FAQ

Absolutely. We are fully HETAS-registered installers, which means all stove fittings, flue systems, and chimney work comply with national safety standards. You'll also receive a HETAS certificate for your records and insurance.

We recommend sweeping your chimney at least once a year—especially before winter if you're using your stove frequently. For heavy use or multi-fuel appliances, twice a year may be best.

Yes. After each professional sweep, we issue a chimney sweep certificate, which is often required by home insurers and landlords.

This is a question we get a lot, and the simple answer is: it totally depends on how much you use it!

However, to give you a good idea, let's talk about wood. If you're using your wood burner for those cozy average evening fires throughout the winter, you'll likely go through about 2 cubic metres of good quality, seasoned hardwood.

Right now, that amount of wood will set you back around £160 - £300, depending on where you source it from.

Now, here's the fun part: compare that to what you spend on gas heating your whole house for the same amount of time! Many of our customers find that heating their main living space with a wood burner can be surprisingly cost-effective, especially with today's energy prices. It's often a really efficient way to warm up a specific area, and that cost can look pretty appealing next to your gas bill!

Oh, absolutely! This is one of the biggest "aha!" moments our customers have. While an open fire looks lovely, it's actually not very efficient at heating your home.

Think of it this way:

• Open fires are usually only about 10-25% efficient. That means a whopping 80% or more of the heat they produce just disappears straight up your chimney! It's a bit like trying to heat your house with the windows wide open.

• Wood burners, on the other hand, are champions of efficiency. Modern stoves have a minimum net efficiency of 66.6%, and some can even reach an incredible 91%!

   

Why the big difference? Wood burners are cleverly designed to harvest the majority of that lovely heat and push it out into your room, rather than letting it escape. So, yes, you'll definitely feel a much warmer, more consistent heat with a wood-burning stove compared to an open fire.

This is a fantastic question, and one we get asked a lot! We're happy to tell you that with the right approach, wood-burning stoves are incredibly safe appliances to have in your home.

Here's why:

• Proper Installation is Key: The most crucial factor in stove safety is a professional, compliant installation. Our team ensures your stove meets all the latest building regulations and HETAS standards, meaning it's set up safely and correctly from day one.

• Annual Maintenance is a Must: Just like getting your car serviced, a yearly check-up and chimney sweep for your stove keeps everything in tip-top condition. This helps prevent any issues before they become problems, ensuring your stove runs safely and efficiently year after year.

   
   

In fact, due to the nature of modern building regulations and design, a professionally installed wood-burning stove is actually much safer than an open fire if you're replacing one. Modern stoves are engineered to contain the fire much more effectively, and their flues are designed for controlled and safe exhaust of gases.

So, rest assured, with a professional installation and a little yearly TLC, your wood-burning stove will be a safe and cozy addition to your home.

When you're looking at stoves, you'll often see them described as either "wood only" or "multi-fuel." While they both bring that lovely warmth, there are some key differences that might sway your choice!

Here's the lowdown:

🪵 Wood-Only Stoves: As the name suggests, these are designed specifically for burning wood logs. They're optimised for this fuel, often resulting in higher single efficiencies when burning wood compared to a multi-fuel stove. The base of a wood-only stove is typically a flat firebrick, which is ideal for a bed of ash that helps wood burn efficiently.

⚙️ Multi-Fuel Stoves: These are the versatile players! A multi-fuel stove gives you the flexibility to burn more than just wood. You can also safely use fuels like:

• Smokeless coal

• Anthracite

• Peat/turf briquettes (if approved for your stove)

   

The big design difference here is that multi-fuel stoves have a cast iron grate with an ashpan underneath. This elevated grate allows air to circulate underneath the fuel (like coal), which is crucial for these fuel types to burn properly. This design also makes them a bit easier to clean out, as the ash falls through the grate into the pan below.

Key Differences to Ponder:

• Efficiency: Wood-only stoves often boast slightly higher efficiencies when burning wood. Multi-fuel stoves will have specific efficiency ratings for each fuel type they can burn.

• Burn Time: This is a big one! While most stoves will give you a burn time of up to 45 minutes on wood, multi-fuel stoves can last considerably longer on denser fuels like smokeless coal – sometimes up to 3 hours or more! If you want a fire that keeps going without needing constant topping up, a multi-fuel option might be appealing.

• Cleaning: The grate and ashpan in a multi-fuel stove generally make them a bit quicker and easier to clear out compared to a wood-only stove with its flat firebrick base.

   

Ultimately, your choice depends on your preference for fuel types, how long you want your fire to burn, and how you prefer to clean your stove. We're always here to chat through the pros and cons for your specific needs!

This is a really common question, and we want to set the record straight right away: No, wood burners are absolutely NOT going to be banned!

There's been a bit of confusion floating around, but the reality is quite different and actually very positive for stove owners.

Here's what's actually happening:

• Ecodesign Regulations (from 2022): What changed from 2022 across Europe (and the UK) is that all new stoves bought and installed must meet strict Ecodesign standards. This isn't a ban; it's an upgrade! Ecodesign stoves are significantly more efficient and produce far fewer emissions than older models. It's all about making your cozy fire even cleaner for the environment.

   

• House Coal Phased Out: At the same time as Ecodesign came in, house coal was phased out. This means you can now only buy smokeless coal for use in multi-fuel stoves. Smokeless coal burns much cleaner, reducing emissions.

   

• Burning Wet Wood (Already Illegal & Always a Bad Idea!): Burning "green" (or wet) wood has already been made illegal for a while now. But honestly, it's never been advisable to burn wet wood in any wood burner or open fire! Why? Because it creates an enormous amount of soot and harmful particulate matter. For the best performance, efficiency, and cleanliness, you should only ever burn well-seasoned, dry logs in your wood burner.

So, rest assured, you can continue to enjoy the warmth and ambiance of your wood burner. The changes are all about promoting cleaner, more efficient burning practices, which is good news for everyone!

For even more details, check out our page dedicated to Ecodesign regulations!