Log burner

[jibbe]

Thinking of having one installed . I’m expecting that wood has gone through the roof, wondering how much it would cost to have it running through the winter months if any one has a general idea?

I'm also thinking of getting one. I understand its best to collect wood through the year, look out for forests giving it away after felling and pruning.
Installation may include lining your chimney, so I'd guess at least £1500

Thank you I am wondering about actual fuel costs I heard that logs don’t last as long or give off as much heat as other smokeless fuel

I think I use about approx £150 of wood per winter. It took me a while to burn wood efficiently. Last winter I used 3 to 4 decent logs per night. More at the weekend obviously. All depends on usage I suppose. I work out of the house all day.

Different types of logs burn differently. Hardwood burns slower but hotter, typically, than pine. If you go online, you can read more

We’ve just ordered a full pallet of logs £250. Same for a half ton of smokeless fuel. We have a multi fuel stove. Should last a good 6 months. The stove is a 5kw output. Chimney clean was £55.
According to the sweep, a new liner and stove would be around £5k minimum with a very long wait time for installation, as it’s gone mad with orders.

We had one installed this year - cost about £2800 and they had to do a bit of fiddling about to get the flue at the right angle. We've bought 3 x dumpy bags hardwood and 2 x bags oak - hardwood was £80 a bag, oak £90 but I can imagine prices going up rapidly now. Burley have some good info on how much wood to use. We're hoping the wood we have will last 3 months - the stove burns avg 4 or 5 logs an evening over 2-3 hours.
burley.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-minute-guide.pdf

We installed one back in march had ordered at Xmas the price had gone up £400 from the previous consignment. Chimney was lined we needed a granite insert because had gone for cartridge style 5kw stove. Bought hardwood off the local estate built a log store. 5tons £180 chopped and stored before the stove arrived. We've had another 4tons gratis from a developer. They're very efficient now three hardwood logs will stay in all night.

I'd order the wood now and store even if there's a wait for the stove

Not sure how much I will use as first winter having a wood burner but I've just paid £70 for s bulk bag of kiln dried hardwood logs

You can burn any wood as long as it’s bone dry 👍

we have a multi fuel but mainly use wood. Paid £300 for 4.5 cubic metres of wood but that was back in May. We do use some smokeless ovals in the coldest days. Ours is our only source of heat & hot water. Installed back in 2015 and costs I cannot recall. DH sweeps it annually. We usually purchase wood from a local private wood, DH processes it and dries it, gets used 18 months later however it’s not enough for a winter. It was £60 for a van full.

Depends where you are but I had mine installed within a week. Great reputable company as well. No issues. Very good value. Decided not to get the wooden log above the opening and sourced by own stone for the hearth but overall cost below 2.3k, including opening the chimney breast and lining.

@Notmyyearthisyear i can only say what the chimney sweep said in conversation - we were discussing it as I was surprised he was busy early in August. Apparently there has been a resurgence in people bringing open fires back into use, and having new log or multi fuel drives installed.
we are midlands based - and yes, totally agree it could be a localised market surge.

I've had stoves for 40 years though not used in last few years as they are a filthy PITA.
However it will be used this winter. Mine is a multi fuel and heats water as well.

I just got two big builders type bags delivered from local farmer. £60 a bag for seasoned hardwood. It won't last long, probably 2 monthjs at most.
I used to burn smokeless coal as well which is now £24 a bag, lasts two weeks.

We have a wood burner and I would get another in a trice if we could afford it for the kitchen. I love it

But I often wonder if it would be more cost effective to have had a multi fuel one, but Ive got nothing to compare it to as we've only had this one.

Wood isnt cheap if you dont have your own access to woods and you cant just pick up stuff from woodlands, its not yours!

We use around £200 of wood over a winter, and use firelighters to get it going which are around £3 a box. There's a definite knack to getting it hot then stopping the air intake so it's just ticking over..... but we keep our living room warm this way and the heating goes on for an hour early evening to take the chill of the rest of the house. We're rural on bulk LPG so always have to be careful in winter.

We did try briquettes one winter from a local wood company - they were made of compressed sawdust and boy did they shove some heat out. We might go back to them again this winter. They were about £10 for a bag which lasted us 3 evenings.

I bought 11 x 25kg of smokeless ovoids. A big builders bag of kiln dried ash. Some heat logs and kindling. It was £300 delivered. Should last 16 weeks.

isnt there a thing as ‘windfall’ so you can collect fallen branches

@mamas12 having spent the last 23 years on boats - this is exactly how we got all our kindling and wood! It’s known as boaters gold. Used to shove it on the roof of the boat as we spotted it whilst cruising. We are now in a house - so walks consist of a bag casual filled with smaller fallen bits that can be used as kindling.

I thought so
I remember collecting wood as a child

Would you mind saying where you got this, it seems a good price!

@WhoopItUp a company called Fitzpatrick fuels

Thanks very much!

Where do people store their wood if it’s kiln dried? I have a log burner and was thinking of bulk buying wood this year but where should it be kept? Is an concrete sectional garage ok or should it be inside the house?

We had a multi fuel stove inserted into our open fire place so didn't need a liner as chimney already lined - we were really just after filling in the drafty hole in the wall!
It cost us £2350 including stove and new fire surround. I saw on Facebook today that the guy who fitted ours currently has limited slots for October - although he was later fitting ours than he said as there was a delay in getting the stove and surround.

@LATBOTG we store ours in the garage, in a frame that it gets delivered in. Just keeps it tidy and dry. Friends store theirs in an old shed. Previous house owners had a log store outside. So long as it’s covered/protected from rain and damp and has some air circulating around it, it’s fine. On the boat, it was just under the front canopy in boxes. I bring in a bucket everyday it’s needed.