Wakefords Fireplaces and Stoves

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Lighting Your Fire for the First Time This Autumn

For some, the autumn means and end to warm evenings, and an end to holiday fun and so much more…but these people clearly don’t have a lovely real fire or log burner because for those of us that do there is always a frisson of excitement when it gets cold enough to bring up the question “shall we light the fire?”. If you have a fire or stove you will be well aware of this wonderful consolation for the summer going. Already people are chatting about it at the school gates or in the pub “have you had yours on yet?”.

However, before lighting the fire for the first time this autumn here are a few important tips that might make things run a little smoother. A room full of smoke is not uncommon for people lighting their fire for the first time in the autumn so follow these tips and avoid the pitfalls!

autumn leaves

Do I Need My Chimney Swept Every Year?

The basic answer here is yes. It is always best practice to have it swept once a year before you start using it. It is not ideal to have it swept in the spring and not checked again because birds can nest in chimneys over the summer, debris can find its way in there among other things. Speak to your local chimney sweep about your fire and how you use it, and they will advise you on the best course of action. Remember, book early, chimney sweeps get very busy in the autumn and you may find you can’t get an appointment until well into the winter.

Lighting the Fire for the First Time

Now you know your chimney is clear it is time to light your fire or stove. As always, make sure you have some high quality well seasoned or kiln dried wood to burn as well as some good kindling and newspaper.

Warming the flue

This is really important and will help get the fire working well the first time. There are a few ways to do this but the main aim here is to get the flue warm so the warm air can travel up properly creating a draw at the bottom and feeding the fire properly. A cold flue will not work as well and can cause smoke to come back into the room. You can use a fire lighter just left to burn out or a small pile of kindling. ideally, let something small burn for a good 10-30 mins to really get that flue warm.

Setting the Fire

Normally you may set a fire in a certain way but because you have been warming the flue you must be careful when setting the full fire. Newspaper is always good as are firelighters. Place them where the initially small fire was and light, you may not need to do this as there may be enough heat to get it going. Ideally, the newspaper balled up or twisted into tight lengths can sit in the grate without catching straight away. Place some kindling in a cone or pyramid shape over them and light with a long match. Make sure there is plenty of room for air to come through to get to the fuel.

Stepping it up a gear

As is always the case, add more wood or coal carefully and slowly. There is no reason why the fire should burn any slower than usual but as it is the first time since the Winter it is important to take it easy. Consider the weather conditions too, if there is little or no wind it may make things a bit harder and you might be a bit out of practice too! If the fire doesn’t take you can leave it to cool then start again or try adding some more kindling that will burn easier. Sometimes people use left over wood from the previous season and it may have got wet so check before using.

Keeping the Fire Healthy in the Autumn and Beyond

After the first successful and no doubt very satisfying fire it is well worth clearing out the ash and giving the fire a good check over. It is important to keep the ask pans clear but it is even more so at this stage as you will be able to see any issues or areas they may need attention.

Remember – don’t burn rubbish on your fire, don’t burn green/unseasoned wood and treat your fire with respect! The summer may have seen a few new ornaments being placed near the fire, make sure you check the surrounding area and remove anything that should not be close to the heat.

If you find any issues with the fire burning or smoke coming back into the room call your chimney sweep. If there are any issues with the fire or stove itself then give us a call, and we can help.

…and remember, don’t be sad about the end of summer, look forward to all those cosy nights by the fire other people miss out on.

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Why Visiting a Showroom is so Important

A stove or fireplace is an important purchase. It’s a home feature that often takes a prominent place in your living space and is not changed for many years. You want to make sure it works perfectly for your environment. Obviously you can weigh up all your options online, or by looking in brochures, but the advantages of visiting a physical showroom are plentiful.

Fireplace Showroom Surrey

Sizing up the options

It’s an opportunity to see the full variety of product options, brands and styles available. Seeing different models in their physical form may help you choose between gas and electric fires or wood and multi-fuel burners if you haven’t already decided. You might have a particular choice in mind, but then be surprised about how nice other products look in the flesh. It helps to see options alongside each other to appreciate the differences and the details. We have set up the showroom with many stoves in their own ‘home’ setting with fireplaces with accessories in-situ to give you a sense of context and so you can get a feel for how it might look in your living space. You can have a virtual look around on our showroom page.

Advice

It’s also a great opportunity to have a chat with an expert team. They can explain the benefits and features in relation to your home and your specific requirements such as your budget and the size and flow of your space. You can find out all the things you may need to consider whether it is your first fireplace or stove, or if you are converting or updating an older system.

You can get advice on all aspects of chimneys such as lining, maintenance or even your options if you don’t have one (surprising more than you might think!). A good showroom should be able to advise you on everything right down to the best types of fuel to use in certain stoves and reputable local fuel suppliers.

