HEATING, VENTILATION & SERVICES


clear example is a brick chimney with a stainless steel liner). eeping the temperature of the ue gases above the dew point is really important to allow the ue gases to freely escape to the atmosphere. Clay, concrete and pumice liners require insulation to be prepared and added onsite. Stainless steel system ues are supplied with effective insulation. Double wall pumice chimney systems have an air gap between the walls of the inner and outer blocks. This air gap combined with the natural insulating properties of pumice provides effective insulation along the length of the chimney.


nstalling a stoe and ue is not a DIY job. It should only be undertaken by a competent person, and the work must be approved by Building Control. England and Wales operate competent schemes which allow the registered installer to self-certify the installation. HETAS and OFTEC are two of the main companies running such schemes. Scotland and N. Ireland need to have competent person schemes and Building Control must inspect the installation. Once installed, it is important to


ue within the dwelling might not appear as one of the key considerations, but it is important to plan how the chimney/ ue will be incorporated in the house at this stage. The ue gases reuire a clear path to the top of the ue.  straight chimneyue is always the best solution but where this is not possible, due to the construction of the dwelling, the number of bends should be kept to a minimum and not exceed more than four. The angle of the bends should be no greater than 45° from the vertical. The words chimney and ue are often used interchangeably. It is the inner tube that transports the ue gases. This is the ue. The chimney is the combined inner tube and the outer casing. A


regularly sweep the ue. The freuency of sweeping depends on the usage of the appliance. However, as a minimum the chimney should be swept at the start of the heating season. A build up in soot can impede the ow of the ue gases and increase the risk of a chimney fire. Remember that it is necessary to fit a carbon monoxide detector in the room where the stove is installed. Burning dry wood not only gives more heat into the room, it also reduces soot deposits in the ue and the amount of particle emissions P. The Ready to Burn logo guarantees that the wood is dry enough to burn. Concerns have been raised about particulate emissions (PM) from wood burning. The Environment Act sets out the emission limits that wood burning stoves must comply with. Many stoves already produce lower particulate levels than the Defra limits and that is where the independently erified scheme, Clear Skies, can be of assistance when purchasing a stove. The Clear Skies scheme identifies stoes that not only meet the emission limits required by Defra but also stoves that produce fewer emissions.


Wood burning is a low carbon form of heating. Logs are generally the off cuts that come from pruning trees. Woodlands need to be managed to stay healthy and part of that management is pruning. Interestingly, burning wood in a modern stove can produce less carbon than if it were left to decay on the woodland oor. The BFCMA is the UK’s only Trade Association representing the chimney and ue industry and works closely with the Government, public bodies and other organisations to further the interest of the industry.


Dennis Milligan is president of the BFCMA


Interestingly, burning wood in a modern stove can produce less carbon than if it were left to decay on the woodland floor.


46 www.sbhonline.co.uk jan/feb 2024


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