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What Do You Need to Fit a Log Burner?
Are you thinking about installing a log burner in your home for the first time this year? If you are new to the world of stoves, you might be wondering exactly what you need to buy to get the job going.
Here at Direct Stoves we like to make sure you have everything you need to get your log burner up and running as smoothly as possible. So, we offer a free stove fitting kit with every wood burning or multifuel stove we sell. This includes some of the essential bits of kit you will need, such as a stove pipe and register plate.
What's more, we also offer optional flue liner packs with all of our stoves. This ensures you have the right size liner to fit your stove, with any adaptors required included.
Other things you need to consider when buying your stove are:
- The condition of your chimney
- Flue liners
- Chimney cowls
- Carbon monoxide alarms
- Who will install your stove
- What regulations you need to adhere to
If you are ever unsure of any of the terminology used about your stove, you can look it up in our Direct Stoves Glossary.
Read on to find more information about what you need to install a log burner for the first time…
Stove Pipe
Every stove requires a stove pipe. It attaches to your stove collar, which is the steel or cast iron ring that bolts to the outlet at the top or back. The stove pipe will often need to be sealed with fire cement to ensure it is properly secured in place.
The length of stove pipe you need depends on how much of it will be visible before it enters your chimney cavity. Once in your chimney, it will be attached to your flue liner.
If you need to manoeuvre your stove pipe into difficult spaces, angled options are available. You can also choose one with a door, which you can open to easily sweep your chimney.
Most stove pipes are made from vitreous enamel, which is highly heat resistant and matches the colour of your stove best. If you have a coloured enamel stove, you can usually get a colour-matched stove pipe, too.
Your stove pipe can get very hot, so it’s important that is is kept at least 425mm away from combustible materials.
Register Plate
A stove register plate is most important for those who are not connecting their stove pipe to a chimney liner. They are basically a metal plate that seals off the bottom of your chimney, with a hole cut in for your stove pipe to pass through. This ensures that any smoke or dangerous fumes cannot escape into your room. It is also essential for creating the draft that ‘pulls’ the fumes out of the stove.
There are also benefits of fitting a register plate for those who do plan on using a chimney liner, such as:
- Stopping heat escaping up your chimney
- Keeping any debris from falling down onto the fireplace
- Helping keep any chimney insulation in place, should you install it
Many stove register plates come without a hole cut in. This allows you to cut it to the best measurements to fit to your stove and chimney.
Chimney
Of course, you will need some sort of chimney to be able to install a log burner!
However, you don’t need to have one already built into your home. Twin Wall Flue Systems offer a way for stoves to be fit into homes without a chimney. These comprise of heavily insulated pipes that can be fit either through your ceiling or up along the side of your house.
We have a great guide on how to have a wood burning stove without a chimney with plenty more information.
If you do have an existing chimney, you will need to make sure it is in proper condition before you start to use it again. This means you will have to have it inspected by a chimney sweep for any signs of damage that need repairing before use.
Our Guide to Stove Chimneys might have some useful information for you.
Chimney Liner
These days, most stoves are fitted with a chimney liner. Also known as a ‘flue liner’, they improve the efficiency of your stove, as well as helping keep your chimney clean and decreasing your risk of chimney fires.
If you are wondering how they work, they attach to your stove pipe at the bottom of your chimney, and run all the way up to the top. This keeps the fumes safely enclosed from harming you and your chimney cavity!
There is a lot to learn about chimney liners, so read our Complete Guide to Flue Liners for Your Stove to find out more.
Chimney Cowls
A chimney cowl might be something you haven’t put much thought into. However, when installing your stove it is a good idea to have one.
A cowl on a chimney is a vented cover that is fitted to your chimney pot. They have a few benefits, such as helping improve your chimney draft, preventing a back flow of smoke and stopping too much rain getting inside your chimney cavity, which can lead to damp. They also help prevent debris getting in there, or animals who can nest and cause other signs of damage.
Related: Common Causes of Damp in Your Chimney & What to Do About Them
Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm ready to fit with your stove? If not, you could be breaking a legal requirement.
It is a mandatory building regulation that all solid fuel burning stoves have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in the same room. There are many common reasons why carbon monoxide could begin to leak into your room, such as a blockage or crack in your chimney. These are issues that can often easily be fixed - but you need to be made aware of them as soon as possible.
A carbon monoxide alarm will go off before the poisonous gas reaches a dangerous level, so it is a very wise investment indeed.
Stove Regulations
Before you choose your stove, make sure you are aware of any regulations. While your stove fitter should be up to speed on of all these, there is one thing you do need to know about before you even start shopping for a stove - do you live in a Smoke Control Area?
If you do, you will legally only be allowed to use a DEFRA Approved Stove or an EcoDesign Stove. These burn much cleaner, producing less dirty smoke that can harm the environment and public health.
Take a look at our blog that answers the question, What is DEFRA?
Other requirements that could affect the installation of your stove include:
- Ventilation - you need to make sure your room has adequate air supply
- Hearth - make sure you buy one big enough and thick enough
We have a helpful blog with more information on the main building regulations for fitting a stove.
Who Will Install Your Stove?
The final thing you will need when fitting a stove is a qualified installer. If you are installing a stove from scratch, it is especially important to ensure it is done to the highest standard. This means making sure that every building regulation is adhered to. The most qualified people to do this are HETAS stove installers.
While you can install a stove yourself, unless you have your own HETAS certificate you will need to have it inspected for safety by local authorities. This can charge a couple of hundred pounds - plus, if anything doesn’t pass, you will need to spend more time and money on fixing it.
Find out more in our Stove installation Advice blog.
Fitting a log burner is usually a pretty straight-forward job, so don’t be put off by the different parts you might need. You will no doubt agree that the work was worth it when you’re enjoying your cosy flames come winter!
Are you ready to fit a new stove in your home? Shop our full range of stoves online at Direct Stoves today!
Visit the Direct Stoves Resource Blog for more expert stove installation advice and buying guides…
How to Properly Put Out a Fire in a Log Burner | How to Stack, Store & Season Firewood | Lighting Your Stove for the First Time
