Watch This Before You Buy a Woodburner

[@wobby1516]

As a retired engineer who had an agency in Ireland for both Rayburn and Stanley cookers and solid fuel stoves. We commissioned, repaired and Carried out warranty work. I totally agree with all thats stated, one of the biggest problems we came across was poorly installed flues and chimneys. Especially when the chimney terminated beneath the apex of the roof. Many an architect would insist that the chimney system installed on a new house complied with building regs. However, even though that may often be the case, a chimney terminating beneath the apex of a roof as far as Rayburn and Stanley are concerned is a no. If a chimney terminates below the apex, under certainly wind conditions a down draft can occur. We also came across many problems were Tar had oozed out of the base of the chimney and as stated that was due to the chimney being cold. It’s so important to line the chimney almost more important than anything else. it’s especially so when burning wood or turf, as they do in Ireland, coal isn’t quite as much of a problem because of its very low water content.

[@richardsandwell2285]

My stove is DEFRA-exempt with an afterburner system to burn the smoke, the stainless steel flu liner is surrounded by vermiculite. I dry all my wood correctly and test it for moisture. Cannot afford any other form of heating, I am careful with my wood, I have to procure, cut chop and season myself, so if I overuse and run out I have to just go to bed in a coat. I would defy any ban because I have no other option. And I did do all the work myself but did it all to correct HETAS standards. And even if I suddenly became a millionaire, out of principle I would not use energy from the grid system after how they have treated people, making excess profits out of a crisis.

[@Finglesham]

If you have wood burning you need to get a chimney thermometer.Make sure you run it at 150 to 250 degrees C to avoid tar.I have had a multi fuel stove for 19 years that I installed my self. The flue is a brick built in 1977 , when the house was built, lined with 9 inch concrete pipes so it is Class 1 flue. This was specified by the buyer before the house was built. I have to remove the stove to clean chimney properly and I use a wire brush on rods to sweep to remove any tar deposit as burning wood even at a hot temperature will leave some tar. In winter I burn Super therm smokeless fuel that I buy on line by the ton . I stocked up this summer with 4 Tons, what a move. Great video though for houses with not proper new chimney. As for pollution, politicians have made higher emissions flying about the globe talking about it than my stove in 19 years.

[@PercyJackson93]

What's the point in measuring the temperature of the flue at the stove? It's going to drop quite a bit by the time it exits?

[@lindabridges9483]

Is off I have had a woodburner for 25 years as a pensioner I would not survive the winter without it and I get my chimney swept every year

[@robertsykes5014]

My cheap Chinese import that I installed myself 9 years ago, has outlasted atleast 3 European built stoves that my uncle had professionally installed at considerable expense. I did not need a flue liner but I installed one for peace of mind. Yes I have 2 monoxide alarms just incase, and sweep it before use in autumn and after finished in spring. Point is I saved £2,500 doing it myself, and it is still going strong. Keeps my house warm burning wood and coal, yes burn it hot at least once a week to help rid the crap from the flue liner... all this stuff about air pollution is really just the establishment not being able to charge you tax on the 'free' wood you get to heat your home...

[@barrycrump6189]

Well said. We have been burning wood and coal for centuries so why has it all of a sudden become a problem? This manmade global warming agenda and the demonising of CO2 is just another scam to control and tax us.

[@EgoShredder]

Absolutely correct and we need to purge those pushing their usury / taxes from our nations for good. They are currently in full meglomania mode with UN Agenda 2030 "Sustainable Development" goals etc.

[@kieranmccreedy271]

@@barrycrump6189 because the global population was 5% of what it is today obviously. Chances are they weren’t heating an entire house to 21, having 2+ cars per household and shipping in food in bulk from all over the globe either. They only lived to their 30’s too.

[@pumpkinhead456]

Are you people for real? I sometimes wonder if it's worth my time busting my gut to combat manmade climate change. By 2100 science tells us that at least half the population of the world will face life threatening weather conditions, already 200 species are dying EVERY DAY and yet you believe the nonsense you spout. I hope your grandchildren forgive you.

[@robertsykes5014]

@@pumpkinhead456 man-made... its all about taxes... tell me how tax solves the problem MOTHER NATURE is dealing us in on... you keep believing the rubbish coming from all those who tell us to do one thing while they do the exact opposite!!!

[@iandougall7169]

I have 2 solid fuel stoves in my house which I use every winter with dried hardwood. There is virtually no smoke so I get really angry when I hear about attempts to ban them with the excuse of "pollution"

[@peterpusey3206]

Great video I have been there and learnt the lesson about not lining, first the ‘creosote’ leached through the lime morter (you do get a pretty pattern of the brick work on the plaster) then it spreads through the plaster. Managed to push a flexible 5’’ stainless steel liner up from the living room below. I sweep the chimney twice a year and have done for the last decade and its still going strong, as it is the only source of heat in the house it needs to work flawlessly.

[@geza96]

Down under in Australia, I have two wood burners. It’s my only form of heating and I burn wood, soft and hardwood. I burn about 8months a year! Always got a kettle on the stove and a small thermo electric fan, no power needed and spreads the heat around. It’s how we dry our clothes in the winter aswell

[@linmal2242]

I just use the fossils from Bayswater; let them clean their chimneys !

[@observersnt]

Thanks for all your videos. I’ve learned a lot from them. It might be worth mentioning that flue brush kits are not like drain rods with a brush but are only about 8 mm diameter with a floppy brush head that opens up when centrifugal force created by a decent cordless drill is applied. Ideal for chimneys with bends. But a great deal of care must be taken to ensure hat the rods don’t uncouple in use and some are lost inside the flue and can be extremely difficult to retrieve Worth mentioning also that some chimneys must have bends. In older house like mine the living room, dining room and two bedrooms above all had fires in the centres of them but the four chimney pots are in the centre of the roof and the chimneys must bend. As for ventilation, there are some excellent stoves with an integral air duct leading through an external wall to outside. This is especially important in a double glazed, draught proof house and negates the need for providing legally required ventilation. A farmer friend who has a mature plantation of softwood trees that frequently blow over, cuts them into logs and puts them into dumpy bags to dry!!!!! Within 12 months the new stove was belching fumes into the room. Long story short: the wet softwood produced tar that condensed on the cool chimney stack and pot, so much so that all that was left in the 8 “ diameter pot was a hole in the hardened tar of about 2”. It had to be chiselled out about four feet down to get the stove to work again. Softwoods are a bad idea for fuel It really is important to understand and take seriously the fact that stove should be seen not as brutal open fires but as carefully calibrated machines whose flues and chimneys form part of a precise system and things like leaving the doors open results in a massive excess of oxygen which cause a huge increase i combustion temperatures that results in buckling of stoves and their components. It is also reckless to use stoves as incinerators not just because of pollutants but the harm that some materials due to flues when burned

[@thelawdoc8029]

So, "softwoods are a bad idea for fuel." I bet you couldn't supply a cite to any scientific study to support your assertion. If you ever become curious as to the cause of creosote, you will learn that it is operator error. Yep. Burning wet wood. That's it.

