Wood burning stove - Self-install?

[Welderpaul]

I have more time on my side these days, and I want a wood stove installing

Plenty of DIY install info on the web, but is it worth it?

It's an install in a new (ish) build, so reasonably straight forward to do.

 

[addjunkie]

Only point Id make….paper work for your house insurance!

 

[gaz1]

there an easy install yourself but as quoted above

if you may need that info then it has to be installed by someone who fits them and can sign off on it

 

[Welderpaul]

Only point Id make….paper work for your house insurance!

Yeah, we may upgrade in the future so don't want any suprises

 

[Shedendman]

Two choices
Go ahead and say sod all,i'm sure you've got the savvy on how to etc
Or
Do it the right way involving more money and paperwork

 

[Smallfry]

When we lived in Cumbria, we had a professional HETAS install. He put a 90 degree bend in the flue inside the chimney stack, which I later found ran slightly downhill, then another to go up the stack. Flue was never supported properly, and the stove was always difficult to keep alight.

Thought it was because of poor design of the stove, until I decided to investigate. I redid it all myself.

Have done two since, first one signed of by a HETAS engineer, who took about two minutes to look it over and give a certificate. Last one I didnt bother.

 

[doubleboost]

I installed the first one myself with a open flue "old coal fired chimney"
I had a HETAS installer sign it off .
All the relevant boxes were ticked .
Air brick installed , Co monitor .
The chimney was professionally swept and smoke tested .
The lad that inspected it said that the register plate (the bit that joins the new flue to the existing chimney)
Took over engineered to a new level.
On the latest fire , I had a 6 inch liner fitted just fore peace of mind .
I now have a steady bit of money coming in Plasma cutting registry plates .
I get the flue swept once a year by a certified sweep (just to keep the paperwork in order) .
He gets very little soot out of the liner .
I must admit to burning some processed wood .

 

[MattF]

In my opinion, it pretty much comes down to being an **** covering exercise if owt happens. Safer to go with fitters.

 

[minimutly]

In my opinion, it pretty much comes down to being an **** covering exercise if owt happens. Safer to go with fitters.

Nooo, diy -then you either pay a Hetas engineer to sign it off or pay the Council to send someone round to inspect it, and your paperwork. There are too many cowboy "tradesmen" around at the moment...
Or do it and say nothing, but risk voiding your insurance if you have a fire.

 

[julianf]

Hetas will, I suspect, be reluctant to sign off something they have not profited from to begin with.

I installed two here, years ago, and got the council chap to come over. Cost me £180 for the pair, and I seemed to know more about document j than he did (which didn't bother me, but it wasn't quite the exam I was expecting)

 

[julianf]

I have more time on my side these days, and I want a wood stove installing

Plenty of DIY install info on the web, but is it worth it?

It's an install in a new (ish) build, so reasonably straight forward to do.

Ps

None of the diy whatever on the web really matters. It's just document J that does. Freely downloadable and easy enough to read.

You can get a kit off eBay once you know the stack height and it has all the bits, inc the notice plate etc.

 

[mark roberts]

I did mine last year whilst I was rebuilding the chimney stack. The hardest bit was getting the liner down by myself. The fire was £700 and the liner kit was £500

 

[AVI_8]

I did mine myself, got a roofer to put the flue down from above and connect to the flue cap, fitted into an original fireplace and stack though, if it was a new install not into an original fireplace I’d probably pay someone to do it.

 

[Dozzer]

I have more time on my side these days, and I want a wood stove installing

Plenty of DIY install info on the web, but is it worth it?

It's an install in a new (ish) build, so reasonably straight forward to do.

As Julianf says yes you can. follow section J building regs It clearly lays out all the design rules for fitting one. = https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6336e58be90e0772dc9651a2/ADJ_2022.pdf

You can get your local council to sign it on under building control. that covers the insurance angle. or you can get one of the approved building controlee companies to do it.

I have fitted 5, 3 in my own properties, 2 for friends over the last 10 years. even fitted the little data plate in the fireplace, you can even buy them
The only people that will tell you, you "HAVE" to use HETAS engineers are HETAS engineers and its total BS.

 

[Blobber]

Ive seen some shocking "professional" installations, I did my own with the help of a local builder and as long as you follow the guide lines/instructions its not difficult, simple things like the size of the hearth to comply, position/material of the mantel if your having one, ventilation and the required CO alarm, all easy just have a good read up

 

[julianf]

My brother got his done by a hetas chap about the same time I was doing mine (so I was "clued up" at the time)

My brothers was signed off by hetas.
If I had have done the same install, building control would not have signed it off, as it was not compliant with doc j.

I mean, his house has not burnt down, so I guess it was all ok, but hetas make up their own rules when it suits them.

(In this instance, they tried to do it a way that would have been compliant with doc j, gave up, did it another way, and signed it off...)

 

[Kayos]

I did a few pre-hetas and one after that I got approved when the other building work was done

I love the pro bashing that threads like this always create, yes there are bad pros but I've been involved with investigations where a DIY install has resulted in significant damage and injuries

 

[armalites]

The only people that will tell you, you "HAVE" to use HETAS engineers are HETAS engineers and its total BS.

They will also tell you'll never be able to sell the house or get it insurance without it which is also total nonsense.

 

[gaz1]

I did a few pre-hetas and one after that I got approved when the other building work was done

I love the pro bashing that threads like this always create, yes there are bad pros but I've been involved with investigations where a DIY install has resulted in significant damage and injuries

it dosnt always mater theres always bodges done by many fitters out there dosnt matter if its flue fitter to a builder each job can cause issues and damage and injury due to poor quality of work

dosnt matter if its hetas, corgi, gas safe poor workmanship is still done in these jobs and yet people are paying through the nose for them

as goes for council visit sorry thats another pen pusher looking at another profit based certificate to be payed for yet again

either get a heta installed certificate or get the councils one to me both are a pen pushers dream all to make money another way
it certainly dosnt give many home owners peace of mind

 

[AVI_8]

I got all of the information I needed to to the job myself including opening out the fireplace to the builders fireplace from this website.

Installing a wood burning stove

The guide to buying and installing a wood burning stove. What size to buy? What brand is best? How to choose an installer? What installation materials are needed and at what cost? And much more.

stovefitterswarehouse.co.uk