Stoves and Chimneys

Vesta Air Spinner Now In Stock

2009-11-09T11:24:00.000Z

The long awaited Vesta Air Spinner revolving chimney cowls are now in stock. Customers who have pre-ordered this cowl will have them despached in the next day or so. Customers who were waiting for the stock to arrive can now order them online here.

Please be aware that we will be looking at the costing for this cowl shortly, as it was priced before we decided to include an adaptor plate with every cowl, which has increased the cost to us. So at the moment, they are as cheap as they are ever going to be.

Improved MD Plus Twin Wall Flue Prices

2009-11-04T15:23:00.000Z

We have slashed prices across the entire MD Plus range! New prices are online now here. It should now be practically impossible to find a twin wall flue system at these prices, and certainly not one with the quality of Negarra MD Plus.

Please remember also that we are the uk importer, and have heaps of stock which is available for delivery or collection.

MD Plus Repricing Coming Soon

2009-11-03T15:06:00.001Z

We have had a whizz around the internet, and noticed that there a few sites which are now offering twin wall chimney systems at highly competitive prices. Please be aware that these are not Negarra MD Plus.

Anyway, we have decided that, in conjunction with Negarra, we are going to reprice the entire MD Plus range, making it more competitive. In preparation for this, we have removed the current discount offer that was runnning for MD Plus. It should only take a day or so to reprice it all online, so please bear with us, and we'll post again once it's all done.

Vesta Air Spinner Delivery Delay

2009-10-16T10:18:00.000+01:00

There is a further delay for the delivery of the Vesta Air Spinner. The manufacturer now says that they will ship to us the back end of next week, so 22nd or 23rd October. We have put 30th October for pre-orders to give a little more leeway. All customers who have pre-ordered will be emailed to give the new expected delivery date, and the opportunity to cancel for those that can't wait. Frustrating for us, but beyond our control at the moment. Once they are in, we will have good stock levels to avoid problems going forward.

http://www.fluesystems.com/cowls/info/vesta_air_spinner.htm

New Flashings Now Available Online

2009-10-16T09:54:00.000+01:00

Well, that was quick! Our two new flashings are now available to purchase online. Stock should be with us on Monday. Details are at the links below:-

Wall Flashing:- Click here
Square Section Flashing:- Click here

Two New Flashings Coming Soon

2009-10-14T15:55:00.000+01:00

We have a couple of new flashings for specific applications that will be available soon.

The first is a flashing suited specifically for square section pipes. It can be used as either standard or retrofit fitting, and covers square pipe sizes from 25mm-100mm. Suitable for temperature ranges between -40 and +115 degrees C, it's product code is AD EB SQ 25-100.

The next is a flashing specifically suited for use on vertical cladding. It has a special flat cone which is aesthetically pleasing, with an unobtrusive low profile. It's suitable for pipe diameters from 0-125mm. Suitable for temperature ranges between -40 and +115 degrees C, the product code for this one will be AD EB WF 0-125

We'll post again when they are available to purchase online.

Free Delivery On All Orders Over 10Kg In Weight

2009-10-12T12:27:00.000+01:00

We are pleased to say that we are now able to offer free delivery on all orders over 10Kg in weight. This therefore covers all chimney liners, md plus systems and all chimney fans, in fact any order over 10Kg.

This applies to shipments to UK Mainland (excluding Highlands) only, and is available to both retail and trade customers.

Our Installers Are Now HETAS Approved

2009-10-08T16:06:00.000+01:00

We are pleased to advise that our installers have now completed the required training and are approved to install wood burning and multi fuel stoves without the need for local building control approval.

Please contact us if you would like us to come and measure up your proposed installation and to give you a price for supply and installation. Please note also that our installers are directly employed by ourselves, and not sub contract installers as used by many other local stove shops.

What You Can & Can't Expect From a Chimney Cowl

2009-10-08T10:06:00.001+01:00

We received the following email this morning, and it brings up some interesting points about what you can and cannot expect from a chimney cowl.

"I have just paid £30 for someone to fit this load of rubbish to my chimney. I have solid fuel and have just spent 2 hours trying to get rid of the smoke this thing was supposed to exhaust. I now have to pay someone to remove it and replace the original flue cowl until I can find something that will do the job that yours does not. . . "

OK, not a happy customer, but lets look at the issues.

A chimney cowl does not exhaust smoke
Firstly the customer states that they have spent 2 hours trying to get rid of the smoke this thing was supposed to exhaust (in their words). It's clear that they expected the chimney cowl to actually exhaust the smoke from the chimney stack. This is not what chimney cowls are designed to do. The only types of chimney cowl that will make any difference to the draw in your chimney stack are the revolving ones, and then only slightly, and then only when they are rotating. So we can see that a chimney cowl is not a magic solution to any smoking fireplace.

