It’s a three bed semi with far too much glass and poor insulation that probably needs addressing first…
There’s normally someone home, though I doubt my Wife or MIL would keep the fire going TBH, so realistically it would be me lighting and maintaining fires every evening and over the weekends…

And of course we’d keep the Gas boiler, my idea would be more to retain the convenience of the Gas boiler, but add the stove as an extra heat source to contribute to the heating and reduce total Gas use.

I did read about installs where a Stove boiler is plumbed to a well insulated (and appropriately sized) hot water tank to use as a heat store and provide hot water for both Heating and taps, but is seemed like more faff than simply adding it to the Heating system, although the layout of the house might suit this sort of setup…

“but add the stove as an extra heat source to contribute to the heating and reduce total Gas use.”

which it will do a better job of for the usage you describe if you do not fit a boiler stove with water jacket. +reduced costas stove is cheaper and less fitting faff.

the set up you describe makes sense if you work from home and can keep heat in the system during the winter.

the increase in water will mean that you actually pay more in gas to heat up the water jacket fluids thermal mass each time your boiler fires.

In answer to the OP…we’re getting a wood burning stove fitted in the living room in our new gaff. We haven’t moved in yet, as it needs a fair amount of work…one thing I did at the weekend was remove the plastered over fireplace to reveal the builders opening.

That’s pretty much all I’m going to do myself other than the hearth…I’ll get a fitter to install the stove and flue.

I’ve heard stories of the stoves not being fitted correctly so will research regs etc so I can check it over.

I’m going to order a rough cut black slate hearth (possible tiles) from a local quarry – I need to check the depth required though, as I think it’s changes recently

I’m going to order a rough cut black slate hearth (possible tiles) from a local quarry

Stoves are not ash-free and I’d be wary of installing slate – especially if it had a rough surface. You will need to wipe around the stove every now and then and a smooth/polished surface would be better for that.

DOH

Am thinking of changing the open fire at home to a stove. There’s a big slate hearth already there to stand it on and a modern clay pipe lining in the chimney. The chimney is in an internal wall that was once a gable end, built of sandstone blocks with lime mortar. Placing the stove out onto the hearth in front of the existing iron fire surround would require a horizontal or sloping flue, turning the corner up into the chimney.
Above the fireplace and overhanging it by about 20cm is a heavy oak mantelpiece, which would therefore be about 50cm above the rear of a fitted stove. Does anyone know, would this represent a (combustible) problem?

HETAS are a joke.

The whole stove installation thing is a mess. HETAS talk up the complexity of the installation to generate business.

The hardest part of my installation was installing a twin wall flue and only because of the roofing work to make it weathertight afterwards. I got my builder to do it. I have heard a lot of stories of botched jobs.

The regs are very straight forward and there is some excellent guidance on line.

My stove was installed to the regs but the building officer refused to get involved at all. I was considering putting a formal complaint in, as I felt the Council were not doing their job but reckoned that if he was forced to become involved he would just be a complete arsehole and I could never win.

So I have perfectly safe, not “signed off”, woodburner.

50cm above the rear of a fitted stove. Does anyone know, would this represent a (combustible) problem?

Pretty sure that should be fine.

Although you have a clay liner flue do not be tempted to do without a steel liner – I’ve heard from a number of sources that you can easily end up with goo falling down out of the flue and ruining the fireplace.

Above the fireplace and overhanging it by about 20cm is a heavy oak mantelpiece, which would therefore be about 50cm above the rear of a fitted stove. Does anyone know, would this represent a (combustible) problem?

From memory I think combustibles should be >600mm away according to the regs, I think that was the case 3 years ago……might be wrong though!

“you can easily end up with goo falling down out of the flue and ruining the fireplace.”

how does it get round the sealed in adaptor plate ?

fwiw – 5 ft of single wall flue into an adaptor into a clay liner.

the only time we have had tar drip back was what caused us to rip the whole long out in the first place and found the coal scuttle used as an adaptor.

Stoves are not ash-free and I’d be wary of installing slate – especially if it had a rough surface. You will need to wipe around the stove every now and then and a smooth/polished surface would be better for that.

hmmm…maybe I need to have a rethink.

I prefer the rough cut look over a smooth finish…maybe I need to have a look at some different cuts of slate.

how does it get round the sealed in adaptor plate ?

Dunno TR, but I was in the same situation (clay liner) and my installer (who had not reason to lie) said that he’d seen numerous cases where the adapter isn’t watertight with the inevitable consequences.
It’s just not worth the risk.

I believe Twinw4ll will back me up on this one.

You will need to wipe around the stove every now and then and a smooth/polished surface would be better for that.

Ours is polished slate and it scruffs and scratches really easily – I’d go for rough slate if I was doing it again….

Mines rough slate – looks fine after 3 years 3 sweeps (stove out sweep) and a change of stove.

TR you might find the odd installation into clay liners that are fine, there are more problems with clay liined flue than any other. Clay is a poor insulator and commonly installed in late 60’s and 70’s houses with no insulation around them, resulting in too much heat loss from the flue gases and condensation. Sump adaptors work better but are not guaranteed.
Highlandman, distance above an appliance is not typically mentioned. As a rule of thumb then the distance from the side to a combustible material would apply to the top, some are 460mm, some are more, some are less. Some specify the projection of the beam as a consideration. Check the instructions.
gobuchal. Building control are obliged to sign off installations under a building notice. In my experience some LA’s are more helpful than others but it is the law. There is a procedure to follow though.

Installing stoves is not rocket science, if you are familiar with the regs, and follow best practice you won’t go far wrong and can save some money.
Some installations are easy, some are a complete nightmare! Some installers are great, some aren’t worth a wink 😉 Choose your battles wisely.

Oh, and some liners go up, most go down, depends on the situation.

As timer says some installs are easy some are a nightmare , every job is different in some way or another.
Always refer to manufacturers instructions and guidelines and if in doubt don’t be afraid of ringing them up, most good manufacturers only too happy to keep you right, some not so though.

Anyone running a Stove boiler? care to advise? pitfalls, ease of operation, maintainablilty, cost of installation (DIY or professional), etc?

have run, don’t currently

pros:
* you get a nice fire that heats the whole house which is all nice and jolly on christmas day when you’re half cut and half asleep etc

cons:
* It’s expensive to link up properly with a gas boiler, and a load of plumbing work.
* You’ll have very little control over where the heat leak rad goes, they have to work from gravity flow which dictates your heat leak location.
* You’ll never, ever, ever, pay back the “savings” you get by burning wood.
* Woodstove style backboiler stoves can be a “little bit” hit and miss over what heat you get into the house
* 15 or 20kw equates to a frankly scary amount of wood, prepare to be constantly feeding it
* running the whole house on wood for a whole winter? you’ll need four or five tipper loads of wood and that means a massive log store.

if you forget wood and run a stove on coal, you can load up in the morning and it’ll go until evening, when you’d need to de-ash/re-load for overnight, it’s certainly possible to get a good routine going for this even if you’re out most of the day.

the increase in water will mean that you actually pay more in gas to heat up the water jacket fluids thermal mass each time your boiler fires

if linked up right they should be plenty separated when the fire is out (note “if” and “should”)

OK, I think I might need to change my ambitions and perhaps it would be a good idea to try a smaller wood burner project first just to get my eye in.

My Garage is going through a bit of a general renewal at present so a small stove in there might be perfect for me…
separate from the house (but in a block) Concrete floor, Block walls, the new roof is a (non-asbestos) corrugated fibre board could/should I go straight up through that or should I take the flue out through the wall? and ultimately, what level and types of building Regs will apply to an out building / workshop Vs house