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What can go wrong when installing a wood burning stove yourself?

It is now easy to buy a cheap liner online, even though raw materials are going up in price every year.  Due to the current economic climate more internet companies are selling substandard lining systems and cheap flexible liners online and are encouraging people to install wood burning stoves themselves as a DIY project.  A wood burning stove installation guide is not enough to make sure that your installation is safe and will not leak carbon monoxide.

These are some common questions that we have had over the last year and our answers to them.

Q: Do I need a flexible liner for my stove installation; I have read that you do not have to as long as the chimney passes a smoke test?

A: There are some websites that say it is ok to install a wood burning stove or smoke exempt stove without a flexible liner.  The main issues are that our chimneys in the UK were built for coal fires and not stoves, so they have large square flues that are designed to draw with a cast iron fireplace.  Once this original cast iron fireplace is removed the chimney flue will be too large to guarantee the smoke will travel up the chimney.  Without a flexible liner this is a problem when the stove is first lit as the brick or clay chimney will be cold and possibly have down draft issues making it hard for the chimney to draw the smoke that the stove initially makes.  The smoke will travel into the room as there will not be enough heat created behind the smoke to take it up the chimney, resulting in a dangerous room of smoke.  This is called smoke spillage.  Some argue that this is ok as opening a window can help, but it does not solve the smoke spillage issue and carbon monoxide poses a real danger to life.  Even worse is when the stove cools down at the end of the night and there are no flames or smoke to be seen as carbon monoxide is still be produced but without the smoke being created.  The smoke spillage becomes just carbon monoxide spillage, meaning there is no obvious visual warning.  This is the most dangerous type and common method of carbon monoxide poisoning that people sadly experience.

Having a wood burning or multi fuel stove fitted with a twin wall flexible liner insures that the stove does not have smoke spillage coming into the room. This is because the flue is the same size all the way up and the metal conducts the heat much quicker than the masonry of the chimney, ensuring the stove draws properly. Remember a warm flue has a much better draw than a cold masonry brick built chimney. They also have a 10 year or 25 year guarantee with them.

Q: I have had a builder install my flexible liner; can you sign off the installation afterwards?

A: A common problem we find when we have inspected pre fitted liners is that they are often upside down and have dents in them.  Removing a lining system once installed can mean that get damaged when they go past the 45 degree bends in your chimney.

Q: If my liner has been fitted the wrong way up, can you remove it and fit it the correct way up?

A: Unfortunately we cannot guarantee the flexible liner will come out of the chimney without any damage or dents, it is impossible to avoid this.  When installing a flexible liner we install it from the top of the property as it creates less friction on the liner.  When removing it we will also have gravity working against us and this increases the friction on the sides and puts large scratch marks up it.  These push through into the liner as it rubs past the bricks making the lining system unusable.

Q: I just want to buy a liner from you; I have the stove and just want to do it myself.  Can you supply me only the lining system?

A: Our main aim is customer satisfaction.  We don’t sell lining systems direct to customers because before a stove is chosen, there are a few more things to consider than just the appearance of a stove for example the room size suitability and builders opening must be the right size for the stove.  Ventilation also needs to be considered before installing a flexible lining system.

Q: I have seen a really cheap second hand cast iron stove on eBay and want you to install it without a liner?

A: The first question you have to ask yourself is why is this stove on eBay in the first place?  Most people buy their stove and keep it for many years.  So if you see a stove that is going cheap or seems like a good deal, it probably isn’t a bargain.  Apart from there being no guarantee with the stove, there is a no way of telling there is a problem until you use it.  This is a genuine problem currently where people buy the stove and call us to have it fitted.  We install pre bought stoves that are new, as well as offering quality free site surveys where we give advice on installation by our HETAS registered chimney engineers.  We also sell our wood burning stoves for installations so there is a guarantee with the stove and you know the stove does not have any cracks or parts missing.

In regards to installing a stove without a liner, we do not recommend this as a cold brick chimney will not draw properly at the start of a fire, in the stove, or at the end of the fire, in the stove, when it cools down.  This is the more likely point of where people experience carbon monoxide poisoning in their sleep.  This is due to chimneys in England being built for coal fires with cast iron fireplaces and not stoves.  A lining system will carry a 10, 25 year guarantee but is expected to last the lifetime of the stove it is fitted too.

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