[@nigelgraham8890]

What do Scandanavians burn?

[@theaccountant8043]

As a registered installer, I always recommend to my customers that they only use KILN dried wood. Seasoned/wet wood creates creosote, this fuel lines the flue and is a main cause of chimney fires. I highly recommend wood burners, they are now burning efficiently, they can increase your house value, they are proven to be good for MH and relaxation! :)

[@plummetplum]

We can only burn smokeless coal in our area, can you recommend a burner that burns coal or can I use a wood burner for that?

[@TheSpoovy]

MH?

[@theaccountant8043]

@@TheSpoovy mental health :)

[@theaccountant8043]

@@plummetplum Which area is that if you don't mind me asking? A lot of areas classify 'smokeless fuels' rather than just coal ? There are many multi fuel burners to recommend, the portway arundel is a favourite!

[@richardc1983]

@@plummetplum look at the clock blithfield it's multifuel and has literal gas fire controls (meaning very precise)

[@Cruner62]

Love your presentation and reality check. My neighbour decided that he would construct a big stove wood burner in a shed attached to his workshop to burn the waste wood from his business and workshop with a 3m smoke stack. I warned him it would be illegal and unwise to do this since it was downwind to our house and very close to us. On the day he first lit it without warning us what he had done it filled our house with toxic smoke from the waste and in a trench I was working in and almost killed me with the fumes and my wife was almost suffocated. We had oxygen in our home for medical emergencies along with other equipment. I dispatched my wife away and I stayed to try and seal the house until he got the burner under control and save his shed from going up in flames. He was very apologetic and more so when his insurance company paid us compensation for the time we needed to recover from the respiratory damaged we incurred.

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

I put my own logburner in, a 9kW Woodwarm unit, best thing I ever done. Got advice on the flue design from the manufacturer and fitted a new stainless steel twin wall flue where the old chimney used to be. I sought expert advice and did the job properly myself about 6 years ago. I refused to pay the £3-4000 that various installers wanted plus cost of burner. I have a couple of CO2 monitors, correct ventilation fitted under the floor, really pleased with it. Swept once a year but the sweep guy says because of the quality wood we burn the flue isn't very dirty, nevertheless I have a bit of paper to say its done each year. Unfortunately though, I think it's days are numbered, missus wants a loft conversion and the flue is right in the way. 😢

[@SkillBuilder]

That will be a sad day when you put that stove on ebay

[@peadaroloughlin3270]

Maybe the flue can be redirected? They can have preferably curved bends up to a certain angle. (must check notes)

[@ikabod6908]

My old man came up against the tar problem when he put a multifuel stove in. He was burning wood as he could get it for free. His solution was to go to the post office and get some old mail bags, sew them into a tube, put that down the chimney fill it with sand. Then he got an old bath to mix up vermiculite which he put down the gap between chimney and tube. He tamped it down with a home made crescent shaped tamper. My job was to keep a supply of vermiculite coming up the plank onto the roof. I think I was 10.The hardest part was getting the sand out the tube. That was 40 years ago. Every time I sweep the chimney a little more vermiculite comes out but its still doing the job.

[@SteveHit1]

That’s a great story and sounds like a good, practical solution.

[@douglasherron7534]

I assume the vermiculite had previously been heat treated to full expansion? Years ago I watched a demonstration of the properties of vermiculite at a mine. In it's raw state it comes in thin sheets but when you add heat it expands like popcorn...

[@gdfggggg]

Good old times with dad and son. My dad kicked the bucket about 6months ago and I remember the stuff I did with him as an 11yo I would never dream of doing now, lol. I remember climbing up huge ladders with the bend in the middle and the top being at the vertical, I thought nothing of it. Now, I’d shit meself 😂

[@linmal2242]

@@gdfggggg Yes, S G , great times spent with dad and me, after I had left the city office jobs from school and joined the family woodworking business, which had been going for years. Then we built factories and the woodmaching faded !

[@rickyhank118]

Wood is better than multi fuel, used both and wood comes out top every time

[@james-jq8sk]

Always remember as a kid our chimney caught fire and all this burning debris started falling down the chimney and onto the hearth, this went on for 20 minutes or so, my Dad handled it like a boss and saved the day...

[@sahhull]

The chimney on my early 1700's house has a massive fireplace. I have a chairs inside the fireplace eitherside of the grate. The chimney opening is around 36 inches across. I can climb up the inside. You have to watch out if you have an old chimney that has burnt solid fuel and later been used for a gas fire. The water vapor from the gas fire reacts with the soot and that attacks and deterorates the chimney lining.

[@stephencooper6766]

When we moved into our house it had an open fire (very inefficient) but soon realised it was leaking through the mortar joints into the rooms upstairs. Ended up getting the chimney ceramic lined and it’s been working great ever since, even with the multi fuel stove we now have installed.

[@scottyc7220]

I heat with a 9kw pellet stove installed in the living room and have a large pellet boiler (50kw) installed in the garage. The efficiency is over 90% and they both burn very cleanly. They are both automated, ignition is automatic and can be remotely started / stopped.

[@freakeystyley34]

You've got to store the pellets somewhere though which seems like the biggest downside of pellets

[@scottyc7220]

@@freakeystyley34 yes, storage is quite bulky. I usually get 3 tons delivered in one go, luckily i have space in my garage. Another option is to have a large silo, and have the pellet delivery blown in.

