What size stove do I need?

All our stoves have good vent control so will have a broad range of operation whereby the stove will still be efficient and cleanburning.

Here is a general formula for calculating minimum output required:
Allow at least 1kW per 14 cubic metres -
eg. your room is 4m wide, 5m long by 2.4m high = 4x5x2.4 = 48cubic metres - divide by 14 = approx 3.5kW minimum - if you have only single glazing and your house insulation level is not great, you will need to add on a bit more.

All our stove's outputs quoted are maximum nominal ratings - this means the realistic maximum you could achieve heat into the room, taking into account the efficiency of the stove, but of course all stoves will operate much lower than their maximums by turning down the vents.

What can I burn on my stove?

All Saltfire Stoves unless otherwise stated, will be multifuel - this means they will not only burn wood, but various coal type products as well.
Wood is best when dry and seasoned and if possible, hardwoods are preferred over softwoods.
Manufactured smokeless coal and anthracite can all be used.
Any coal designed for use just on open fires (Petro Coke) should be avoided.

Why are your prices so low?

We have no middle men, wholesalers or salespeople to pay commission to so no one in the middle taking a cut of profits.
Although we welcome you to visit our factory-warehouse-showroom where you can take your stove home with you if you like, we are mainly a trade supplier and internet based retailer - we spend no money on a pretty showroom or glossy brochures - what you see is what you get and our products speak for themselves.
We make our money by selling a large amount of stoves with a little profit on each.
The high street stove shops are not set up like this so cannot compete with us on price.

Is everything in stock?

We try to keep high stock levels of each of our stoves and accessories, however at very busy times we will sometimes run out of certain models - if an item is listed as out of stock on the website, it is always worth giving us a call - it will often only be a matter of days before more arrive.

How quickly can I get my stove?

Normally well under 5 working days - We endeavour to dispatch all orders within 24 hours and we ship out every week day Monday to Friday.
Stove deliveries will arrive via a pallet courier on a 1-3 working day service (UK mainland) in which the courier will phone you direct to book a convenient delivery day with you.
If you are in a particular hurry, we can arrange a next day service for a small additional surcharge (usually £20) - please contact us.

Do I need to line my chimney?

As long as your chimney is not leaking, there is no legal requirement to line – HOWEVER - it is always the sensible safe option to line and the only way to ensure a sealed system from top to bottom and guard against future leakage into bedrooms etc. Also, the draw on the chimney and overall stove performance is normally improved greatly with a liner. If you want to use a HETAS installer to fit your stove they may insist on fitting a liner if it is an old house. If you are doing a DIY install and having the local Building Inspector sign it off, he may want to see that a new liner has been fitted
We can supply top quality reliable liners as part of our easy fitting kits at low trade prices.

What is flue liner?

Flue liner is the most common and easiest way to reline existing chimneys - it is a stainless steel flexible tube which will go from the top of your stove pipe to the top of the chimney ensuring a sealed system right the way to the top of the chimney and one of uniform diameter inside - (although most small and medium sized stoves have a 5" outlet, UK Building Regulations normally require a minimum 6" diameter flue liner for burning wood) - our flue liner kits can provide the adaptor to go from 5" rigid pipe to 6" flexible liner.

The exception to this rule is if the stove is a DEFRA Approved model in which case it can use the 5" liner. 5" liners are usually easier to get down a chimney too which is why a lot of customers now choose a DEFRA stove even if they are not in a smoke control area.

What else will I need to fit my stove?

If you are not relining your chimney, you will probably need a length of flue pipe ie. 500mm or 1000mm, a small tub of fire cement to seal the joint, and a register plate kit to blank off the chimney around the pipe.

If your house is post 1964 your chimney will probably have a concrete/ clay liner system further up the chimney in which case you will just need a length of flue pipe to get up to that point, then a 'clay liner adaptor' to join the two, plus a tub of fire cement to seal the joints.

If you are using the rear outlet on the stove, you will probably need a tee-piece with cap or a 90degree bend as well.

What is a register plate?

A register plate is a steel board with a hole cut in it for the flue pipe to go through - it will then blank off the chimney opening around the pipe.
It can be fitted horizontally just above the chimney breast opening, or vertically to close off the opening to the chimney breast when the stove is to be placed freestanding in front of the chimney using the rear flue outlet on the stove.
It has several functions:
-It will help reduce heat loss into the chimney space by bouncing the heat back into the room.
-It will catch any soot and falling debris.
-It will stop draughts coming down the chimney and into the room.
-Most importantly it increases the draw by ensuring the chimney can only pull air through the stove itself and not just draw air from the room without first going through the stove.
The kits we sell are available for 5" flue pipe and also 6". They come with the angle brackets required to form a frame to support the plate.
All the parts can easily be trimmed to size with a hacksaw or disc cutter/ angle grinder.

I don't have a chimney at all - can I still have a stove?

Yes you can - we can design a kit which will enable you to quickly construct a flue system from scratch which will provide a safe, legal system which conforms to Building
Regulations and can usually be put up in less than a day. The kit will probably cost more than the stove itself but will be far more effective in time and cost than building a new brick chimney.
The components will all just fit together a bit like Lego or Meccano.
Please contact us so we can design your system.

How do I find an installer in my area?

