Replacing open fire with a stove query?

E

Effie

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Following my latest huge gas bill, I'm now thinking of putting in a stove into where my open fire place is positioned to help reduce my heating costs in the main sitting room where I spend a lot of time.

Hopefully this might let me reduce my use of the gas central heating which is costing me an arm and a leg at present.

Don't know if it is worth considering getting in a boiler type stove given the set up costs.

The model I am looking at is an Esse 350 multi fuel stove as it appears on paper at least, to be quite compact as well as efficient.

Has anyone any experience of this type of stove or their experience with stoves either boiler or multi fuel would be much appreciated.
 
I'm of the same mind myself. Looking at the Esse 300 non boiler inset stove. Those gas fires with open chimneys are a joke.
 
recently installed a Stanley Oisin (non boiler) stove. I was looking at the possibility of having a boiler model installed. However, as it transpires I'm just as happy not to have gone that route. First of all, retrofitting it would have been an expensive nightmare. Secondly, with the boiler models, you really need to go for bigger stoves as you won't get as much heat into the room as a result.
I have used the Oisin rarely - and that may remain the case for the short/medium term. However, just sealing off that opening is a major improvement to the energy efficiency of a dwelling - and given that this particular stove was cheap as chips and I self installed, it will pay for itself even if I never use it - by making the house more airtight.
So, make sure you get a stove big enough to both act as a room heater and circulate hot water. As a result, be prepared to have the fuel available to feed a bigger stove.
Also worth noting is that there are a handful of proper room sealed solid fuel stoves on the market now ie. they have their own dedicated air supply. However, if you go this router, be prepared to spend much more and also take care that you get someone competent to install.
 
MacTheKnife1 said:
Well done! Sounds like you have a real success with this. Would be interested to hear how easy it was to self install?? Any chance of a brief description of how you went about it?
Click to expand...
A wealth of knowledge in this thread here in addition to other threads on both this forum and boards.
I'm no diyer but took my time at it and got the result I wanted. Although I didnt buy off them, gings in portlaoise seemed to be the cheapest for both the stove and the stainless flue adapters (which cost more than you would think) - so if your anywhere close, worth checking with them.
 
WE have sold a large amount of the esse 350 and have good reports back on nealry alll the only ones uunhappy said the noise of the chimney increased in high winds to a whistle. Esse said this should cure itself in time as some soot build up and changes the reverberations in the chimney. Only other complaint was too hot!!!
Could be installed by some one reasonably competent in diy.WE normally charge about E200 to fit as its a bit labour intensive.
 
Was today shopping for a non boiler stove for open existing fireplace. Told Mulberry Yeats suitable. Told €890 enamel and since home rang two other stores with prices of €1050 and 1035. Anyone experience of this one. The sitting room is 18 foot by 19 foot. Thanks.
 
FMS, please can you elaborate re costs of fitting, when you say it is labour intensive, what exactly is involved in fitting it properly?

Also, re you being in the business, please can you give everyone a web link to you as I'm sure other forum members interested in going dowm the same pathway as myself, would be interested in having a look.
 
Sandals, our sitting room is 17 x 20 and we have a Jotul No 3 - its a dream and very easy to clean out and very fuel efficient, I have knowledge through friend of other makes and I would not go past the Jotul, even one set of friends are going to change theirs to a Jotul, they bought a cheapie stove after seeing ours thinking that all stoves would be the same, they can't keep fuel in it - I don't know the make, 2 other sets of friends have hunters and again very hard on fuel and not as much heat as from the Jotul.

I have stanley's (cheaper to buy etc) in some of my investment properties and they are harder to clean out, sharper corners etc and are not as fuel efficient as the Jotul.

Fenton Fires in greystones worth a visit.
 
Thanks FMC for your link.It is much appreciated!

Can I ask, my old fireplace is a tiled one, why then is it necessary to remove this given that the current tiles on it are fireproof?

I'm not keen on granite and would like to keep my tiled fireplace and tiled hearth, is this not possible?
 
Hi Effie the reason is not the tiles but that most tiled or cast inserts have a canopy which means the stove cant fit flush againest the opening. On some inserts this can be removed but it then needs a plate to cover it off and doesn't look very pretty. A plate froma metal fabrication place can cost E100 appx and imho doesn't look right so I think the extra few pounds are well spent. thers is also one cast iron insert called the Georgian flat plate that the stove can go againest flush. Its a simple one with a single square band around it.
 
Went back to look at the Esse 350 yesterday.Still like the look of it but the price I was quoted for it was €1500+ which wasn't anything like what I'd been led to believe when I saw it originally.

If I have to replace my hearth and tiled fireplace too, thats going to cost me over 2500€ in total , an amount which I don't think I can justify spending at present

Has anyone come across this model or a stove with similar output cheaper here or in the North?
 
Thanks FMC for that information. Will have a look out for the insert which you mentioned.

Thanks again.
 
where abouts are you effie?
The 350 with us retails at 1300 plus fitting but if we were changing insert as well we would reduce overall fitting charge. There shouldn't really be any need to replace the hearth.
 
Hi FMC I'm a mile and a half from central Dublin, bit of a hike from Sligo I'm afraid.
 
fmc .... any chance you might do a run down on the pro/cons of the choices of stoves available and the associated features?

There are a number of threads on stoves ... it would be great if you did a key post on them. Brendan might consider making it a sticky .... in an area of the forum relating to green issues etc.
 
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