[@steveclark..]

@@scottyc7220 How much do you pay for these pellets? I'm guessing that you still need grid power for this stove to work too? Unless we all go back to burning wood caveman style, I can't see how we can stop these evil elite people from pushing their Great Reset on the world.

[@scottyc7220]

@@steveclark.. I pay around £250 per ton, they are delivered in 15kg bags stacked on pallets. Yes, i use grid power but you could easily run off grid. It draws less than 300 watts and thats when its igniting the pellets. My system heats a large 6 bed house and hot water, we use around 8 tons a year. I have bought solar thermal panels, so should use less pellets when heating the hot water cylinder.

[@steveclark..]

@@scottyc7220 Good to hear that you could probably run the electrical side off an inverter/battery bank/solar panel set up then,......you are still paying £2000 a year in pellets though, shocking price everything seems to be.

[@rtreborg8472]

The problem with the corrugated liner is that it provides a perfect trap for tar and thus for a chimney fire in the future - better to have a smooth face liner - one that has tongue and groove type joins. A special sealant for the joins will stop the smoke escaping into any voids. If you can't do it yourself get a good bricky and supervise them or you will end up with standard mortar and lumps of mortar left in the flue liner and blocking the air flow!! Only use softwood as kindling to light the fire and then use hardwood to burn. Softwood with their resins will tar up the chimney in a much shorter period. Letting the fire 'tick-over' increases the risk of tarring - need the heat from the fire to burn the tar off. Use a drill on the end of the chimney sweep poles - at slow speed - provides a much cleaner sweep. The idea with the 'kink' in the chimney is to prevent the rain going directly into the fire - use a suitable chimney cowl to prevent the birds nesting there and stop the rain pouring in.

[@JohnUk65]

I had my log burner installed last year. and I live in the greater manchester area. And I can tell you one thing for sure. there is no way no one is gonna stop me from using it.. they can stick their ban where the sun doesn't shine!

[@MarcusT86]

Same. Going to get one here in South Wales. No ban will stop me. Fuck them!

[@timallen6025]

Excellent informed and nicely thoughtfully nuanced with years of real world behind it, thank you Mr Roger ..

[@whisthpo]

Was going to comment but you said it all for me Tim....

[@highdownmartin]

Had our wood warm fireview 6 kw in our thirties semi for a dozen years. Great stoves, made in Devon. Works very well, I burn mainly dry oak. Got a six foot length of pipe going up into the chimney past the register plate. Then open chimney. Sweeping in once a year I get half a carrier bag of soot and the pipe has the crusty bits in it. I usually run the stove so it’s burning not smouldering. It burns the smoke off and it’s cleaner all round.

[@SkillBuilder]

Yes it is surprising how little you get if you burn hot but it is also nice to turn it down at night so you have a night burn.

[@Boobypoppop]

Same here #highdownmartin, mine is 6foot flu up into a masonry chimney . I am lucky enough to have acces to super prime timber offcut in abundance and, I know it's a real good feeling when the chimney is swept and a half a dustpans-worth of soot comes down. Responsibility is is key I'm sure you would agree. Regarding the video from Rogers point of view, it is worth making people aware of the pitfalls.

[@Apym289]

😳@@SkillBuilder

[@chrisfox3161]

Smug mode. i live in the sticks. We got the best SS liner installed by a Hetas company (along with a Defra stove.) Far wider than required but future proof. Yeah it cost nearly as much as the multi fuel burner but am cleared for smokeless coal. It's cut winter central heating bills by keeping one room and the bedroom above warm. A decision made 5 years ago and suddenly, this year, it's paying for itself.

[@christastic100]

As always great information and details. I had a chimney rendered because the brick faces were blowing in the frost and landing all over the place. It was then painted it in mortar paint and It lasted for years no problems . Someone I knew blew his glass out but shutting down the air too much before the fire had got hot . It made a massive sooty mess . Apparently you can ignite the gas in your chimney and course an explosion enough to course significant damage.

[@SkillBuilder]

Hi Chris Interesting to learn about your render. It was obviously done well. I used to blow the lid off my Yotul on a regular basis because I burned it too slow and the smoke built up then a spark would ignite it and the room would be full of smoke

[@carlb9009]

Thanks Roger, Really clear and well explained, plenty of watch outs. I’m having a wood burner professionally installed so it’s good to know the limitations and what I should look for when getting quotations for the job. 👍 I’m really enjoying your no nonsense presentations.

[@SkillBuilder]

Thank you Carl

[@JORMA-gc7tx]

Absolutely incredible the amount of knowledge Roger has on so many subjects. So underrated, this channel should have 10x subscribers. Huge respect @rogerbisby

[@Dmrdecs]

I’ve had 2 morso wood burners in 2 houses with no liners. No issues in 20 years. Chimneys are designed for smoke! You benefit from the smoke heat in the upstairs room if you don’t use a liner. Tested with smoke bombs before being installed and regular sweeps. I think liners are used far more than they need to be. Lots of profit for the fitters as well.

[@SkillBuilder]

It is the tar in the wood that does the damage and causes the fires. A liner is a small price to pay

[@lewis93156]

Thanks for that. Im currently running a log burner directly into chimney through a metal plate for the stove pipe just above the burner. I was worried about not having a liner, but theres a really strong draw in my chimney. (3 bed semi london 1930s house) Anymore advice would be appretiated

[@Apym289]

When burnt at the correct temperature, tar deposits should be minimal regardless of flue type.@@SkillBuilder

[@kevinbartram5302]

I will burn anything I can get my hands on if it means keeping warm or not.

[@sang3Eta]

Beware of burning plastic it releases cancerous dioxins into your neighbourhood.

[@dudleyjoseph9485]

Great video Rog as usual. I have a chimney which is on the gable of my 18th century stone farmhouse. Replaced the old wood burning stove last year and we used standard stainless steel 6" flue liner. Flue had never caused a problem with the old stove but there is not enough draw with the new stove which is a ultra efficient DEFRA approved Clock 8kw. In hindsight, we should have insulated the liner as I'm sure its getting too cold in a biggish void. The HETAS guy took a bit of a chance based on me telling him the old liner was fine without insulation. Says he can come back and take down the closure plate and push insulation up from the bottom and around the flue. Sounds tricky and will add some cost to the job but I hope it works.

