Cavity wall insulation advice needed (log burner content).

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Cavity wall insulation advice needed (log burner content).

16 posts & 12 voices | Started 1 year ago by Bunnyhop | Latest reply from Bunnyhop

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Bunnyhop - Member

2 cavity wall insulation surveyors have been round and the second one says we need a ventilation hole drilled into the room containing our small log burning stove.
According to him our stove has a 7.5kW output, I argued that it only has only 4 kW. I then showed him our airbrick which leads into a large space under the room (its not a cellar as such, but roomy enough for a grown man to sit in), the room has a wooden floor, so air does come up from beneath.
Now, I feel he's just after extra money and we've have only just decorated the room, so would be unhappy having this unsightly hole.
Can anyone give me some advice, because the first surveyor never mentioned it.

Thanks.

Posted 1 year ago #
TheFunkyMonkey - Member

Go with the first company. Most of these so called surveyors are nothing more than salesmen.

Posted 1 year ago #
midlifecrashes - Member

If the stove really does need an external air intake, you could put a grille through the floorboards close to the stove. It would be wrong of course to cover this with a closely fitting cover when the fire is not lit or surveyors are not in the room.

Posted 1 year ago #
avdave2 - Member

its not a cellar as such, but roomy enough for a grown man to sit in

Is he in chains and a gimp mask?

Posted 1 year ago #
geoffj - Member

In scotland, anything bigger than 5kw needs a dedicated air brick of a certain size per kw over 5kw.
If you are sure than its less than 5, tell him to do one.
What model is it?

Posted 1 year ago #
bigsurfer - Member

In the UK now since some point in 2010 any stove over 5KW needs an extra vent this can be in the form of either an air brick / round vent cut into the wall or a floor vent as mid life crisis suggests.

We have just had a 5kw stove fitted and to be on the safe side we had the floor vent put it as its one big open plan room with a kitchen extractor. The installer said they had to be a permenantly open vent but most people just put a magazine over it when the stove is not on.

You can feel an icreased draught through the vent when the fire is lit. Part of the reason for a senible placed vent is to stop the stove getting its air from a door or window possible causing a cold draught across the room you are trying to heat.

Posted 1 year ago #
Bunnyhop - Member

geoffj - its a Stovax model Stockton 4 Multi-fuel stove.
The chap confused me, as he said "oh, you have an open fire" (before the woodburner went in it was an open fire), I explained that the stove is fully closed up when working, infact we only use it in the evenings.
I would like some definite knowledge that his health and safety concerns are not just money making.

Edit - there is a trap door in the room to get under the floor into the space underneath, So I'm guessing that some air is coming up through that from the air brick.

Thanks for all the advice so far.

The stove is definitely 4kw.

Posted 1 year ago #
bigsurfer - Member

If the stove is definately 4KW then you don't need an extra vent. As well as this it sounds as though you have plenty of places where air can enter the room.

Stoves do produce carbon monoxide while burning and their is the possibility for this to be put into the room if their is not enough venting. We had a carbon monoxide alarm fitted at the same time. This was a regulation not sure if it is only for over 5KW stoves but for the cost about £15 it is worth it for peace of mind.

Posted 1 year ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

I know when my folks had their cavity walls done they had to have a air vent put in (and they dont have a fire) they said some thing about letting the house breath.

Having said that the guy who fitted our stove said that there is no requirement <5kw but it helps the fire burn cleaner.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mikeypies - Member

I have exacaly the same stove as you and it was installed in dec last year you do not need a vent unless you house is a new super sealed one

Posted 1 year ago #
Drac - Moderator

We just have one of the windows on the first catch so it's open a few mm.

No problems here.

Posted 1 year ago #
Bunnyhop - Member

We're booked in for the 18th and I explained that we wouldn't need the chap round to drill the hole in the wall. Lady on the other end of the phone says he'll come anyway and he'll decide whether it needs doing or not.
I think another phone chat is in order now I've got all the above advice - thanks.

Posted 1 year ago #
reggiegasket - Member

When we had the cavity done they wanted a vent knocking through for the woodburner to breathe. I objected but they insisted so they did it, I got the certificate, then I blocked it up after they had left. Works fine. You'd have to one sealed house for it to be an issue IMO.

Posted 1 year ago #
slight return - Member

having spoke with clear view stoves, they said to fit a 7kw stove in my house i would need airbrick, yet same time they said that the room would have to be closed up for over a day before it has health implications, how many people dont leave a room for a whole 24 hours?

Posted 1 year ago #
Popocatapetl - Member

If you put "stove building regs J" into google it will take you to a page with a PDF download telling you what the legal requirement is. We had to have an Air ventillation port put into the dining room when we had our cavity wall insulation done by Homeserve last year because we have a coal fire in the living room. It creates a right draft!

Posted 1 year ago #
Bunnyhop - Member

Thanks Popocatapetl.

Posted 1 year ago #

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