue liner from Midtec was installed — a high grade liner and the correct choice for a coastal property where salt air accelerates corrosion. An anti-downdraft cowl was fitted at the top of the liner — essential for a chimney in this exposed coastal location, where prevailing winds off the sea can cause downdraught issues that affect stove performance and safety.

Step 7 — Full Chimney Breast Plaster
The entire chimney breast was stripped back and fully replastered from top to bottom — creating the clean, smooth finish that makes the ECOSY+ Hampton XL the undeniable focal point of the room. The contrast between the fresh plaster and the ornate white coving above is stunning.

Step 8 — Black Granite Tile Hearth
A sleek black granite tile hearth was installed — a bold, elegant choice that grounds the whole installation and provides a striking contrast against the light plaster of the chimney breast.

Step 9 — ECOSY+ Hampton XL Installation
The ECOSY+ Hampton XL wood burning stove was installed, connected to the new Midtec liner and commissioned. In this setting — tall chimney breast, period proportions, fresh plaster — it looks absolutely at home.

Step 10 — Full Waste Removal and Clean
On completion, all waste was removed from site and Martin’s home was left completely clean and tidy. We take pride in leaving every home as clean as we found it — if not cleaner.

Step 11 — HETAS Sign-Off
As HETAS registered installers, we issued a full Certificate of Compliance on completion — giving Martin complete peace of mind and keeping his home insurance fully valid.

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The Result

This is one of the most comprehensive installations we’ve completed — from chimney stack rebuild on the roof to the finished stove in the living room, every element of this project required skill, experience and meticulous attention to detail.
The finished result speaks for itself. A stunning ECOSY+ Hampton XL set into a beautifully plastered chimney breast with a sleek black granite hearth — in a period Hove home that now has a fully safe, HETAS certified, high efficiency heating system built to last for decades.

Martin’s house was left spotless. Job done. 

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About the Stove — ECOSY+ Hampton XL 5KW

The ECOSY+ Hampton XL is a large, high efficiency wood burning stove with a commanding presence and a beautiful large glass door.

Key features include:

 

• 5KW+ heat output — ideal for larger living rooms and open plan spaces
• Ecodesign Ready — exceeds current clean air standards
• High efficiency — up to 80% efficiency rating
• Large glass door — outstanding fire viewing experience
• Classic styling — suits both traditional and contemporary interiors
• About the Liner — Midtec 316 Stainless Steel

 

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Thinking of a  Stove Installation in Hove?

Whether your project is straightforward or complex — chimney rebuilds, coastal installations, period properties — we have the expertise to handle it. We serve Hove, Brighton, Portslade, Shoreham-by-Sea and across coastal East and West Sussex.
We offer free, no-obligation surveys and will always give you an honest assessment of exactly what your chimney needs before any work begins.

📞 Call us: 07526 228785
💬 WhatsApp us directly
📧 Email: hello@sasstoves.com
🌐 Or fill in our contact form at surreyandsussexstoves.com

Surrey and Sussex Stoves — HETAS registered stove installers serving Surrey and West Sussex. Ignite Warmth, Install Quality.