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    Frequently asked questions

    General

    What areas around Bristol do you cover?

    We cover a wide area in the South West including Bristol, Bath, South Wales, Clevedon and Portishead. We have taken commissions to install as far away as London, Liverpool and Oxford so please get in touch if in doubt.

    What aspects of the job do you undertake?

    We are happy to complete as much or as little as you need, from building work through to stove supply and installation, hearth supply and fireplace surround fitting.

    Fireplaces

    I have a fireplace with an old gas fire. Can it be easily removed so that a wood burner can be installed?

    Yes! We often remove period fireplaces and replace with a fantastic woodburner installation. If you have a gas fire you will need to get a Gas Safe registered heating engineer to disconnect the gas supply first if it is still live. We will carry out all aspects of restoration and rebuilding ready for the stove to be installed, such as acid-washing brick work, re-pointing, rendering or boarding. The choice depends on you preferred finish.

    I would like a natural stone surround, can you do this?

    Yes, we often fit stone fireplaces (limestone, marble, slate, travertine etc) for our customers. We also make bespoke slate fireplace surrounds which provide a really unique way to finish off a fireplace.

    I think my fireplace is too narrow to fit a wood burner. What are my options?

    A stove should have reasonable clearance to each side. Most manufacturers recommend around 150mm as a guide but we will assess each situation individually. We will help you determine which stove models could fit. Fireplaces can usually be widened if needed.

    Can I keep my wooden surround if I have the rest of the fireplace removed?

    It depends upon the stove installed. A stove will have recommended clearances to combustible materials and we can help you determine if your surround can be kept. If needed, a heat shield can be used to protect a surround. Alternatively we can make you a surround in slate, including a shelf. This can be a nice ‘upgrade’ to your existing fireplace.

    What are my options regarding the hearth?

    You need a reasonably sized hearth to sit the wood burner on. There needs to be at least 225mm of clearance from the front of the stove to the edge of the hearth. The hearth needs to be higher than the surrounding floor or clearly marked by a perimeter such as a rail. Hearths can be made of many materials such as slate, stone, granite, brick or tempered glass. We make slate hearths in-house and can provide samples on request.

    Stoves

    Do I need a multi-fuel stove?

    That depends on whether you ever intend to burn smokeless solid fuel (e.g anthracite or coke) or just wood. All stoves can burn wood but multi-fuel stoves can also burn appropriate solid fuel such as coke. Several stoves can be fitted with a multi-fuel ‘kit’ so initially the woodburning only model can be purchased and then upgraded at a later date. A woodburning only model usually burns wood more effectively than a similar multi-fuel model.

    What size wood burner should I get?

    There is a rule-of-thumb guide which takes into account only the volume of the room. In metres, length x height x width / 12 = approximate kW of wood burner for that room. But there are many other factors which should influence the decision. This is why you should use a registered installer to help you assess your requirements and guide you to the right model of stove.

    I’ve just had my stove installed and it’s giving off a burning smell when I use it. Is it dangerous?

    Your installer should have advised you that the first few times a stove is heated, the new paint on it can give off fumes as it cures. Usually this lasts no more than 2-3 firings. If it persists then contact your installer and ask them to investigate.

    What size flue does a wood burning stove use?

    If the stove is not DEFRA approved then it must use at least a 150mm or 6″ flue. A DEFRA approved stove can use a 125mm or 5″ flue. If you are only going to use smokeless fuel and your stove has a 5″ flue then the flue in the chimney can be 5″.

    Should I get a convector or radiant stove?

    A convector stove typically has special side panels that allow air to circulate more efficiently around the room. This works especially well in larger rooms with more air to heat. Due to the gap between the panels and the stove body, the sides of the stove are slightly cooler than a radiant stove. A radiant stove emits heat from all sides although some radiant stoves have heat shields to the rear and underneath to allow them to be placed closer to walls and on floor plates.

    Will installing a stove cut down on draughts?

    Yes! When the stove is installed, the original chimney/flue will be closed off using a register plate. When the stove is not in use and the door is closed, to all intents and purposes this major source of draughts in a room will be stopped. When the stove is in use, it will be drawing a much lesser amount of air than an open fire would.

    My stove doesn’t light well and smoke often comes out into the room

    There could be several reasons for this, during winter the most common reason is that you are not getting the flue hot enough before closing the door. Use very dry and well chopped kindling. Firelighters are better than paper and leave the door ajar until the kindling is all burning well. This will help to push the cold air out of the flue and establish a good draw. If you still have problems then it is advised to arrange a visit from a HETAS engineer or a chimney sweep to examine the flue.