[@SovereignTroll]

Bravo. I did the same. I later removed it and got an insulating kit with ceramic insulation and SS Mesh over it and problem with creosote gone.

[@MrAvant123]

A lot of this makes sense. I have been using a woodburner for years and am very particular about log seasoning. I have a fairly modern property with a chimney liner, and I tend to sweep my chimney every other year because I am confident in the type and quality of logs I use. I do have a lot of spruce logs now which will probably generate a bit of resin.

[@davidsmith663]

Use wood dried to under 20%, measure on the inside of a freshly split log, and always open the air vent so that it burns with an active flame and doesn't smolder to avoid a lot of tar build up. Get a good moisture meter. You can fit your own stove and get it signed off by building regs. Be cautious though as building regs guys read from a book and interpret things wrongly sometimes. I have seen many a liner put in upside down and signed off by them. Hetas engineers may have the ticket but that does not mean they are safe. I have seen many stoves fitted badly and could have been deadly. Also, Hetas called our firm out to a stove we fitted. They said it was incorrect, and when we got there it was. But the owner had had some work done and the builder had refitted it himself (no ticket) and made a right hash of it. We were forced to correct this work even though we had photo proof of our finished job showing how ell the stove was working. Get the correct sized stove for the room. Don't under or over size. Never make the fire up and turn it down before you go to bed. Always make sure the flames have died out, when the vent is open, before you shut it down. Flames = Tar. If you come down in the morning to a blacked up glass you are not running the stove correctly. If you have a cold flue burn a couple of sheets of loose newspaper first to flash the heat up the chimney. this will give you an upwards draft so the fire starts and doesn't smoke in to the room. Good video, but he can't get it all in.

[@steverushaw8761]

Have a Clearview 650 in our 30s bungalow for more than 30 years.. No liner just have the chimney swept every couple of years and burn anything available and a good supply of seasoned wood…the best £800 I have ever spent..the Clearview stove has performed fault free never needed any part repaired or replaced. And fitted it myself. nothing like it for staying warm.

[@SkillBuilder]

I imagine your chimney has good parging. It is probably because the Clearview burns the smoke.

[@1x3dil]

Hi Roger a topic that is becoming more and more relevant , luckily my house was built with a chimney for a wood burner . It’s made of interlocking clay pots surrounded by concrete , with a York stone block cladding which in themselves are roughly 8x8x18 inc . So you could say the chimney is pretty bomb prof

[@TheSoupdragon1968]

I have a similar one, the whole brick mass acts as a heat sink, it's still warm the next day helping keep the place warm......

[@macfan9946]

guilty of having two stoves, one recently added due to rising fuel cost, love them and a great addition to the house, strange how attitudes and fashion changes on how we like to have our housing. once again very informative vlog , thanks

[@johncarr8092]

Hi Roger, interesting as always, the essence of this video reflects ways of heating in the current energy situation driving those who are looking for cheap methods of heating their homes and hot water. I feel that much more information should be instilled into those choosing to go on this route in that by way of using cheap materials to burn . By this lt should be bourne in mind that removing odd bits of wood from skips for example is not always the cheap method it may appear as many constructional timbers contain treatments which when burnt produce a toxic vapour which could well be very harmful when inhaled, and l feel this needs to be addressed in greater detail.

[@ianjames3218]

I love my wood burner which has a SS liner. But perhaps I should sweep it more and I usually burn softwood, except this year. As always another very informative blog. Thank you

[@Alexander_l322]

You need to give it a viagra

[@arnothill]

Roger, I really appreciate your video. You are an excellent communicator, and certainly know your business. Your delivery is always easy to assimilate, and your explanation of the reasons why certain features exist underpins the wise advice. Great stuff.

[@SkillBuilder]

I appreciate that

[@paulgilliland2992]

Most chimneys are poorly designed , usually undersized and therefore can’t draft properly. . You’re correct about the fresh air intake and modern homes won’t get you there . In Los Angeles all new construction codes only allow gas fired units because of the no solid fuel and no burn days. Personally flexible liners are a bad idea for obvious reasons.. Also 6” diameter is too small for a chimney , 8” is minimum. I love my fireplace but on a windy day or evening blow back is a problem. Good information in this video.

[@Crushwokery]

Hello Roger, I seem to be attracted to all your vids whether they address issues on present jobs or future projects but I also watch your content that I'll never be bothered with like a wood burner and they are all interesting. I'm 62 and been distroying it yourself all my mortgage burdened life as most of us do who have a bit of something about them. I'm a source of amusement among friends and family regarding tools. My tool disease manifested itself I think from being an hgv mechanic for 30 years, I just love em 😍😂🤣. One thing I have learned though is knowledge of "Stuff" like in this vid will at some point come in handy because processes and knowledge seems to bleed across trades in the strangest of circumstances, so no matter how obscure keep doing your vids cause I will and I'm sure millions of others will watch and love em. Oh yeah‼️ ⌚ for another rant me finx 😁😎 One last thing send the other legend James my regards, wish him well and tell him he's sorely missed. Thanx for your time and knowledge.

[@TheSoupdragon1968]

You didn't mention clay lined chimneys, lots of UK homes were built with them... From the 50s on. I have one in a bungalow right on the sea. We had a stove fitter come down to fit a stove and liner. When he looked up he discovered a 6" clay lined chimney..... He used an adaptor to fit to the clay liner. Away we went , we never had an issue at all with the old stove, or the new one... We had to change it for a smaller one because of new roof insulation and wall insulation followed by triple glazed windows..... We now have a 4 kw stove that burns wood and coal. Never together. But that little thing heats the whole place..... I'm not on mains gas so LPG for the heating is VERY expensive. Same electric or oil..... Wood is far cheeper as is coal.... Everything pollutes to a greater or lesser extent...... Keep up the good work!