Take time to put the information together

At Wakefords, we understand that people come to a showroom to gain information and put everything together. As such we aim to help you get the answers you want and help you look at the different solutions from all angles so you can make a decision you are happy with for years to come. We know that can take time. There’s no pressure to buy on the spot, just help and advice.

A visit to the showroom can be useful whether you are simply looking for fireplace accessories, or a full design, project management and installation, or just some advice for an installation you plan to do yourselves. Pop in and have a look around.

We’ve been installing fireplace and stoves for around 35 years, and with our own fully trained Gas-Safe and HETAS fitters, we’ve help diverse customers with a full range of solutions.

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The Warming Efficiency of a Modern Stove

Wood burning stove installation Surrey

One of our engineers testing a newly installed stove

There is something mesmerising about the flames of a fire, making them comforting as well as warming. A stove is an incredibly efficient way to have the benefits of a fire in your own home. In fact, the average stove is over 70% efficient compared with 30% for an open fire*. This clean, cosy heat source has become increasingly popular and many UK homeowners who have installed them report savings on their central heating bills.

Ways to get the most from your stove

However, there has been some confusing press recently, reporting that stoves are bad for the environment and face a potential ban. To clear up the confusion, DEFRA have clearly stated that stoves will not be banned. As a sustainable energy source, a modern stove offers high heat efficiency and low carbon output. There are a number of things you can consider to ensure you are getting the most from your stove, whilst minimising the environmental impact.

  1. Ensure you have the right size stove for your space. If it is too small, it will struggle to create the necessary levels of heat. It’s also a common problem that people overestimate the heat they need and buy a stove that is too big and overpowers a room.
  2. Consider your fuel source carefully. Use smokeless coal on a dual fuel stove, and always go for ‘ready-to-burn’ a government backed scheme), seasoned logs. These should have a maximum of 20% moisture. Wet or new wood will not give off the same heat when burnt, despite burning through the wood faster. It can also blacken your stove and chimney. Hardwoods such as oak or ash will give you a slower burn and longer heat output. Having the right fuel will not only give you greater heat for less cost but will make your carbon footprint smaller.
  3. Have your chimney swept annually or twice a year to be sure it is clean and in good working order.

You can even install a new chimney fairly simply in many houses that do not already have one. Where a chimney already exists it can easily be refined and adapted to allow the correct flue for a stove. So with all the factors considered, you can sit back and enjoy the glow of a fantastic stove and all the ambience it brings.

We have a full range of dual fuel and wood burning stoves in our Surrey Showroom with a style to fit any type of home. Check out our stove page or pop into our showroom to really get a feel for them.

* (Source: http://www.stoveindustryalliance.com/energyefficiency/)

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A Book About Wood for Stoves

As wood burning stove experts, you’d expect us to be lovers of wood but this is an understatement. We love wood! The smell, the sound of it burning, the texture and colour of the bark, the variety of different woods and the myriad of ways in which they burn – even the type of heat they kick out.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a guide to all the different types of wood you can use in your stove or fire.

Seasoned wood burns better

One thing before we start – seasoned wood burns better. When we say seasoned, we mean wood that has been allowed to dry.  You shouldn’t burn wet or green wood.  Not only does it give off a lot of smoke but it also doesn’t provide much heat and makes for a very disappointing fire. Unseasoned wood also can also cause a build up of soot in your flue and end up clogging your flue system and cowl. It will also dirty the glass in your stove.

Seasoned wood is defined as wood with a moisture content of less than 20%. If it’s been seasoned naturally, you would expect it to be outdoors for 18-24 months.

Hardwoods are better than softwoods

Hardwoods are those from long-lived deciduous trees such as Oak and Birch. Because they grow slowly over the course of their lifespan, the wood is denser than the wood from faster growing evergreen trees. Higher density means they burn slower and are more fuel efficient.

As a rule, the heavier the wood, the greater the heat and longer the burn time.

Now we’ve got that out of the way, here’s your guide in order of popularity:

Hardwoods

Oak

Oak is the backbone of this country! It is one of the most popular woods to not only to build with but to burn and is widely available to buy.  It burns very slowly and produces long-lasting heat, even down to the embers. The only downside is that oak needs to be seasoned for at least 2 years because of its high moisture content.

Ash

Ash is another great hardwood as it burns without much smoke and has a high heat output. Ash is abundant in the UK and because it has a low moisture content, it doesn’t have to be seasoned as long as other hardwoods. Other advantages of ash are that it is very easy to split and saw. A note of caution though – because Ash Dieback has impacted the trees in the UK, the movement of some Ash logs for firewood has been restricted. Please therefore ensure you buy your Ash from a reputable source.

