Woodburner installed - wait 48 hours?

[pigsinmud]

Our woodburner was finished yesterday. I was so excited and then told we needed to wait 48 hours before lighting it for sealants etc.. to harden. They did a quick test light to make sure all was sealed well. So left it yesterday, but am so keen to light. Would 24 hours do? Then I could light it this evening! I want to light it, send children to bed, open wine and watch dvd with dh!

Just need to finish decorating the rest of the room now..

I'd be impatient too! Maybe a small fire just to christen it??

Otherwise you''l not get the benefit, it's nearly April and who lights the fire in April really?? ;)

if they plastered round the opening then you should leave it for a few days otherwise it will crack if not dried properly

Bear in mind it will be VERY VERY fumey when you 1st light it due to the paint and finishings etc on the stove. You will need to have your windows open to air the room ( the fumes and haze coming off ours set off our sensitive fire alarm) and this will last for the 1st couple of fires so be prepared- you won't be able to sit enjoying a glass of wine looking at the flames just yet

When I had mine fitted they finished it at around lunchtime and told me it should be fine to light a small fire for 30 mins that evening, the next day an hour then after that it would be good to go.

Very, very smokey the first time it was lit - in fact I stood outside to see if smoke was actually going out of my chimney and not straight into my living room. It's lovely now though.

I think the small fires are to burn all the paint, glue and other gubbins that are inside a new fire.

I agree with Pudden.The fumes are very strong at first.Don't light it with the kids in bed - you will definately need to open doors and windows.
Wait the recommended time before you have a fire - don't risk damaging it.

You will have a lot of lovely cosy evenings with it - just be patient!

Thank you. Very helpful. I shall light it this evening, with gas mask on, for a short time. Same tomorrow. No wine & no dvd ....must learn to be patient

if the installers said 48 hours....

suppose you light it early and the fire-cements cracks. Who's going to pay to replace it?

Pigletjohn you are right We had already changed our minds and decided to wait until tomorrow. The cement and plastering was done last friday so that is well dry. Yesterday was hearth and connecting woodburner up to flue.

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, it's not worth it. DF did this and sealants didn't cure properly - fumes started coming out of odd locations - it all had to be redone and was really expensive to fix (not covered by warranty as they'd not followed correct installation instructions/advice) - and even now it leaks slightly.

Be patient!

I waited like a good girl. I am now struggling to light it - takes practice I suppose!

I used to struggle to light mine. But now find it very easy. I start with the starter cubes. Break a little piece and light. Then I cover with the small sticks you can you in bags and when these are burning nicely, I add a log on top. When the log catches, I push the air knob in so that it burns slowly. And then keep adding logs or coal. It takes almost no effort!

I do know someone who does it the old fashioned way with paper and bark as starters, but IMO that requires a lot of skill!

Buy, not you

when I had a multifuel, the fuel used to come in thick paper sacks. I usually found that if I screwed up some of the paper, and arranged the dead embers on top, with wood or broken coals on top of that, it would light OK. The paper makes enough heat to get the chimney drawing, and with the ash-drawer open, and the door closed, there's a good draught to encourgage the fire to take. The theory is to start with the smallest stuff, and layer it with bigger and bigger on top. You can riddle out charcoal and small coals from the cold ashes.

I did also chuck any freesheets and envelopes in the basket so I usually had plenty of paper handy, not much went in the bin.

Screw up some newspaper - not too tightly. A few sticks of kindling, I buy mine, then a few bigger sticks on top of that. I have all the air vents open and I don't seal the door shut I just push it closed. Light the paper, 5 mins later when the all the wood has taken stick on a couple of shovels of coal and a log. Once the fire is established close up the air vents as you need.

My new burner was a bit of a bugger to light for the first month too for some reason.

Free sheets and bills burn really well.

Thanks for that ...like the sound of burning bills! We got it going in the end. Shall have another go tonight. Found some compressed wood logs in the shed that we'd bought for firepit and one of those really helped get it going - said suitable for woodburners.

It just looks lovely after having a hole in the wall for 13 years - we have a stovax view 5.

Waited 48 hours. Now have a crack in the wall behind woodburner. When they came round they told us there had to be 15cm between back wall & woodburner....there is only 5cm.

Plus they spraypainted the inside of the fireplace black....it now looks very patchy in places.

Phone call tomorrow.

schilke, we got a crack in the plaster behind the woodburner too. We have let it slide as we think it is a cosmetic issue. As we have left the inside plaster unpainted, it just looks old and natural.

Would be interested to know what they say in your call, and whether it is something to be concerned about. so please do update. TIA

Flatbread - part of me thinks let it go, but he other part thinks phone them now! As it is black the fine crack really stands out and once I've noticed something it just bugs me! Will let you know what they say.