If you need someone to install the stove for you, there are HETAS registered fitters all over the UK:

Just enter your postcode here: http://www.hetas.co.uk/find-installer/

Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Cumberland, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire, Westmorland, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Anglesey/Sir Fon, Brecknockshire/Sir Frycheiniog, Caernarfonshire/Sir Gaernarfon, Carmarthenshire/Sir Gaerfyrddin, Cardiganshire/Ceredigion, Denbighshire/Sir Ddinbych, Flintshire/Sir Fflint, Glamorgan/Morgannwg, Merioneth/Meirionnydd, Monmouthshire/Sir Fynwy, Montgomeryshire/Sir Drefaldwyn, Pembrokeshire/Sir Benfro, Radnorshire/Sir Faesyfed, Aberdeenshire, Angus/Forfarshire, Argyllshire, Ayrshire, Banffshire, Berwickshire, Buteshire, Cromartyshire, Caithness, Clackmannanshire, Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire/Dumbartonshire, East Lothian/Haddingtonshire, Fife, Inverness-shire, Kincardineshire, Kinross-shire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Lanarkshire, Midlothian/Edinburghshire, Morayshire, Nairnshire, Orkney, Peeblesshire, Perthshire, Renfrewshire, Ross-shire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, Stirlingshire, Sutherland, West Lothian/Linlithgowshire, Wigtownshire

Just let us know you need an installer when you order and we will put you in touch with installers in your area.
Any work they quote for will need to be paid direct to them.

Do I need an air vent?

Normally for most houses in the UK no extra ventilation is required when installing a stove rated at 5kW or less. For stoves above 5 kW a permanent air vent connected to the outside is required in the same room as the appliance. The size of the vent would normally need to be a minimum of 550mm  per kW above 5 kW. e.g. a stove rated at 7kW would need 550mm  x 2 = 1100mm. That would be a square opening approx 33mm x 33mm.
The purpose of providing extra ventilation for larger stoves is simply to ensure there is enough oxygen being supplied into the room to allow proper combustion in the stove.
Houses built since 2008 will generally require a vent for all sizes of stove as modern houses are very air-tight.

Where are the stoves made?

Our Ekol and Saltfire ST ranges are completely designed and developed in our labs here in Dorset.

The final assembly and quality control takes place in Wareham, Dorset by experienced stove engineers. We use the highest quality components produced by various independent specialists, such as castings made by world class foundries which make other high quality stove brands, glass and some hardware from Germany, raw materials are mainly sourced from Australia, paint finishes from the USA and England, so quite an international effort for the parts. All Saltfire ST and Ekol stoves are designed, develoed ant tested in Dorset and certifed to exceed all British and European test standards.

What gap / clearance do I need around the stove?

This depends on where the stove is being installed.
If fitting into an existing fireplace opening then there is no specific gap or clearance required between the stove and the side wall of the fireplace (assuming they are solid and non-combustible e.g. brick or block). In fact some of our models are designed to fit inside a small standard fireplace opening (often called the Builders Opening) just 16" wide.
If you are opening up a fireplace then we would recommend you allow at least 50mm/2" either side of the stove, and the same at the back too, but this is not an essential requirement - if you have to fit it tight it is acceptable.
If the stove is free-standing in the room (i.e. not in a fireplace) then there will be minimum distances required at the sides and rear to any combustible materials (e.g. wood, furniture, curtains etc.). This measurement is different for each make and model of stove and is worked out during the stove's official CE testing. It is typically between 300-800 mm to the sides and up to 800mm to the rear. Check in the manual for your particular model. If you have a combustible wall behind the stove you can reduce this distance by shielding the wall with a non-combustible material.

What is a DEFRA stove?

Stoves that are described as DEFRA Approved or DEFRA exempt (means the same thing) have gone through a strict set of testing (in addition to the normal CE testing) to prove they are very clean-burning and emit minimal smoke into the atmosphere.
If you live in a smoke-free zone or smoke-control area you will not normally be allowed to burn wood unless your stove is a DEFRA Approved model - many of our models are DEFRA Approved - see our DEFRA section on the website.

Do I live in a smoke-control area?

Most medium-large cities in the UK will be, at least in part, smoke-control areas. Most of London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds and many more cities are included.
If unsure just call your local council and ask them if it is a smoke control area - they should be able to tell you straight away.
Generally more rural areas are not subject to these conditions.

If you find you are in a smoke-control area and have already installed a stove which is not DEFRA Approved you will be limited to burning only smokeless coal (you would not be allowed to burn wood).

What is the difference between 316 and 904 grade stainless steel flue liner?

This is a common question customers ask us - unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation given in the stove and fireplace industry regarding this.
The different numbers do not necessarily have anything to do with quality. If they are from the same manufacturer they can be made on the same machine and be of the same structural quality.
The different grades relate to the mixture of different metals in the steel. 904 steel had added elements including Molybdenum. This improves the metals resistance to certain types of acid corrosion which can result from burning slow slumbering fires or coal with a high sulphur content.
The 904 grade is significantly more expensive but generally has twice the length of guarantee - we stock the excellent Duraflue 904 liner which has a 30 Year Guarantee.
Unfortunately some retailers and installers tell their customers that they must have the 904 grade - as this makes them a better profit if they are supplying it.
We only sell high quality liners, they are all rated for multi-fuel use.
Our advice is if you are mainly burning coal, or want to have slow slumbering over-night fires, or using a boiler stove then the 904 is a good idea to give extra piece of mind.
If you are burning wood the 316 grade is generally fine.
Feel free to call us for help or to order on 01929 555211.