The job that the cowl will do
A chimney cowl like the Maxi cowl is a static (it does not move or rotate) anti downdraught (designed to solve problems caused by downdraught) cowl. Downdraught is the process by which wind is being blown back down the chimney stack, not good when you have a fire burning as it blows the smoke back down as well. Downdraught is typified by intermittent puffs of smoke being blown into the room as the wind blows. Downdraught can be caused by many factors including the pitch of the roof, adjacent buildings or trees, wind direction etc. There are other more complex possibilities for downdraught, but for simplicity we'll leave it there.

And what a cowl can't do
It's more than likely that this customer actually had a lack of updraught. A lack of updraught tends to be typified as continuous stream of smoke which is not being drawn into the chimney stack, and escapes into the room. Again, this can be caused by many factors including lack of fresh air into the room, size of fireplace opening, chimney stack size, blocked chimney, birds nests etc. The first thing here is to get your chimney stack swept thoroughly by a NACS registered chimney sweep. If you still have a lack of updraught, then try the following:-

1. Open a window in the room. If the fire then draws properly, you do not have enough fresh air into the room. The cure here would be to fit a ventilator to allow more air into the room. Remember that all the smoke and air being drawn up the chimney stack needs to be readily replaced with fresh air. This tends to be a more common problem in houses with double glazing.

2. Try reducing the height from the base of the chimney stack to the fire bed, by raising the fire grate. Also try reducing the size of the fireplace opening. This can be achieved temporarily by placing a sheet of non combustible material against the fireplace opening. The smaller the fireplace opening, the less air needs to be drawn into the chimney stack. If this proves to help, then the cure is either to rebuild the fireplace so that the opening is smaller, or to use a mechanical chimney fan to force the air and combustion gasses up the chimney stack.

Vesta Air Spinner Adaptor Plates

2009-10-07T12:33:00.000+01:00

There has been a slight delay in the delivery of the Vesta Air Spinner revolving chimney cowls. They are now expected around 15th October 2009. The reason for this is that we have been working with the manufacturer on an adaptor plate to allow the cowl to fit standard size chimney pots.

We have now seen the sample of the adaptor plate, and have to say that it's a great design, much better than the aluminium rings supplied by most other cowl manufacturers. The good news is that we have decided to include them as standard with each cowl, as we feel that most customers will need one anyway.

Sausages & Jacket Potatoes on our Nordpeis Smarty!

2009-10-07T11:39:00.000+01:00

Take one Nordpeis Smarty Wood Burning Stove, one MD Plus Tee Cap, some tinfoil, and hey presto! Not too sure what effect the Ecofan is having on the whole process, but it made the showroom smell scrummy!

View the short video of our lunch being cooked on a wood burning stove here.

Vesta Air Deluxe L - What Do You Think?

2009-10-06T14:51:00.000+01:00

Following on from our order for the Vesta Air Spinner, we have now received a further sample, this time of the Vesta Air Deluxe L. This is a static anti downdraught chimney cowl. It's black in colour, has an opening at the top for sweeping purposes, and comes complete with a set of very sturdy hook bolt fixings. It looks to us a little like the original box shaped Colt Cowl, and would work on the same principals. This one is not as high however, and in our opinion, not quite so unsightly.

We have put a video of this chimney cowl on YouTube here, and would welcome comments.

New Video - Nordpeis Smarty Under Fire

2009-10-05T14:32:00.000+01:00

Have a look at a new video of our Nordpeis Smarty wood burning stove under fire. This model is on display in our showroom, and is under fire most days, we are boiling !!

You can view the video here.

New Product - Fresh Air Vents

2009-09-24T15:50:00.000+01:00

We are pleased to now offer permently open fresh air vents. These vents are required for the installation of wood burning stoves whose output is over 5kW. These air vents are HETAS approved. This one model is suitable for any of the wood burning stoves that we offer. It is not required if your stove output is 5kW or under. Please note that regulations state that this air vent must be permanently open. Click here for full details.

Certainly Wood Gains HETAS Approval

2009-09-23T16:54:00.001+01:00

Certainly Wood, who supply all of our hardwood logs and kindling, has just become the first company to have its firewood production approved under the Solid Biomass Assurance Scheme operated by registration body HETAS.

The scheme is intended to provide a benchmark for biomass production and, in the kiln dried logs and seasoned log sectors for which Certainly Wood received its certificate, the scheme takes into account factors like the type, size and moisture content of logs produced. HETAS believe that this will help end users to be confident of the quality of the firewood they are purchasing Certainly Wood’s kiln dried firewood is created using the company’s uniquely-designed kilns which are powered by a large industrial boiler burning the Company’s own wood waste. “Not only is our wood the eco choice for green woodburner users; we even dry our logs in an environmentally-friendly way” explains Marketing Director, Nic Snell.

Details of our hardwood logs and kindling are here.

New Product - Chimney Inspection Cameras

2009-09-23T12:38:00.000+01:00

We are pleased to offer a range of cctv camera inspection systems designed especially for chimneys, pipes and ducts. These camera systems are designed and manufactured in the UK, and are approved by NACS. There are three models in the range. The Look See is a professional, compact and highly portable entry-level black and white camera system. The Chimney Eye is a professional fully recordable black and white camera system, and the Colour Eye, as the name suggests, is a fully recordable colour camera system.

