Tag Archives: fuel

Is smokeless fuel ok to burn?

Smokeless fuels used to be recommended only for people living in Smoke Exempt Areas. This was because pure anthracite coal is very clean burning and produces little smoke. Unfortunately it’s a finite resource and is rapidly running out and so increases in price every year. Coal producers found a solution to this by mixing it with other products to make it cheaper whilst still producing less smoke. For this reason we have always recommended avoiding smokeless coal where possible. However now that the government has banned the sale of regular house coal, you may be finding it difficult to buy anything other than smokeless coal to burn in your multifuel stove. If you feel you must buy it then opt for pure anthracite and not the manufactured coal, as this is much much cleaner burning.

Note that although your stove is designed to burn coal and wood, your liner may not be up to the acidic gases that smokeless coal produces and thus you may find your liner degrading more quickly than expected. Check that your liner is 316/904 or 904/904 before purchasing smokeless coal as it is a better grade of steel and will last longer in the acidic environment of your flue. If your liner is 316/316 then opt for burning seasoned wood only when your supply of house coal ends.

To help prolong the life of your liner you should get your chimney swept every year, at least once and more often if you burn wood on a daily basis throughout the year. It’s very important to get it swept when you have finished using it for the year, around Springtime or the start of Summer. This is when the sulphuric acid and nitric acid are left to sit in your liner for the summer period, and these are perfect conditions for corrosion.

It can be difficult to remember to have your chimney swept in the warmer months, so maybe set a reminder in your calendar now and protect your installation as best as you can.

To book a chimney sweep now visit www.chimneysweep.info/diary

To buy wood/ logs in our area try the following suppliers

Phillip Allen (Tree Surgeon in Arlesey) Call 01462 834411 to arrange for a delivery of logs to your house.

Mr Goddard in Pirton. Call 01462 712692 for logs and kindling delivered to your door.

What can I burn?

You’ve invested in a lovely new multi-fuel stove and you are wondering now what fuels to use. Multi-fuel stoves, unlike woodburners, have a grate that allows air to flow under the fuel allowing you to burn coal as well as wood.

Your flexible liner will have been designed to withstand the heat and to hold the soot caused by burning these fuels, providing you burn seasoned wood only, and get your chimney swept regularly. This may mean every 3 months if you use your appliance a lot! If you are wanting to burn smokeless coal you should check the thickness of the liner that you have had installed. You will find this information on your data plate and reciept form the installer. Smokeless fuel is more acidic and is quick to corrode the steel liner, so if you have a 316/316 liner installed, keep away from smokeless! Also keep an eye on your stove thermometer so that you keep out of the ‘soot zone’ by burning cleanly above 300 degrees.

Make sure that when you burn wood that you don’t burn items straight from the garden. It takes around 2 years for the water content to fall to levels that are acceptable for burning. This drying process is called ‘seasoning’.

Burning unseasoned wood is one of the reasons woodburners are getting bad press at the moment, because of the air pollution it causes. The Government has started up a certification scheme for wood and log suppliers so that the sale of unseasoned wood can be brought to an end. Look for the ‘WoodSure’ Logo when finding a supplier.

Burning unseasoned wood and / or household items that are no longer needed such as packaging, furniture, clothing is all damaging for both the environment and your appliance. It will cause creosote and sticky tar to form in the stove and also the liner. When it dries it is solid and incredibly difficult and costly to remove. In the image below it is so thick that it has blocked the flue and severely reduced the airflow, making the stove impossible to use.

It’s also very flammable, and can cause your chimney to set on fire. All in all, it’s best to keep rubbish in the bin and seasoned wood and coal in your beautiful woodburner.

Creosote blocking chimney flue
Creosote formed by burning ‘green’ wood