[@hamjamcheeseandspam2435]

Had a chimney rebuilt, flue liner added etc. One of the problems I faced was damp had come into the property via the chimney. So added a lead tray into the new chimney and weepholes in the stack. Capped the unused flues and it works perfectly with no rain or damp getting into the house. Only problem I have are seagulls who now sit on the chimney caps...

[@SkillBuilder]

Polycarbonate spikes work well.

[@tamz2tamz2]

I used to like a good chimney fire when i was young lol. It was quite exciting seeing the flames come out of the top of the roof as a 10 year old. Very easily put out yourself as i was taught at a young age but messy if you call the fire brigade.

[@No-timeforimbeciles]

We have woodburner in living room & a wood fired range in kitchen which has back boiler & runs 9 radiators throughout the house, it also has hotplate & oven, we have stainless flue in chimney, on the range it goes through a metre thick exterior wall then into double skinned stainless chimney, we clean 3 times every year, not had problem in over 15 years.

[@sultanmahmood7539]

Hi Tony how much did this system cost

[@nickhaley4663]

A better idea than a DPC in a chimney is to use a couple of courses of engineering bricks. Same with exterior/garden walls. A DPC will really weaken the wall.

[@davewallace5008]

I've had mine in now for about 9 years with no liner and it's fine. Periodic cleaning (Once a year) and it seals itself. 90% of my chimney is in the house which once warm, keeps the house nice and cosy all through the winter.

[@christophernunn943]

Good video Roger, The reason for the dog leg in the chimney is to capture rain half way up and not come straight into fireplace. Also there's little mention of standard clay liners they probably are the best bet. they must go the right way up, I've seen liners bricked in upside down allowing impurities to seep out into brickwork. . I've installed plenty and fifty years on still going strong. vastly superior to stainless liners. With dry wood you need only sweep once a year if you have the correct set up. I always sweep my chimney from the roof top down, takes minutes and no mess. I feel more should have been said about the all important drip corbeling and haunching up particularly with multiple pots. A good clearance will help shed rain away from the stack and always remember stacks start deteriorating on the top first followed by rapid masonry breakdown further down as the weather gets in. Cant wait to see the shed?

[@SkillBuilder]

Have you seen the price of clay liners now?

[@christophernunn943]

@@SkillBuilder Roger! It’s the best long term investment, stainless are short term just a few years before they need replacement and consider the agro and extra cost involved in the work. In the end doing it properly is going to be cheaper........same the old story mate.

[@TheSoupdragon1968]

@@SkillBuilder probably still cheeper than a stainless steel one

[@stevek3036]

Another great review Roger. Lots of very useful tips I have not seen before after watching many videos on the topic - I'm in the early stages of going about having a wood burner -Rants have been a bit thin on the ground lately by the way!

[@parasinthephilippines]

Interested on your views regarding van lifers self installing Wood burners in vans. Also the alarming rise in Van Lifers fitting and piping up their gas hobs. In a past life I was an emergency Gas Engineer for Transco. Mobile home incidents were a large part of my job.

[@Jim804]

No affiliation but I have two models of defra stoves from Dean forge (Made in Devon) they are brilliant but one is a multi fuel and the other wood only. The multi fuel heats up much quicker but no matter how much you restrict the air flow it burns through the wood much faster than the wood only stove, which takes a bit longer to heat up but seems to stay hotter for longer. The reason I think is the multi fuel has an air gap below the base but the wood burning only stove just sits at the base. In my view a wood burning stove is superior to a multi stove. But if you’re purchasing one to save money and intend to source your own wood it’s a huge effort and you need to do it year on year and the novelty does wear off after a few winters have passed.

[@WG1807]

Wood burns better on a solid base, or better still on a bed of ash about 2 inches deep. The main combustion and so heat emission occurs through the logs and just above the top of the logs. It's important to have a secondary air-source directing some air (preferably pre-heated) into the space at or near the top of the firebox, where the smoke and gases are concentrated above the burning logs. This will give you maximum heat output and minimum emissions. Coal and smokeless fuel (essentially still coal) has to have an under-draught to get it to burn. In other words on a grate, with an air control arrangement directing air into the space beneath the grate.

[@terrynunn4643]

A timely video, the rendering popped off the chimney over the winter leaving just the scratch coat, a project for later in the year. Always enjoy your videos always informative never boring.

[@angryredcom]

Great video. Im going to be opening up and utilising the chimneys in a victorian house im moving to (economical and aesthetic reasons) this has given me some good food for thought.

[@damianbutterworth2434]

My Mum and Dad came home from holiday in winter and lit the fire and went shopping. Came back from shopping to fire engines. Never had a pressure relief valve in the back of the wood burner back boiler. Pipes had frozen in the attic. Blew the settee out the patio doors and put a crack all round the house inside where the wall joins the ceiling.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Creasote forms rapidly on single wall like a cold condenser. Go to double or triple right off the stove for the cleanest flue. Don't let the fire smolder. A cheery fire heats the flue up like you want. Mortar should always be softer than the material. That is why Aircrete is bonded with construction foam. I guess it could be straight lime mortar too but its a bear over a spray can.

[@paulwary]

Another innovation that improves efficiency is a countercurrent chimney, where the combustion air is drawn down past the hot flue, pre-heating it before it enters the firebox. Not common yet though.

[@goodie54321ag]

You mean a recuparator

[@paulwary]

@@goodie54321ag Yes. I believe I have heard that term, but only in an industrial context (eg using waste heat from power stations or chemical plants).

[@kevinbartram5302]

Never mind what the local Authority says keep warm this winter and the rest.

[@jamesswinyard530]

Sorry Roger, after you mentioned factory chimneys all I could think about was Fred Dibnah! But back on topic, a good friend of mine is a HETAS installer and fitted our stove and does our maintenance. He was surprised that I even bothered to take the baffle plate off the stove a couple of times a season. Just an inspection more than anything, but it doesn't hurt to give things a good clean out! I don't get the logic behind burning wet wood - far less output. Burn good dry wood, and you get a lovely amount of heat out of them for little effort.