Beech

Beech is another hardwood that burns well. However, like Oak, because of its high water content it takes a long time to season properly.

Birch

Birch and Silver birch logs burn more quickly than other hardwoods but provide good heat output. They are best combined with slower burning logs.

Elm

Elm is another hardwood that burns slowly. It can be difficult to establish a fire purely consisting of Elm but once going, it gives out long-lasting heat. Elm has a high moisture content so needs a long time to season well.

Apple

Some people love apple wood as it burns slowly with a decent amount of heat. The flames aren’t the best but it makes up for this with a lovely scent! Those of us with apple trees in our gardens also have a free source of wood!

Cherry

This is another lovely fruit tree to burn as it burns slowly with good heat output. Like apple, it also has a lovely smell.

Pear

Like apple, pear wood burns well with a decent amount of heat but not a great flame. That said, it smells lovely!

Hawthorn

Although a very traditional firewood, hawthorn wood is not that common because it’s so thorny. If you manage to get hold of hawthorn logs, they burn well with a good heat output.

Horse chestnut

This wood burns well, producing a good flame and strong heat output.

Hazel

Because of its lower density hazel burns quite quickly so you’ll need to keep topping up your fire. However, the heat output is good.

Sycamore

Sycamore and other Maples burn well. They have with a moderate heat output and good flame.

Softwoods

Softwoods are generally from faster growing evergreen trees. As they burn quickly, softwoods can be great for getting a fire started before moving onto hardwoods to keep the fire going.

Pine

Pine contains a high resin content and burns quickly with a bright flame. It makes great kindling, especially as a lot of pine is available as builders off cuts. Make sure you burn it quickly and mix with hardwoods.

Holly

Holly burns quickly and produces little heat so isn’t great for wood burning stoves

Larch

This conifer burns quickly and produces a decent amount of heat. However, like pine, it has a high resin content which can produce oily and sticky deposits. Not great for the health of your stove! It is therefore best mixed with other woods.

Spruce

This softwood burns very quickly with a low heat. It also produces a lot of smoke so is only really good for getting a fire going.

If you want any advice on the type of wood to burn in your stove, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  Happy wood hunting!

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4 Reasons Buying A Stove Online Might Not Be Right

Riva Plus Midi Wood burning stove

You may be tempted to buy a wood burning stove online.  After all, you’ve done all your research online and found out about all the different models and heat output. You’ve decided which manufacturers you like and researched the prices. You think you’re ready to buy.

But there are some good reasons why you shouldn’t make the final purchase online. We’ve outlined the four key reasons why buying a stove online might not be right.

1. Safety

The primary reason you shouldn’t purchase a stove online is safety. There is a good reason why stoves must be installed by a HETAS approved engineer and that’s because there are many things you need to understand to be able to install one (and use one!) correctly. Stoves and all the connecting parts are complicated bits of kit! Stoves and fires should always be certified by an accredited agency such as HETAS and only by buying through an approved retailer can you ensure the one you buy is safe.

We can’t stress enough how important safety is when you have a fire in your home. You need to ensure that the fire burns well and there are no noxious gasses or smoke being released into your home. Only by purchasing a stove from an experienced retailer can you be sure that your stove will be installed safely but also function safely. We can also give you advice on how to use your stove such as the best way to light it, the best type of fuel to use (you’d be amazed at the difference between the different types of wood!), and how to keep it clean.

2. Suitability for your home

If you buy a stove online without talking to an expert, you won’t know for sure if it will fit in your desired space.  There are several things to consider when deciding what size stove to buy and it isn’t just the size of the stove itself. There is also the flue to consider.

What you think are the right dimensions doesn’t mean the stove will fit well into your fireplace. Only a trained engineer can say for sure.  A trained engineer can also advise on the best heat output for your space.  It’s very common for people to choose a stove with the wrong heat output for the room they have the stove in, resulting in stoves that are far too hot for the room or ones that just don’t have enough heat output.

3. Availability of spare parts

You never know when you may need spare parts for your stove or advice if things are going as expected. If you buy it online, there’s no guarantee that the website you bought it from will have spares – and you definitely won’t be able to get in touch with them for advice! You may have trouble tracking them down, especially if your brand of stove is not commonly stocked.  If you buy from a reputable retailer, you can check that they also stock common spare parts.

4. No after sales care

Stoves are a bit like cars. You don’t just buy one and that’s that. Stoves and flues need regular maintenance You may also encounter issues with your stove, especially in the early days.  If you buy your stove online, you won’t get any after sales care. We pride ourselves on the advice we offer our clients all the way through the buying process, not least after installation.

For advice on buying a stove, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to contact us to chat through your requirements.

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