Where can I install a stove?

This is a huge subject, but like with all my videos I have tried to condense the information into as shorter video as I possibly can. There's a lot in here, so you might need to repeat bits, but I hope it's helpful.
If you have any questions please feel free to drop me a comment!

[@esme6346]

Very helpful for my small house, working out where my burner must site. Knowledge is power! Thank you

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks a lot. If any of you have any questions that I haven’t answered, let me know (it might be worth another video)!

[@natashabailey6091]

Great video!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Very informative!!!🤗😁

[@TurnFullCircle]

Great info...I am looking forward to my first stove to be fitted at the end of January. Can't wait! - your videos have given me food for thought...cheers

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks a lot, I hope you enjoy the new stove, and Happy Christmas and New Year too.

[@TurnFullCircle]

@The Tortoise Thanks...hope you have a fantastic new year, too...cheers

[@Blutz_monkey]

Thank you that was a really informative and well presented video.

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks a lot. Glad it was of use.

[@sidperry7748]

The flue in your video @9:38 shows it above the two lower roof lights but below the top roof light opening ? I am a bit confused ? You said it must be 1 metre above the opening , can you please explain why the top one is OK in that position, thanks

[@TheTortoise]

It is probably a trick of the eye. The flue on that property does go above the upper window. You can also avoid this reg if the window cannot be opened.

[@acsiata]

Pls make a comprehensive how to install video . Honestly this is what lead me to this channel, looking for a "how to install video"

[@TheTortoise]

This is a huge subject and every state has its own regulations, so it’s a very tricky thing to do on a global platform. But I have been thinking of making a few more videos about installation.

[@acsiata]

@@TheTortoise Most of us are interested on how it might be done safely and correctly in some cabin or off grid , remote situation ( why else look it up on KZbin ? ) . For city use of course you need permits and have to abide with all sorts of different regulations.

[@TheTortoise]

@@acsiata sadly these particular type of off grid installations are by their very nature, not safe. It needs to be handled carefully and even in experienced hands it remains risky. It’s a bit like explaining how to race a car round a track. What you’re doing is already not safe and risky, so you learn more about a subject until you can manage the risk yourself. Educating people in this industry is my primary aim, so this knowledge does come. But not in 1 video, it would need to be a very long video.

[@acsiata]

@@TheTortoise Here's the reality. People need to do do these installs and not everyone has access to a 5-10K proper installation, in most counties around the world that's 1-2 years salary. Besides people have been using stoves to heat for centuries if not millennia. It's not exactly rocket science. But If few people provide proper guides, the jobs are still going to be done (just badly) . It's food for thought (i already found the necessary instructions, will start the job in the spring ). Thx for your time :)

[@sarahjackson8212]

I’ve just had a stove fitted which I’ve got a couple of concerns about . Firstly the fire surround that I have is wood and is close to the wood burner 900mm. Secondly although it’s a Victorian house and there was a chimney stack that was removed , so we go from a flexible liner to a twin wall flue going out of the slate roof . Where the twin wall goes through the underlay felt it touches the twin wall flue , do you think this is safe as it’s combustible , when I mentioned this to fitter he said it’s fine twin wall doesn’t get hot … I’ve read online that there must be a minimum of 5cm .

[@TheTortoise]

This is a tricky one because I have done a lot of testing to see how dangerous this is, and in my experience it takes some very high temperatures to cause an issue. But yes there should be gaps between the twinwall and any combustible surfaces (as you say often at least 5cm), There are also distances to fire surrounds, but these do vary from stove to stove and the differences can be surprisingly big. Probably worth sending him a picture and asking for something in writing.

[@sarahjackson8212]

@@TheTortoise thank you for your reply . It’s good to hear that you don’t think it will be too much of an issue . I got the fire going at a good hot temp and felt the part of the flue that is under the slate roof and whilst it’s warm it’s certainly not hot hot to the touch ! I think though as a precaution I’ll cut a circle around the breathable membrane / felt . It is making a terrible smell …like burnt rubber , I’m guessing that’s the liner when it gets hot ? It did have a strong smell when it was sat in my sitting room prior to being installed .

[@TheTortoise]

Cutting it away sounds good. I don’t like the idea of it being hot enough to smell. Does seem this fitter needs a bit of a kick up the backside 😬

[@sarahjackson8212]

@@TheTortoise he certainly does …he’s the all talk no performance kind of guy ! 😂 shouldn’t sign work off like this , if he hadn’t bashed a big hole in wall I’d be none the wiser . Love your videos , I have no idea why I find your reviews so interesting to watch as I now have two wood burning stoves , but I always watch when I get a notification . Perhaps I need to get out more ….oh no actually why should I when I have wine and a real fire to look at …what can be better ?!!

[@TheTortoise]

Never change 😂. Much better off with the wine!

[@suerainbird3752]

Hi, I’ve had three quotes for having a woodburner installed on a blank wall ( no existing chimney unfortunately) and two fitters have both insisted that it’s fine to pop the flue through the wall and run it up the side of the building. They both said the flues are well insulated and I would have no problems with draw as long as I light it properly. The third guy insisted it’s better to take it straight up through the building. Obviously it’s easier with less disruption for us to take it outside, but I’m concerned I’m being I’ll advised. Would appreciate very much your thoughts. Thanks so much, love your vids!