[@SkillBuilder]

I love Fred Dibnah too

[@marquisdemoo1792]

My mother installed a Vermont Vigilant stove in lovely green enamel but one day left the vent wide open but full of wood and went out. When it took off it started a chimney fire so the draw caused the stove to overheat and deform. After that she didn't use it much. I inherited this stove and managed to reseal all the joints and used it for 10 years. However it has always been a problem to seal properly because of the deformation and it makes the house very dusty, possibly also because the ash has to be removed by shovelling out. Last year, we relit the oil fired Aga so we didn't use the wood stove and the house was so much cleaner. The problem is, given the price of oil has doubled and I have 3 years supply of logs stacked up in a shed, I want this winter to go back to burning wood. I have looked at replacing the stove but need something that can take 20" logs and preferably can be top loaded as the Vigilant was. Vermont make the Encore that is roughly equivalent and which can be top loaded. It also incorporates a catalytic burner and has an opening ash pan with cover, which might cut down the dust problem. However, apart from being very expensive, the UK importer doesn't bring in the full range or accessories. Does anyone know of a UK or European stove that is 8kW+, can take 20" logs, has a discrete ash pan and be top loaded?

[@linmal2242]

Thankyou Roger B for that masterclass on chimneys. Believe me when I say that Aus does get cold and we burn a lot of Aussie hardwood(tough stuff). Great advice for those with chimneys, I demolished mine (shocking design) and rely now on burning the fossil fuels in the up country power station (to power my reverse cycle aircon ) !

[@gino2465]

Best thing we purchased was a fan Italian made which fits on top of our chimney. It has differant settings and we no longer have black ceilings or any smell when we open the door. The dark ceilings happen over time. Like I said best investment we made

[@muppet_magnet]

Anybody with a wood burner should have a moisture meter to measure the moisture of the wood - 20% is okay but the lower the better. With heating oil being so expensive I'm running the biomass boiler on well seasoned wood at the moment. It does smoke a little bit when first lit but once it's going you don't see any smoke at all from the flue, just the heat haze at the top. In the future I may replace the biomass boiler with a newer gasification type wood burner.

[@michaelbennful]

Hey Alan, second the moisture meter point, they're dirt cheap and work really well. One thing to mention is that the sweet spot for for moisture is 15-18%, any drier than that your wood will burn really hot but too fast to really control.

[@totherarf]

I put my own multifuel burner in. There are a couple of things that are relevant that some may not be aware of ..... 1. If your chimney was originally coal and then converted to gas you have the real chance that the combustion products from the gas will have combined with the residue from the coal to produce an acid. This can eat away the mortar making the chimney porous to gasses (which can get through plaster of the room above the burner! This is the most important reason to get a flue fitted! 2. Your choice of burner should take into account the air in the room. If you are running up to 3KW (I think .... check it yourselves) you don't need a direct air vent into the room from outside. This can seem strange if you are in an old not even close to airtight home but is an issue! 3. Choosing a rated burner is definitely the thing to do! You will end up paying more in excess fuel over the life of the stove than the stove itself! Also the modern burners actually are better controlled than your cheap Chinese ones! Also use a thermometer! They have a magnet and attach to the black stove pipe and allow you to control the burn to make it efficient and to stop the build up of creosote in the chimney that is the cause of chimney fires! 4. Fitting a good burner well, will increase the value of your home ....... The key words are Good and Well!

[@nickhaley4663]

My understanding is the bends are to allow any rain coming down the chimney to soak in to the brickwork and then dry out when the fire is alight, rather than going straight down to the hearth.

[@SkillBuilder]

I would always put a rain cowl on a stove

[@GavinLawrence747]

Glennon brothers built a biomass boiler upwind of our town quite a few years ago, the local donkey council allowed it to be built, said the townspeople were going to get a heated swimming pool out of it, and that truck/hgv traffic would be reduced and wasn't that great for the environment! Every summer the cars and windows are always covered in a fine film of what is burnt wood coming from the biomass boiler, which whatever way you want to cut it, burns wood. Also the air at night can have a terrible fragrance to it from the burning of the wood. I'm dead against the dogmatic heat pump brigade, but burning wood is a BIG no no for me!

[@nectafarious8842]

Good post Roger. Perhaps explain the difference between 316 and 904 stainless liners?

[@josoapification]

I started using solid fuel again last year. I also have ten acres of raised peat bog which I have started to use again. I have enough peat to keep burning for ten lifetimes. But I live in the countryside were you do not have the same smoke restrictions as in towns or city’s.

[@pumpkinhead456]

Please consider not burning peat, the carbon locked in peat is phenomenal. The best thing you could do for your fellow humans is ensure the peat is in good condition, and then burn wood if you need to.

[@josoapification]

@@pumpkinhead456 i have a very small carbon foot print already in comparison to most people. Me not burning peat will not make any difference. We still have companies here in Ireland stripping peat bogs down to the clay for people to use in their gardens. I have twenty years or so left to live if i am lucky. My effects on climate change are minimal.

[@240soundwave]

A follow up on my last comment, which has got me some jobs many thanks Rodger. Perhaps I am biased but at the start of this brilliant lecture i think you are confusing people when you mention local air pollution that we breathe in as if it was as bas as burning gas or coal or plastic. Burning wood is a lot greener than gas or coal, the main problem is as you say we have breathe in the massive amount of smoke. I think there is a lot of work to be done on these catalytic converter stoves. Another idea is to do the filtering with some kind of fancy cowl instead of in the stove itself...

[@bidders77]

One of my garden maintenance customers accidentally turned his chimney into a Bunsen burner burning green wood and almost anything he could find. Lucky for him the neighbours saw it and called the fire brigade

[@patrickwheeler2646]

You're really popping out these videos Roger, prolific output!

[@SkillBuilder]

We have to keep feeding the beast. If you stop they make you dissapear

[@sharonclaridge]

Having storage heaters (albeit new ones) I wouldn't be without the multi fuel burner. When we moved in about 7yrs ago we had it lined when the stove was replaced as the flue was very tarry and the company wouldn't fit a new stove without lining it - fair enough. As the chimney sweep only lives around the corner and we share a pub, it's kept well maintained with the only additional costs being a few broken door glasses from dogs chucking Kong toys at it.

