New wood burner

[nepia]

Rather than start a new thread...

 

My next door neighbour had a burner fitted yesterday by a locally well known company.

I'd talked her round to burning dry softwood but, surprise surprise, she's been told not to burn softwood.

Not a major issue; I've told her to do some online research; I'll also show her my own burner and flue which has seen about a dozen pieces of hardwood in the last 13 winters.

 

What puzzled me more though was the claimed requirement for her to renew her HETAS certification annually.

My own HETAS-fitted burner has never had a reminder!   What have I missed?  Could it be the lady's being strung a moneyspinning line?

 

FWIW my wife and I walked out of said supplier's showroom those years ago the minute we saw their prices!

[Alycidon]

On 24/04/2017 at 06:24, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

I know it's boring, but (esp if a rented property), should have installation certificate and a direct external air source if 5kw and above.

 

Nice stove!

5.1kw or above,  5.0 kw does not need vent if installed in pre 2008 property although it is good practise to do so.   All stoves legally need to be signed off as safe to use as you say.

 

A

[Ratman]

Rather than start a new thread...
 
My next door neighbour had a burner fitted yesterday by a locally well known company.
I'd talked her round to burning dry softwood but, surprise surprise, she's been told not to burn softwood.
Not a major issue; I've told her to do some online research; I'll also show her my own burner and flue which has seen about a dozen pieces of hardwood in the last 13 winters.
 
What puzzled me more though was the claimed requirement for her to renew her HETAS certification annually.
My own HETAS-fitted burner has never had a reminder!   What have I missed?  Could it be the lady's being strung a moneyspinning line?
 
FWIW my wife and I walked out of said supplier's showroom those years ago the minute we saw their prices!

My installer said same to me at the time, (been fitting stoves for 30+ years, hes retired now, my stove was one of his last jobs) he said:-

The installation had to be signed of by a HETAS registered installer and must conform to building regs, said certificate will also be used to validate your home insurance. Apparently they go hand in hand cos if you didn’t have a certificate and anything was to happen (i.e house fire, whether caused by stove or not) then the insurance company wouldn’t pay out. All sounded to make logical sense to me.

Further to this he said i would also have to have my liner swept once a year by a hetas registered or professional registered sweep company (not heard of the later) who would then issue a service report for your records, that would then be recognisable towards your home insurance incase the above mentioned incident should ever occur, they can then see you have kept up with a reasonable maintenance / service plan on your hetas installed stove.

I personally have not had my liner swept yet by anyone, but i’m only just two years in to use / ownership of my latest new stove and liner so i’m pretty sure the liner will still be mint yet. Was going to get it done next spring when fire goes out of use for me. I’ll probably go on 2 year sweeps after that, but will get it done by a local sweep then he can provide a record for me.
End of the day its all about covering your ass, and easier to be safe than sorry. And lets be fair too, for what cost to you..... £50 maybe for a registered sweep and cert? ?‍♂️ break it down over 2 years or even 12 months, its peanuts and puts you in the “covered” bracket.

[nepia]

I get all that thanks Mr Rat but my neighbour was told to have the flue swept annually - as you'd expect a responsible fitter to advise - AND to annually renew her 'HETAS certificate'.

 

Confoozed...

[Paul in the woods]

29 minutes ago, Ratman said:

End of the day its all about covering your ass, and easier to be safe than sorry. And lets be fair too, for what cost to you..... £50 maybe for a registered sweep and cert? ?‍♂️ break it down over 2 years or even 12 months, its peanuts and puts you in the “covered” bracket.

It depends, I note from the HETAS FAQs you should get it swept twice a year, and not burn pine, etc etc. So, if you have two stoves that's £200 and if you have a fire and you've used pine would you be covered?

 

I'm a bit worried where it'll end up, will you only be able to burn wood from a HETAS approved supplier in future, even if you have your own source of wood and are able to season it.

 

No mention of annual HETAS checks though. https://www.hetas.co.uk/consumer/faqs/

[Ratman]

I get all that thanks Mr Rat but my neighbour was told to have the flue swept annually - as you'd expect a responsible fitter to advise - AND to annually renew her 'HETAS certificate'.
 
Confoozed...

Yeah thats basically what i said and was reiterating what your neighbour had been told, but shoot me if i’m wrong, i’m just going to go with my own common sense and cover myself with a cert every two years. [emoji106]

[Ratman]

It depends, I note from the HETAS FAQs you should get it swept twice a year, and not burn pine, etc etc. So, if you have two stoves that's £200 and if you have a fire and you've used pine would you be covered?
 
I'm a bit worried where it'll end up, will you only be able to burn wood from a HETAS approved supplier in future, even if you have your own source of wood and are able to season it.
 
No mention of annual HETAS checks though. https://www.hetas.co.uk/consumer/faqs/

Yeah i’m with you, gona stick with my common sense approach just cover my ass [emoji106]

[nepia]

48 minutes ago, Paul in the woods said:

It depends, I note from the HETAS FAQs you should get it swept twice a year, and not burn pine, etc etc. So, if you have two stoves that's £200 and if you have a fire and you've used pine would you be covered?

 

I'm a bit worried where it'll end up, will you only be able to burn wood from a HETAS approved supplier in future, even if you have your own source of wood and are able to season it.

 

No mention of annual HETAS checks though. https://www.hetas.co.uk/consumer/faqs/

I can't find any mention of an annual certificate either.  I'm wondering if the communication between fitter and client hasn't been clear and that she's confused annual requirements.

 

As for not burning pine etc... stuff and nonsense and 13 winters of burning pure softwood here proves it.  HETAS probably have less of a problem with folk burning wet oak!

 

Up the softwood!

[Ratman]

Ran practically all my first year on pine and packing type soft woods from work, no issues and plenty heat. On a shed load of beech at min, prob see me out this year and part of next.
I’m only expecting a cup full of dust from my flu when i come to have it swept anyhow.

[Woodlover]

I have fitted 2 log burners in my own house, and sweep the flues myself. I have no paperwork/certs.

What would happen if I want to sell the house? Are my fires illegal? Am I a criminal for doing this work unregistered? Do I not have the right to install my own stove?