    Chimneys

    I don’t have a chimney, can I get a wood burner?

    Yes you can. By using a twin-wall flue system, a wood burner can be safely installed into a building with no existing chimney or masonry flue. This is especially useful for houses where the downstairs chimney breast has been removed but the upper chimney system is still intact. If the intended stove location has no chimney system at all then the twin-wall flue can either go up through the ceilings and floors then out through the roof or it can go out through an external wall and up the side of the building. We can supply flues in several powder-coated colours so it doesn’t have to be plain steel.

    My chimney is leaking smoke into the house, what can I do?

    If you have a woodburning stove then we can line your chimney with a solid fuel grade liner. If you have an open fire then we can line your chimney with a solid fuel liner which would normally need to be at least 8″ in diameter. We would test your chimney prior to re-lining to check that there are no other leaks. We can carry out all aspects of building work to recondition your fireplace as this can also be a source of leaks.

    • Woodburning advice
    • Environment
    • Wood fuel and your woodburner
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Useful links
    • Internet sales policy

    Testimonials

    We are really pleased with the fireplace – came out just like the brochure! Heart are highly recommended.
    L Faiello St Andrews
    Chesneys Beaumont and Chesneys Marble Surround
    Since having the lovely new stove fitted in the dining room it has become the heart of our house. We light the fire rather than turning on the central heating – much nicer!
    R Rose Montpelier, Bristol
    Stovax Stockon 7
    Thank you for a fantastic job. Our new wood burner looks great and makes our front room so warm and cosy. Very knowledgeable, very accommodating and professional work.
    M & S Parry St Andrews, Bristol BS6
    Stovax Stockton 5
    Thanks for being able to fit the stove before Christmas. Perfect timing! Stove and hearth were fitted with care. Very friendly, wood burner looks amazing and so efficient.
    D Boari St Andrews, Bristol
    Clearview Solution 400
    Using a HETAS engineer to install your woodburning stove means that you are using a competent person who has undergone training and certification in the safe installation of flue systems and solid fuel appliances.
    HETASInstallers
    We just wanted to say a really huge THANK YOU to you and your team. The wood burner looks fantastic and we can’t wait to start using it. The guys who worked at the house were brilliant. Friendly, tidy and professional. We were given a thorough explanation before they left too.
    G Williams Filton, Bristol
    Cleanburn Lovenholm
    Will and Ian installed our wood burning stove at the beginning of February 2017, we are so very very pleased and impressed with their service. Both were very professional, polite, cheerful and friendly. Thank you so much.
    K Barrymore Bristol
    wood burning stove installation
    What a difference the service has made to our wood burner. It is definitely producing more heat and looks great now. Thanks for a good job.
    Dan Montpelier, Bristol
    Wood burning stove service
    A really refreshing experience to have a chilled out friendly chap round who genuinely cares about his work and is driven by making sustainable heating as accessible to as many people as possible rather than motivated by money. We were more than happy to leave Will and Stuart with the keys to our house while we went to work and have already recommended them to two of our friends.
    E Chapman Easton, Bristol
    Morsø 1412 Squirrel
    Will and his guys were amazing to deal with from start to finish. Super professional, super-efficient and really kind all at the same time. The burner itself looks fantastic and works perfectly. All in all, I recommend that you have Heart put a Heart in your home!
    Tristan Hogg Pieminister
    Charnwood Island I

    Latest news

    • EcoDesign Ready Stoves
    • 1930′s fireplace transformation
    • Bristol Green Doors Event Sep 13, 14
    • Chimney Sweeping A Must

    Last Tweets

    • Just posted a photo @ Berkeley, Gloucestershire https://t.co/g5T6uvLw6n, Sep 11
    • Need a new #hearth in #Bristol? Give us a call on 0345 057 3919 (local call). Quick turnaround, collect or we can deliver https://t.co/9V7PKtCHLC, Sep 6
    • Want to have your say on air quality and cleaner domestic burning ? Oct 12th is deadline for government consultation https://t.co/1LBQpFQF3m, Sep 30
    • Doing our bit to ease Britain's #gas demand, both woodburners roaring, central heating OFF! #snowday #cosy #keepwarm, Mar 2

    Interesting Us

    • Charnwood Arc 5 on corner slate hearth
    • Town and Country Pickering with oak beam and extra wide hearth
    • Flat back 1000mm circle. Hand made in Bristol for one of our hearth customers
    • Pickering 5kW EcoDesign woodburner

    Contact Us

    info@heartwoodburners.co.uk
    0345 057 3919

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