Discover everything you need to know about installing a wood burning stove in your home, including costs, regulations, process, and finding certified installers.

Are you considering installing a log burner in your home? This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from understanding the different types of wood burning stoves to following regulations and finding reputable certified installers.

Types of Stove

Aside from aesthetics, when selecting your stove it is also important to consider Fuel type, intended use and efficiency rating (highly efficient cleaner burning stoves are more likely to be approved for use in smoke control areas - see smoke control areas).

Fuel type - There are three main categories of stove, wood burning, pellet burning and multi fuel.

Wood Burning Stove: Wood is a hugely important renewable fuel and when taken from managed sources it is the most environmentally friendly fuel available. When burning, wood releases exactly the same amount of carbon dioxide as it has accumulated when growing so is practically CO2 neutral.

Correctly seasoned wood can also be a very efficient and economical fuel choice. Freshly cut wood typically contains around 60% water (the amount of water content will vary depending upon the type of wood and the time of year the wood is harvested). When burning freshly cut unseasoned wood much of the energy stored in the wood is used to burn off this water; this results in a lower energy output per kg, lower heat output and a greater deposit of tars throughout the flue system. Seasoned wood burns far hotter and far cleaner than unseasoned wood. Energy output from seasoned wood (typically 20% water content) is on average 50% greater than that of unseasoned wood.

Log burners are designed to burn wood only. When burning, wood takes its oxygen supply from above and not from below therefore a wood burning stove will typically have a flat internal base and will not typically have an internal grate.

Pellet Burning Stove: Pellet burning stoves are both environmentally friendly and highly economical to run; offering all the simplicity and convenience of a modern appliance with the beauty and warmth of a contempory wood stove.

Pellets come pre-seasoned offering the highest possible energy output of a wood based fuel (typically 5kWh/kg). As pellets create such a high energy output there is very little waste whatsoever (on average 2% ash) requiring only very occasional cleaning.

Appliances are self lighting and electronically controlled, carrying a built-in pellet store will run for many days between re-fuelling. This makes pellet stoves an ideal choice for modern living.

Multi fuel Stoves: The versatility of Multi fuel stoves makes them a great choice. Designed to burn both smokeless fuels and wood. Multi fuel stoves offer flexibility and convenience of fuel choice.

Smokeless fuels e.g. smokeless coal and anthracites offer a very high energy output per kilo (e.g. Anthracites 9.42kWh per kg) and will typically burn for far greater periods than wood meaning less refills.

Smokeless coals require air from below to burn efficiently, therefore a multi fuel stove will feature an integral grate.

Boiler Stoves: These stoves are equipped with a boiler to heat water for your home, providing both heating and hot water.

 Stove Materials.

When selecting a stove choice of materials is an important consideration.

Steel: Steel stoves will warm rapidly but do not hold heat well, cooling relatively quickly. A steel stove offers convenience of rapid heat and is typically specified as a secondary heat source.

Cast Iron: Cast iron stoves are inherently efficient. A cast iron stove will take time to warm but then hold heat very well indeed. They are well suited to long burn cycles and use as primary heat source.

Thermal Mass: Soap stone is a fantastic extremely effective natural heat store and often features in the design of modern appliances. During a burn cycle heat is accumulated in the integral soap stone heat store. Depending upon the size of heat store offering 8 to 24 hours of continuous heat output following a burn cycle. Therefore most suited to continuous heating needs.

Minimum Efficiency.

In the UK, from January 1st, 2022, all new wood-burning stoves and multi-fuel stoves manufactured and placed on the market must meet the EcoDesign regulations, requiring a minimum efficiency of 75% for closed stoves. 

Pre-Installation Considerations

Before you install a log burner, there are several factors to consider:

• Smoke Control Areas: Ensure your area is not a smoke control area, as there may be restrictions on the types of stoves you can install. DEFRA provide an interactive tool allows you to explore the location of Smoke Control Areas and exemptions in England only. See https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/sca/
• Building Regulations: Compliance with building regulations is crucial. Flues positioned on the rear or side elevations of a building are permitted to extend up to a maximum of one metre above the highest point of the roof. However, if the building is listed or located in a designated area, it is strongly recommended to consult your local planning authority prior to installing a flue, even if you hold permitted development rights. This ensures compliance with all applicable regulations and avoids potential issues.
• Ventilation: Whilst extensively covered in Building regulations Doc J, it is important to emphasise that adequate ventilation is essential to ensure the stove burns efficiently and to prevent dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide. In general if your stove has a heat output of 5kW or less then it’s unlikely a dedicated air supply will be needed, however stoves in properties built after 2008, or those with high air tightness, require an external air supply (or a direct air feed) regardless of their heat output. Stoves with an output above 5kw will always require an air supply.  
• Sizing Your Stove: The area of a room, and efficiency of insulation will dictate the optimum stove size. Below is a simple calculation which will provide an estimated minimum heat output to meet your needs. (dimensions in meters).((W x H x D) x factor) = min required gross heat output in kW.

Note: for modern well insulated houses*. These will only require a small amount of heat to maintain living temperatures. The guidance figures above will in most cases still suggest an output below that which can be offered from most nominal stated outputs. Customers wishing to install solid fuel appliances in these properties should be made aware that excessive heat is likely to be generated. An appliance for these circumstances should be very controllable or have good thermostatic control, such as a pellet stove.

The factor figure is dictated by the age of the property and therefore an assumed thermal efficiency and air permeability. This will provide guidance only. There are often many influencing factors which would only be highlighted during a site survey.

In many cases additional room ventilation may be required. Adequate ventilation is essential to ensure the stove burns efficiently and to prevent dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide. In general if your stove has a heat output of 5kW or less then it’s unlikely a dedicated air supply will be needed, however stoves in properties built after 2008, or those with high air tightness, require an external air supply (or a direct air feed) regardless of their heat output. Stoves with an output above 5kw will always require an air supply. 

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