Inset multifuel stove

[Snadger]

Advice required.

I bought this fire for my living romm a while ago.
I've now decided I want a multifuel stove instead of the gas fired version here. I've searched the web for an inset stove to fit, but without much luck! Any ideas? It has a 16" opening and I realise I will need to fit a flue to suit the solid fuel version.

[AllInContainers]

Get a man round to quote a few options. He may wish to pass comment on suitability of your fire surround too, they belt some mega heat out those things and you need certain clearances etc. If you do replace the surround and go for tiles, make sure you get porcelain. Porcelain tiles are double fired and won't crack and craze like ceramic tiles ... but they're a MAJOR pain in the padded area to cut without the edges chipping out, even with water cooled diamond saws, hand tile saws, tile breakers ... you name it I tried everything. Rear flued means you can also get a kettle or big pot of stew on top

Once it's done, you'll LOVE it, but get some professional advice and look into everything properly before making any decisions.

[AllInContainers]

I should add, I've only done a couple of marine installations (and assisted with others) where the challenges were very different. I had full control of shielding, spacings, and other factors including (very importantly) ventilation to prevent problems with CO. I'm not up to date with domestic models, nor with domestic regs, which is why I suggest getting professional input

[Feral007]

The clearances will depend on how your fire/stove is built. Mine needs mega clearances as it sends heat out through the sides. Other versions have sides with different material in them, and they send the heat out via other means (fans, flue, front,)

Maybe you could call someone as AIC suggests, but ask them if they can give you the names of some brands that would do the job. Then you could do your online searches, and then get them out to give you some idea of whether it would work in your instance.

[veggiechicken]

We had a similar fireplace and mantelpiece in this house. We took out the tiled sides and opened up the fireplace completely. Then installed a multifuel stove in the opening.
Or you could have a freestanding one, on the hearth and lead the flue back into the chimney opening but that might look a bit of a mishmash.

[Nicos]

Stovax Riva 40 will probably fit Snadge.
Not cheap mind!

There will be other makes around.

Look for one with an air wash system to help keep the glass cleaner as they do tend to go black very quickly without it and then you lose the pleasure of seeing the flames.
Multi fuel is also a good option.
We had a multi fuel free standing in our UK house....that was quite a small stove and needed feeding with wood regularly....sometimes we ran out of wood or needed to keep the fire burning overnight and the Smokeless fuel was a very practical standby.


Really lovely fireplace by the way!

[Snadger]

Really lovely fireplace by the way!

Thats the problem Nicos, OH picked it and likes it. I really can't butcher it. If nothing will fit I'll just have to stick with gas.
I think there is a local chimney sweep who fits stoves and is affiliated to half a dozen manufactureres.
£40 for a visit but if he gets the job he'll take it off the price! Can't be fairer than that methinks!

[Potstubsdustbins]

The only problem I can see is the wood surround. The ILF appliance won't give of much heat at all, most of it goes up the flue. They look good but are useless and converting fuel to heat, that's why they are not officially a gas fire would you believe.

But with multi-fuel latent heat can be a hazard unless the clearance distances are observed.

Potty

[Snadger]

The only problem I can see is the wood surround. The ILF appliance won't give of much heat at all, most of it goes up the flue. They look good but are useless and converting fuel to heat, that's why they are not officially a gas fire would you believe.

But with multi-fuel latent heat can be a hazard unless the clearance distances are observed.


Potty

I was hoping that the insert would slot in below the ornamental offset bit at the top which would hopefully deflect heat from wood lintel?

[Potstubsdustbins]

They usually come with the distance's laid out in the fitting instructions, so if you find something you think might do you can gurgle the installation manual and check.

Or use a different solution. SWMBO insisted on a similar setup when I refurbed the lounge. When I had finished I lit the ILF and took her to watch the gas meter and time the rotation of the dial. Then ILF turned of and fired my HE condensing boiler and let her time the dial again. Very little difference between the boiler heating the whole house and the ILF nearly heating the lounge.

Result it sits there looking nice, the flue as been stuffed with an old pillow case to stop heat loss and a label fitted to the fire to alert others.

Potty

[AllInContainers]

I was hoping that the insert would slot in below the ornamental offset bit at the top which would hopefully deflect heat from wood lintel?

Personally I wouldn't take any chances with a wooden surround irrespective of stove construction. I fitted two on a boat with at least 10" side clearance, porcelain tiles cemented and grouted with high temperature silicone (alleviates problems with flexing and vibration on boats) onto 1/2" of masterboard for additional heat shielding to protect the timber framework. The timber hasn't scorched so the shielding has done it's job, but the back of the masterboard still gets very warm.

Sorry to say this Snadger, but in your installation it's a wooden surround OR a solid fuel stove IMHO.

[chris]

So, can anyone tell me why you can't burn "other" fuel in a wood burning stove? I get the grate setup to collect ashes in a multi fuel, but from reading around that's the only real difference?

Just curious..

[Nicos]

Yeh...interesting question! ...we had to buy a 'coal' grate for our Esse so we could burn both.

If I recall coal etc burns hotter than wood so it might need different firebricks inside too?

* wanders off to have a gooooogle.....

[Nicos]

Looks like the quality of the actual metal makes a difference too.

[AllInContainers]

Wood burns by top venting, and the grate should just let the ashes through. If you vent wood from underneath it will just burn far too quickly. The only time you want to be venting wood from beneath is on a wood burning cooking range, where you are specifically aiming for high heat, or high controllability of heat. Need more heat? Vent more air under the fire. Need less heat? Either adjust the check damper, vent cool air in, or surprisingly add more fuel (adding thick logs soaks up a lot of heat before burning, and then burns slowly). The ranges are often not firebrick lined and are unsuitable for multi fuel use - basically, you'd overheat the stove and damage it.

Coal and smokeless fuels burn hotter (and so the grate needs to be able to take the extra heat), but also need under drafting to burn properly. Needs to be firebrick lined. If you find a stove that has a "coal" grate and a wood grate, you'll often notice that these are very different animal. The coal grate will be the grill you'd expect to see, and the wood grate will be a perforated plate to reduce the amount of underventing. You'll often find this on stoves that don't offer top venting for wood use.