[@TheTortoise]

It is always better to run straight! Without knowing enough about this particular installation, I couldn’t talk with too much authority. However I do think it is a mistake for someone to say they’re well insulated and it won’t affect draw. They are (relative to an internal chimney) very poorly insulated, and having complicated bends to outside is always going to have an affect. That said, will it be a problem? Given what these fitters have said, that seems unlikely. I would go with the person I trusted, more than with the price, and I wouldn’t panic. No one has given you the impression that this installation is poorly positioned and inviting a problem, so that gives some confidence. But I can’t escape the fact that if I have the choice I am always going to pick an internal flue. It works better. It’s kept warm by the rest of the house and vice versa. My house is more attractive to anyone looking to buy, because the flue is hidden. I hope this is helpful.

[@suerainbird3752]

Thanks so much for your advice, much appreciated. I’m going to go up through the house! All the best and thanks for your really helpful videos. 👍

[@simong4252]

Love this channel - been following it since our friendly stove fitter recommended a heta inspire 45 and found your review which sold me on it. Watching this video has now convinced me to get him back for a second stove in the annexe 😅. What is the curved free standing stove in your video? Looks tempting

[@TheTortoise]

Thanks a lot! The free standing cylindrical stove is a Scan-Line 8, which my wife actually reviewed last Christmas.

[@flipflops2504]

Hi I've been watching your videos but thought I would ask you direct. We have a Mendip 6 Churchill in an old very very exposed Cornish cottage 660ft sea level. We find the fire roars away logs burn within 10 mins if we close the both vents off the fire soots up. We can't stop the draw. We have a damper fitted which is closed off. We are wondering if the 45 degree angle is too close to log burner? Do you think this would affect performance? Thank you ( I will try to attach a pic)

[@TheTortoise]

That stove was never super controllable, but you could experiment with lots more ash left in the stove (this will slow it down a bit). You could also look at the rope seals and ensure they’re doing their job. The close 45° bend will not have increased draw or reduced control, so this is definitely not the issue. It may also be worth watching my Woodland stove review as this is essentially the same stove, and may give you something to compare to. The new Churchill DC is significantly more controllable, so the control issue is being dealt with, but sadly the previous models were never very controlled.

[@flipflops2504]

Thank you for that super quick reply I will definitely have a look at the other video. Nice to know the angle is not the culprit, my limit on media didn't allow me to add a photo. Thanks again for your speedy reply :)

[@Mimi-pu8bx]

Love the videos, very informative so far. Not sure if you've covered this as I'm still working my way through them. I have a woodburner installed, it sticks out a bit from the fireplace with one turn in the flue. I would like to put a mantel up, what would you suggest?

[@TheTortoise]

I’m not too sure what to suggest? If you’re concerned about distances then there are a few concrete or fibreglass oak beams which actually look great, but will obviously not have a distance issue. The problem with these modern distances to real oak beams, is that rather than being set for safety reasons, they’re often set to simply avoid any chance of blame. I’ve held a blow torch to a piece of oak and it is exceptionally hard to burn and I’ve seen old lintels that are exposed in the chimney, hundreds of years old and have been burned tons of times but never enough to actually light the beam, only charr it. So the reality is that putting an oak beam above your stove is almost never an issue “from a risk of lighting it point of view”. But from a regulation or advice point of view, sadly you won’t ever get helpful or reasonable answers. In fact I might make a video about this, but it’ll definitely take me into next year, so you might have to be a bit patient 😬😆

[@Mimi-pu8bx]

Thank you that's really helpful. Yes, a video on this would be great. We are going to install brick slips as the original brickwork isn't great, but have delayed the mantel as wasn't sure about safety regs. Keep going, the videos are great!

[@TheTortoise]

@@Mimi-pu8bx thanks a lot.

[@annw6400]

Thankyou for the helpful tips, my burley debdale is great but despite cat. Converter is producing dripstains down one side chimney and lot of smoke tonight, i use dry hard wood. Any ideas? Ta.

[@TheTortoise]

Sorry just so I can understand this more clearly. Are you saying you have a tar issue on your chimney, and you have a Debdale with a catalyst.

[@annw6400]

@@TheTortoise yes, just some runs down side of ssteel chimney, very smoky for short time 2 nights ago too. Never had an issue with previous debdale, is it the fire or something else, don't know really. Using dried wood 10% moisture meter says.

[@TheTortoise]

@@annw6400 is this a new stove that has replaced a previous version? Also is the glass going black? Is it smoking into the room during re-loading? Are you also lacking control, when you fully open the stove do the flames start to blaze?

[@annw6400]

@@TheTortoise new stove had it about 5 weeks, sometimes more smokey than i recall, last debdale 10 yrs ago no cat. Not too bad. Glass browns on edges but does clear and what bits left in the morning i clean off. Works better on mid setting once going, very smoky inside if i turn it down more, was thinking is it just me needs get used to it.

[@annw6400]

Does blaze well when fully turned up too.

[@hazwhite311]

Can i install a log burner into my conservatory?

[@TheTortoise]

It’s sometimes possible to do in a compliant way, but not always. Definitely worth taking a picture into your local shop or sending it to some fitters and seeing what they think. I’d make sure the picture was from enough distance so that they can see the whole conservatory and the house as well as anything tall near the house.