ianaitkensmith

I thought I would try to get an opinion on the flue pipes and the covering that was installed on my Stovax Riva stove. I had the stove put in, and the flue pipes done by a local Jersey firm. I did not buy the stove from them, and when they agree to do the installation I was relieved that they would do the job, as many firms insist you buy the stove off them. I was expecting a black metal pipe from the top of the stove to go up through the ceiling snd then out to the external flat roof, and would pass through the ceiling space above with a suitable protective heat insulating sleeve. It wa bit of a surprise when the shiny metal pipe was used from the stove and upwards via the ceiling and to the outside where it went up another four foot. Total length about 6.5 foot. I did not query this, and thought they must know what they are doing, and it seemed to look different and quirky. I had and still have no idea if this is a common way of putting a pipe through the ceiling to the outside flat roof. It works, My question is this: Does the insulation and metal cladding around this type of pipe suppress the amount of heat emitting from the pipe to the inside of the room to my loss? The temperature on the metal sleeve at the top of the stove was 295 celsius just now, after a good three log burn, and the temperature on the shiny metal pipe's exterior was about 62 celsius, which is quite a lot lower. So can anyone tell me if this set up I was given, is efficient or not so? Thx.

A netted back of ash kiln dried logs, I guess, costs £8.50 me a punt. I live on Jersey so not a huge amount of local wood suitable for logs, though it can be got and I have no idea whether it is dry enough to burn. How do you tell? 20% or 40% ?? People sell you anything they can fob off. I am loath paying £8.50 a bag but it seems to be fairly pukka wood. It is sold as ash, but they did have oak at one time. Which is best? I am just a newbie when it comes to multi fuel burning stoves. I like to have the front open and sit near to the fire, but this I am told is not the correct way to use a wood burner. It is wasteful of heat. I have been told by the installers. But, it is nice to have that feeling of heat going directly into your body. I wonder what I should do here, keep the front closed all the time? I use also smokeless fuel, but that requires a regular clean every day, whereas just log burning can involve less of a regular clean out. I use a vacuum cleaner to keep the dust down when cleaning the fire, this helps and have taken to wearing a protective mask. I was told not burn old wooden pallets as they contain arsenic, and all wood that has been treated is also bad to burn. That does not leave much that can used to cut down on costs. I would be lucky to get one bag to keep the stove lit for more than just a few hours. Two bags would be just about OK. But £17 night that's a lot of money. Where I live its electric heating only, I have no radiators installed to use oil, and there is no gas in my area. Multi fuel stoves are nice to have, but they come at a price pending on where you live.