To choose the right size log burner, calculate the room’s volume by multiplying its length, width, and height (in meters). Divide the result by 14 to get the required kW output for your log burner. Alternatively, we can work that out and advise you during your consultation.

Tip: Ensure you measure correctly and consider insulation quality and window size, which can affect heating needs.

Hardwood, such as oak, ash, or beech, is best for burning in a fireplace because it burns longer and produces more heat.

Tip: Always use seasoned wood with a moisture content below 20% for optimal burning and to minimize creosote buildup.

You should have your chimney cleaned at least once a year, preferably before the burning season.

Tip: If you use your fireplace or log burner frequently, consider more frequent inspections to ensure safety and efficiency.

While it’s possible to install a log burner yourself, it’s highly recommended to hire a professional installer to ensure it meets local building codes and safety standards.

Tip: A certified installer will also help optimize the burner’s efficiency and reduce the risk of fire hazards.

Log burners are more efficient than traditional fireplaces, providing more heat and less smoke. They also reduce heating costs and are more environmentally friendly.

Tip: Opt for a DEFRA-approved log burner if you live in a smoke control area.

Regularly clean the glass door, remove ash, check seals, and have the flue inspected annually.

Tip: Burn only dry, seasoned wood and avoid burning treated wood or other materials to prolong your log burner’s life.

Install a carbon monoxide detector, use a fireguard, and keep flammable materials away from the burner. Ensure proper ventilation and never leave the burner unattended.

Tip: Have an emergency plan in case of a fire and make sure everyone in the household knows it.

We would avoid doing this to ensure that the stove does not get over-filled.  The different fuels also require different lighting methods.  It is not recommended due to mixing high sulphur fuels such as coal and the moisture from the wood, which can increase the risk of the stove glass becoming cloudy.

In short, yes.  Of course you will need to open the stove when you are loading it with logs and when first lighting, to allow air in.  But once in full working order and you have achieved a solid flame, the door will need to be closed.

Tip: Stoves are designed to be burnt with the door closed in order to get the maximum heat and efficiency out of it.

Blackened glass is usually caused by burning wood with high moisture content or poor air supply.

Tip: Ensure you’re using properly seasoned wood and check the air vents for blockages to improve combustion and reduce soot.

After some use, the stove glass can become cloudy and this is caused by incomplete combustion.  This is caused by deliberately starving the fuel of combustion air, either by closing the stove’s air controls (e.g. an overnight burn) or from having an insufficient air supply in the room as determined by current building regulations for the heat output of the stove.

Tip: Regularly cleaning the inside of your glass before you light the stove will help you prevent cloudy glass.  Also avoid fuels with a high sulphur content and wet wood.  If the glass becomes so cloudy that it hinders you from enjoying your stove, then it may be time to replace it.

The firebricks inside any stove will crack with normal use – this is not a fault.  This will be the case with most makes and models of stoves.  The purpose of the firebricks is to help to keep heat inside the firebox. If a large crack does develop, it can easily be repaired with a small amount of fire cement. There is no need to change the bricks just because of a crack.

If after a long period of time the bricks have crumbled away so they are no longer sitting in place, then that is the time to replace them.

Some stoves will have cast clay bricks and others will have vermiculite bricks.  Vermiculite is more fragile and therefore more likely to crack, but it is a better form of insulation than the clay bricks, as it keeps the firebox hotter and therefore improves efficiency and helps to ensure a cleaner combustion.

The stove handle gets extremely hot!  When opening the door of your stove, always wear a heat-proof glove to protect your hand from possible heat.  Even cool touch handles can get warm and so it is advisable to always wear a glove when opening and closing your stove door.

It is possible to fit a TV above your stove, but it is very important to follow the installation instructions that you received with your stove.  The TV manufacturer may void their warranty if the TV is placed above any heat source, so please follow their installation instructions too.

If the stove is to be installed under a wall-mounted TV, then this can be achieved by installing a shelf above the appliance to protect the TV from the heat produced by the stove.

There must be a clearance of 200mm from the top of the shelf to the bottom of the TV.

The depth of the shelf depends on the depth of how far the TV protrudes from the wall, but must extend at least 50mm outward from the front of the TV.

While log burners produce fewer emissions than open fireplaces, they still release particulates into the air. For an in-depth article please visit: https://www.hetas.co.uk/defras-emissions-of-air-pollutants-publication-2024/

Tip: Use seasoned, dry hardwood and have your chimney swept regularly to reduce build-up of tar and other debris.

A DEFRA approved stove is a wood burning stove which has been tested and passed by the UK Government’s Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) criteria for emission levels and the amount of smoke it will be allowed to produce during all stages of normal operation.

In summary, a DEFRA Approved stove has been modified by the manufacturer to limit the amount that it can be ‘closed down’ (how much it can be starved of air which creates smoky combustion).  A DEFRA Approved stove will therefore always provide the minimum level of combustion air so that the wood burns efficiently without producing unnecessary smoke, thus ensuring that the appliance complies with the Clean Air Act.  A DEFRA Approved wood burner will therefore allow you to burn wood legally in a UK Smoke Control Area.