[@pauljenkinson1452]

Buy a secondary burn stove since it burns off the gas so you burn the same fuel twice. Also burns off the tar and creosote... which you covered at 11 minutes. 👍

[@danielbuckner2167]

Roger, i agree but have learned after living with a fireplace (SOOOO INEFFICIENT!!) to heat an old country home year ago that the type of wood matters. We used the heck out of that fireplace that had no flu and just mortared bricks, did I mention it was old? I will say that fireplace draughted very well though. After years of use I was concerned about the build up so i bought a brush and wands and low ad behold the chimney was clean as a whistle. So little came out they took a camera to inspect and it was indeed clean. I lump that up to only burning oak hardwoods. NEVER pine or pitchy/sappy woods! I also intentionally burned green wood as the last few logs at night because they would burn slower and i could easily have some coals in the morning to start the next day's fire.

[@SkillBuilder]

Hi Daniel An open fire does not produce the same tar build up as a slow burning wood stove

[@danielbuckner2167]

@@SkillBuilder thats good to know, is the lack of air volume the reason the tar clings?

[@colinmiles1052]

My old man used to do a bit of sweeping - soot was good for the garden! Always remember the excitement of chimney fires...we had one which split the wall open - very scary. Worst outcome was when the fire brigade got involved and squirted water down the offending chimney. Not good for the living room carpet! Good old days!

[@davidbrewer7844]

At last some one who knows not to " break the light" by putting in bends!! I would like to add that since 2022 it is illegal to fit a non 2022 approved stove. These stove are staggeringly better on emissions but many are not without problems. The very best are like the Pure Vision stoves with active baffles that automatically open when the door is opened to avoid smoke back on refuelling- and a lot of 2022 stove struggle with this, even from established makes. Some are also struggling to get the flue warm enough to avoid smoke on lighting due to the struggle some manufactures have had meeting emission requirements. Again products like the Pure Vision have ignition settings that simply open the baffle during light up instantly warming the flue. I would also avoid stoves with vermiculite baffles as they can become very fragile and break if caught with a log when refuelling or during sweeping. If you want a green stove look for one that has a clear skys rating of 4 stars or 5 stars, as these significantly exceed the new regulations on emissions. A good stove with these star ratings will leave your liner a lot cleaner due to them turning potential pollutants into fuel. Also look for a convector stoves- single skin stoves may have the same thermal efficiency but then waste most of the heat into the walls of the chamber where as convectors move the heat into the room. We set up a single skin stove in one chamber in the shop and either a Woodtec or Pure vision in another to show the amazing improvement in real world heat output a convector stove brings.

[@MarvinofMars]

I run 2 insert boiler stoves 12KW each in my house, I mainly burn wood cuttings of building sites i work on, so aboyt 6-8KW*2 / hr performance, it is still enough So far so good, it heats a 500L thermal store 5C every 10mins, so 2 hours runs the Under Floor Heating , runs of a plate heat exchanger as the store is vented. I normally let the Store heat to 75-80c then I get 2-3 nights of central heating source plus ample HW. Biggest issue I had was installation, very few plumbers or stove fitters have a clue on these systems. I ended up fitting all myself, they got all signed off by an inspector,

[@Neil-qo4nv]

Wow...... what an absolute brilliant video. Fantastically top quality information.

[@joytekb]

I recomend Polish brand Kratki . Six years and still going well. Warm and preatty .

[@jamesmartin2325]

Roger, it’d be great to see a video on chimneys that have been taking out internally, but not externally, I’ve now lived in two houses where the previous owners have removed the internal chimney stack to open the rooms up, but have left the chimney above the roof, with little structural support.

[@SkillBuilder]

Great suggestion! Putting up gallows brackets is a common solution but I don't like it

[@brendanoneil3489]

you or the current owner need to get that sorted with building control, potentially very dangerous.

[@CERIHATTON]

Do you have any ide how much weight there is on top of those internal stacks. I bet your looking at 6 tons. That needs sorting.

[@aaronharris5275]

Not sure if it's more difficult or easier to get a chimney installed in my 60s house. I wander if Croydon council would have the resources to check on smoke coming from the house. I might look into getting one to save some bills!

[@shilks8773]

Would be nice to know what the regs are regarding a fireplace hearth if a chimney/fireplace is being brought into use. Some old hearths in front of chimneys have been removed - so will need to be recreated.

[@alithewelt]

Good video as usual Roger and team, main issue is that where I live (Inner Hebrides) the sub 20% moisture content is neigh on impossible. While I try to season all the wood I burn the fact remains that wood in our environment, beside the sea, does not consistently achieve the target level! Unfortunately not enough people recognise the importance of moisture content and maintenance and it does lead to chimney fires and on a still day, a smoky and polluted air at street level - even in the very rural areas!

[@mowtownni4587]

Try storing a week's worth inside, test an inside log with a moisture meter vs one taken from outside.

[@rogerhowell7592]

I have exactly this problem too. I live on the edge of Dartmoor and even with a well ventilated barn struggle to get better than 22, or 23% dryness however long I leave them in the shed. I assume is the fogs we both have.

[@adiem1653]

If I had the capability in my house I would 100% get a woodburner even in South London where I am considering the disgusting state of the gas prices

[@nataliebutler]

Try having electric heating. It will cost £400 a month to run one heater, only during the day, this winter.

[@MikeyUk1982]

Bad advice, you wouldn’t use vermiculite on a flue that is on an external wall! Vermiculite holds moisture incredibly well, that’s why it’s used in gardening. On an external wall it will draw in the moisture and will potentially cause multiple problems. On an external wall you should only use Leca.

[@Mazzaboop]

Found this very interesting so thought I would ask for advice. I’ve just bought an old town house back built in about 1930 that has 2 fireplaces that use to have 2 separate chimneys. Previously owned by a landlord that for some reason got the outside large stack removed. I’ve been in the loft and can see 2 separate chimneys, not capped, no rubble in and have bought 8 sections of twin lined pipe to go in one for a multi fuel burner. They don’t screw together but have very broad clips that fasten over the joints. Am I right in thinking that I’m putting a chimney flue in a chimney to go out the slate roof ( which is obviously closed of at the minute that is safe to do? Also in both bedrooms upstairs I have a damp patch coming through the walls and think it’s a chemical reaction from soot so I’m going to get both chimney channels brushed by a chimney sweep before work starts. My intention is to have a multi fuel fire fitted in the downstairs sitting room. Any contributions are very welcome 🙏 thank you . Marie

[@wes9384]

Hi roger, We are buying our first home, but are not sure if we want to keep the chimney brace in the center of the wall in the living room. the current owner has an electric fake fire in there, which we find pointless and rather just regain some space instead of reinstating a chimney that has not been used for real fire for over decades. Instead, we might install a small Woodburner in the conservatory. Are there any things, in particular, to keep an eye on if you wish to remove a chimney brace?