Full details, including four videos of the camera in action, are online here.

Wanders Stoves Price Increase

2009-09-21T15:25:00.000+01:00

ACR Heat Products have advised us that they are increasing prices on their range of Wanders stoves as of 1st October 2009. We currectly show just one Wanders model online, the Wanders Solea. We can however supply any of the Wanders range if required. Have a look at details of their range on the ACR Heat Products web site here.

They have also advised that the Wanders Solea is being replaced by a new model, the Wanders Solea Elegance, and this new model should be available from the beginning of November.

New Video - Chimney Liner Camera Inspection

2009-09-18T14:36:00.002+01:00

Great new video online showing a camera inspection up a flexible chimney liner. No prizes for guessing the problems with this installation! The video was taken using the Chimney Eye Camera; we'll be offering them soon online. View the video online here.

We have other videos online of the chimney camera, visit our YouTube Channel to see them.

Firestarter With No Odour

2009-09-18T11:20:00.001+01:00

Whilst we are on the subject of wood and kindling, it's worth mentionning the Burner firestarters. They are the simplest way to light your fire or stove. We can vouch for them personally, as I use them all the time. They have no odour at all, and are non-hazardous and non-poisonous. Just light the sachet, pop it in your stove or fireplace, add your kindling, and away you go. The Burner barrel contains 100 sachets, and the retail bag contains 24 sachets. Details and ordering is here.

Order Hardwood Logs and Kindling Online

2009-09-18T10:57:00.002+01:00

You can now order our hardwood logs and kindling online. The bulk bags are shipped to you direct from the supplier, and are available for delivery to Engalnd, Wales and Scottish Lowlands. We keep small bags of logs and boxes of kindling in stock here, which are available for collection or to order online.

Prices are shown here. Trade customers, please login to your trade centre account to view prices.

New Video - The Grenadier Electric Firelighter

2009-09-16T14:29:00.000+01:00

We have added a new video online, this time for the Grenadier Electric Firelighter. This extremely popular product allows you to light your fire, stove or bbq, without the need for matches or paper. Details and video are here.

Vesta Air Spinner Available For Pre Order

2009-09-15T14:33:00.000+01:00

Initial reaction to our video of the Vesta Air Spinner has been good. We have now ordered our first couple of pallets, which should be with us around 1st October 2009. Customers can pre-order online now here.

We have suggested to the manufacturer a need for adaptor plates for the base, especially considering that the base of the Vesta Air Spinner is slightly larger than our other revolving chimney cowls. We have also suggested the need for a strap fixing kit, as we feel that revolving cowls are more secure with this type of fixing. We have been told that they are working on both now, and we'll let you know when they are available.

Stove Pipe From Negarra

2009-09-15T12:49:00.000+01:00

We had a visit from Negarra yesterday. Negarra are a huge Spanish manufacturer of rigid chimney systems, and we are the UK importer for their MD Plus range (for wood burning stoves), and GC Plus range (for condensing appliances).

Their manufacturing facility really has to be seen to be believed. It's full of automation and robots (even their warehouse is fully robotic). The MD Plus range, a twin wall insulated flue system, is manufactured from start to finish without human intervention.

So it was of great interest to us to hear that they are in the final stages of approvals for the UK market (through HETAS), of a brand new range of vitreous enamel stove pipe. Stove pipe is generally used for the connection from the top or back of the stove to the chimney. Negarra have actually been making a small range of stove pipe for a long time, but it was always in a gloss finish. Their new range will be in matt black finish.

It's too early to talk of prices, but Negarra say that they have done their research, and are confident that they will be highly competitive. We will certainly be looking closely at this system when it approved and in production.

Now Open on Saturdays to Visitors

2009-09-14T10:29:00.001+01:00

Our showroom and warehouse are now open every Saturday throughout the season from 10am-2pm. Customers can come and view our wood burning stove showroom, or come and collect any of our chimney products.

Vesta Spinner Cowl Preview

2009-09-11T14:07:00.000+01:00

It's pobably fair to say that we sell more chimney cowls than any other supplier in the UK. As such, we get a range of samples arriving from suppliers who would like us to offer their products. Most we reject, as they don't offer anything extra over the chimney cowls that we have already. This one arrived a couple of weeks ago however, and has been sat on a spare desk whilst we decide whether to offer it or not.

It's called the Vesta Air Spinner. It's a revolving chimney cowl made from galvanised metal and painted black. It's immediately different in shape from the other revolving chimney cowls that we offer, having a flat top and being more cylindrical. Vesta are offering a 5 year guarantee on it, which is amazing for a spinning cowl. They tell us that the bearing is superior than other models, as it's in it's own bath of oil, and therefore is less likely to dry out. It has a hinged opening for sweeping purposes and comes with a set of very sturdy hook bolts for fixing.

We have put a video online for you to have a look at it, and would welcome any comments. Click here to view the video.