Installing Your Own Stove In France – Single Vs Twin walled Chimney systems. What is the difference?
If you wish to install your chimney liner where it will be exposed to the outside world (on the exterior wall or above the roof without an existing chimney present) it is paramount that a twin wall system is used. Without the insulation that twin walled parts are designed to provide to the chimney system, the uninsulated parts are left to battle the outside temperatures and elements which is not what they are designed to do. Without the chimney being adequately insulated, two things happen:
Installing your own stove in France – Buying the correct parts
One of the most common mistakes made by DIY installers is the purchasing of parts for gas and oil fuels which are not suitable for solid fuels. These parts look nearly the same as each other and with the gas and oil parts being fractionally cheaper, it is no surprise that these almost identical parts are mistakenly installed onto woodburning stoves, compromising the entire system in the process.
Installing your own stove in France – Safety distances to flammable objects
Stoves are made of non-flammable materials for obvious reasons. This also applies to the chimney system and extends to the surrounding area. We have previously discussed the first step in every installation, which is to conduct a débistrage before installing the chimney liner. Without this step, the 300 °C+ hot pipe could ignite the flammable ancient tars, leading to a chimney fire. However, ancient tar deposits are not the only flammable objects you are likely to encounter around your fireplace. Knowing how to identify and mitigate potential heat traps and other risks is imperative for installing your stove safely and in compliance with regulations.
Installing your own stove in France – Flexi vs rigid liners
Every joint in the chimney system has the potential to fail. From this one sentence alone, it is clear to see the advantage of installing a single length of flexi liner as opposed to multiple 1m long sections of rigid liner along the entire length of the chimney. Quite simply, the aim when designing any chimney system should be to reduce both the number of joints and any offset angles away from true vertical. We have already discussed not using 90-degree bends and not exceeding an offset of more than 45 degrees, thus reducing the angles. Now, let us take a closer look at joint reduction.
Installing your own stove in France – rear exiting appliances
Depending on your stove, you may have the option to choose between a top-exiting or rear-exiting stove collar. Manufacturer’s recommendations allowing, it is always preferable to exit the stove via the top stove collar. However, please consult your stove’s manual and the French norms to confirm if this is the best option for your situation. If you are required to use the rear exit collar or have a stove that does not provide the option of a top exit collar (such as an old top-loading stove), you must ensure that you avoid using a 90-degree bend behind your appliance.
Installing your own stove in France – No more 90°
The primary objective of any chimney system is to efficiently remove exhaust combustion gases from the appliance, guide them up the flue, and expel them outside the house. The gases emitted by your stove are heated and less dense than the surrounding cool air, causing them to rise. They utilise their heat energy to travel through the flue, but their momentum decreases when they encounter a bend. As we discussed in an earlier blog in this series, the negative pressure within the chimney draws air into the flue and expels it outside. However, until the flue reaches a sufficient temperature and the flue gas attains an established heat level, this negative pressure is not at its strongest.
Installing your own stove in France – Which way is up?
One of the most common faults I see in my day-to-day work as a Chimney sweep is the installation of parts being the wrong way round. Chimney’s work off negative pressure which means that smoke will not escape the system as it is constantly ‘sucking’ in air. Thanks to this, we do not need to worry about funnelling the gasses up the chimney but do need to consider what will happen if debris falls down the flue.
Installing your own stove in France – Don’t miss the first step
The first question before you can begin your installation project is to decide where you will install your appliance and thus, the Chimney system. With modern designed and manufactured parts, we are no longer bound to having to use the existing chimney and can now install a chimney system almost wherever we like. If however you are using your existing brick chimney, you must make sure you avoid the #1 most common mistake DIY installers make which is…
Installing your own stove in France – Start here
Installing your own wood burner is a very popular choice made by many a DIYer here in rural France. In fact, over half of the installations I see during my day-to-day work as a Chimney sweep are not professionally installed. As perhaps expected, there are many reoccurring faults made by DIY installers which are easily avoided with just a little know how. Although we highly recommend you use a qualified and insured professional to install your stove, we recognise that many will and do choose to install their own appliances. The aim of this short-read blog series is to address many of the simple and easily avoidable faults made by DIY installers that we see every day and is not a step-by-step guide on how to install an appliance.