[@TheSoupdragon1968]

If the chimney breast is in the center of an internal wall or is double back to back in another room. Then it's a BIG job!!!!! All chimneys are structural. Some more than others. The ones in the center of a property usually hold the entire house and roof structure and weight!!!! A builder is probably your best bet but expect thousands of pound for the job.... If it's cheep then walk away....

[@wes9384]

@@TheSoupdragon1968 Thank you for your input. We have in the past time had it checked out and are getting a professional to reinstate it to a Woodburner instead of removing it.

[@francissomadaly4043]

I'm thinking of taking my chimney breast away. I'm aware of the support issues and as it's between two properties party wall etc. I'm planning to get a bloke in to do it but what should I look for? There's a mind blowing amount of contradictory info on the internet. Cheers. Fran (Manchester) 👍

[@markhedger6378]

Would be great if you could do a video on masonry mass heaters, or Scandinavian type heaters they are more efficient and cheaper to run more eco

[@MIck1-10]

Always good advice Roger.

[@240soundwave]

Hetas fitter here, so far as I know (uh oh) a defra approved stove is a stove with an approx 5mm hole in the back or side of it so it cannot be fully shut down. They are the same in other respects, about 80% efficient. The Americans appear to fit these grill type things that do a secondary burn of the smoke similar to a catalytic converter? Any yanks have any more on that?

[@martindavies7034]

Great video very interesting. Question please. Looking at getting a log burner in our living room. This is partly an extension on the rear of the house. Where the burner would be positioned is under the extension half of the room. The chimney can be the required 2.3m from the house wall but how tall does it need to be, does it have to be higher then the eaves to prevent the smoke from getting "stuck" under the eaves. Many thanks

[@SkillBuilder]

Yes you must have it above the eaves and it may need to be above the ridge of the house. You can never tell until you use it how it will behave but in general the taller the better.

[@goodie54321ag]

Bend in chimney stops cold air dumping so having a bend is beneficial originally for open fires

[@SkillBuilder]

I suppose the thermal mass of the brickwork on the bend will continue to cause an up draught all the time it is hot

[@alan36753]

Old school basics well explained with a bit of humour thrown in. How I miss common sense nowadays.

[@SkillBuilder]

I missed the humour bit but I will take your word for it.

[@alan36753]

It’s bad form to laugh at your own shed jokes anyway

[@ybliga]

The main reason clay liners allow tar, sap and moisture through into the brickwork is numpty builders installing them upside down. Thus, when moisture drains down the flue, it hits the join and drains out of the flue. When liners are installed with the spigots downwards (the correct way!!), they won’t leak !!!

[@SkillBuilder]

There is truth in that.

[@_bav]

Roger, excellent video - thankyou. You discussed the pros & cons of pumice and s/steel liners, but only briefly mentioned clay (terracotta) liners. In the early 90s we had a new chimney built from scratch. The chimney is block-built with a cylindrical terracotta liner, back-filled with concrete and topped with a double-skinned s/steel flue to bridge a stone-slated roof. We have a multi-fuel stove, burning smokeless fuel (~95%) and kiln-dried wood (~5%) and have the chimney swept once a year. Your thoughts please? Suitable? Potential problems?

[@wicky525]

Not heard of Euro 5 or 6 heavy truck engines ? No particulate emissions as DPF ( diesel particulate filter ) catches the soot, and then periodically burns it off under high heat conditions, meaning the exhaust tailpipe is almost as clean as when it left the factory.

[@offshoretinker]

Pumice lined chimney, air brick through the hearth slab, clean every 2 years, 20 years burning wood, two tree surgeon boys, never use the installed gas central heating, happy days!

[@noeldoran8884]

Just about to get a Defra approved fire this vid is very helpful Many thanks Noel

[@SkillBuilder]

Glad it helped

[@flyingjackcarpentry9394]

Thought the government were gunna ban these? I've always wanted one. My grandad had a big one that would heat the whole house. He'd pay me a fiver (or a handful from his change bucket) to sit at his cheapo chopsaw for an hour just chopping up all the off cuts of wood he'd bring home.

[@danielbuckner2167]

Hey! Cool to mention lime--- I literally just mixed up some mortar for a repiar yesterday and used lime. Trying to explain how putting lime in which can migrate is better than lots of portland cement to the home owner was like explaining trigonometry to a housecat but oh well. I guess you didnt have time to mention old fireplaces may also need parging if they are damaged. That damage can come from a single layer brick fireplace that has been soaked by rain and is then used. The brick will spawl off easily as the steam tries to escape. The safe method is to build a quite small and probably cool fire that heats the brick up slowly to allow the moisture to escape at a slower rate and not be driven in where theres no room due to saturation from the outside. I also like the trendy look of lime washing on old brick as that holds up well too. Thanks for mentioning the corbeling, I didnt think about the staining issue!

[@linmal2242]

Trig to Puss LOL

[@dazzyd1964]

Multifuel (wood or coal) stoves are cheaper than wood-only stoves AND give the choice of fuel to burn. A month’s worth of smokeless fuel (if used evenings only) is around £100…

[@opentrail]

video full of great content and articulated well.

[@beaverundercover3479]

I can understand why energy price is going up but I cannot understand why standing charge is. I feel that it goes up because it can.

[@andreashessler838]

Slight of hand my friend! They are basically saying "we don't care if you cut down on your energy use, even dramatically. You will still pay us". It is scandalous that the SC is allowed to increase above inflation.

[@annrenee3265]

Brilliant! thank you ~such useful information ~ very thorough and clear

[@andyskelton7223]

Roger you are a legend thanks for this.