My house comes with a Wood Burner/Multi Fuel Stove, what do I need to know?

Flamecraft • Sep 11, 2020

It's becoming more and more common to buy a house with a wood burner or multi fuel stove already installed. Many customers come to us asking for advise concerning inheriting a wood burner or multi fuel stove from a previous owner. So we have put together a checklist.

Check for a Certificate of Compliance

A certificate of compliance is what confirms that the installation of the wood burner or multifuel stove is compliant. This means the installation has been completed in accordance with regulations and is safe to use. 

A certificate of compliance can come in two forms:

  • A HETAS Certificate

Some versions are an A4 sheet usually pink, others are a smaller (Approx. A5) certificate. The version depends on the age of the installation and whether the installer used the paper sign off system (A4 Pink) or the new online portal to sign off (Approx. A5 and supplied directly from HETAS).

  • Signed off as compliant through your Local Authority.

Some installations are signed off directly through your local authority. This is usually done by a building inspector alongside other building works.

I've already moved in and haven't got a certificate of compliance.

Don't panic. We strongly advise not using the fire until you have a certificate of compliance, however not having a certificate of compliance provided at hand over doesn't automatically mean that the wood burner or multi fuel stove is non-compliant. In some cases this is simply that the certificate has been lost. 

There are two simple steps to follow if you haven't received a certificate of compliance from the previous owners:

STEP 1:

Contact HETAS and/or your local authority to see if they have an installation on record for the address.


If the answer is:


YES: Simply ask for a copy of the certificate of compliance. This usually has a small cost involved. This will confirm the installation is compliant. If you are still uncomfortable, you can contact a local HETAS installer to inspect the works and advise you.


NO: Do not use the wood burner or multi fuel stove.  Go to Step 2.


STEP 2 (Only if the answer is no to Step 1):


If you would like to use the stove have it inspected and if necessary have it re-installed safely contact a HETAS registered installer.


If you would like to use the wood burner or multi fuel stove contact a HETAS registered installer to inspect the installation to quote for a re-fit to make the installation compliant if necessary.


In our experience, the majority of installations that haven't been signed of with a certificate of compliance need to be reinstalled for safety. This process is similar to installing a brand new stove, you would need to choose an installer, have an inspection, receive a quote and then decide whether or not to go ahead.  The installation would be signed off by the new installer when they complete the works and you would then receive a certificate of compliance.


To ensure you are contacting a HETAS registered installer you can search the HETAS database by clicking here.


If you have decided you would rather not have the wood burner or multi fuel stove we would recommend having it removed, and the chimney capped & blocked off if a new heat source is not going in its place.

Beware of fraudulent certificates.

The influx of fake compliance certificates has been featured in the media in the past few years, and with shows such as Rip Off Britain, we as consumers are becoming more aware of our rights and what to look out for.

Sadly however, we are still coming across (all be it not many) customers who have had fraudulent certificates of compliance. Therefore, we feel we need to help raise awareness, and give our customers the knowledge they need to ensure that they are getting the genuine article. Its simple to check too, you can contact either HETAS or your local authority (depending on which type of certificate of compliance is provided), and confirm that you have a genuine certificate of compliance.

Check when the wood burner or multi fuel stove last had a service and/or chimney sweep.

We often compare owning a wood burner or multi fuel stove to a car, you need an MOT once a year to ensure it's safe. It's why we call our stove servicing a 'Stove MOT'. In simple terms, a wood burner or multi fuel stove needs to have the chimney swept a minimum of once a year. This is to comply with any warranties on the stove and pipework as well as with your home insurance policy (policies my vary, always check with your provider). A stove service goes a step further and includes preventative maintenance to help prevent problems arising at a later date.

Ask for proof that a chimney sweep/stove service has been preformed in the past 12 months.

This should come in the form of a certificate to confirm who preformed the chimney sweep/service & when it was completed. This not only assured you that the stove is safe to use, and wont invalidate your new home insurance policy but also so you will know when the next chimney sweep/service is due by.

No proof of a recent chimney sweep/stove service has been provided.

If you have not received any proof of a chimney sweep or stove service having been preformed in the past 12 months, book in for either a chimney sweep or stove service as soon as possible. Not having a yearly sweep can invalidate your home insurance policy (check with your provider as policies may vary) and any guarantees on the wood burner, multi fuel stove and pipework. It will also ensure your fire & chimney are safe for use.

Check for the wood burner or multi fuel stoves make, model and any manuals.

This is important because it will help you be able to source any spare parts you may need in the future much easier.


Why is the make and model so important when sourcing spares?


While it is possible to sort glass, firebrick, gasket and rope spares without knowing the make and model, it is much harder (sometimes near impossible) to source many of the internal spares such as a baffle/throat plate, riddle bars etc. without knowing the make and model of the wood burner or multi fuel stove. Many of these internal parts are needed for the fire to work efficiently and safely, therefore if the part needs replacing and cannot be sourced, it may mean your stove will be condemned as it will no longer be safe for use.


Manuals make sourcing spares easier and have guidance on how to use the wood burner or multi fuel stove.


The manual makes sourcing spares even easier as often they contain spare parts codes that can be incredibly helpful when looking at spare parts as it ensures you will be getting the correct part and removes some of the guess work. (We have one make and model that have 5 different versions of that model spanning 20 years that all have different parts). It really will make your life easier!


The manuals also contain guidance on how to operate your inherited stove, and with the all the changes in woodburning technologies and the many different manfacturers not every wood burner or multi fuel stove will work the same.


If you have the make and model but no manual, it is often possible to source a copy of the manual directly from the manufacturer.

by Flamecraft 03 Dec, 2020
We all made it through second lockdown and are pleased to be open to the general public once more. We welcome customers to come visit us, but kindly ask they adhere to the government guidelines regarding social distancing. While we understand lockdown was frustrating, we are in a tier 3 area and therefore we also ask that our customers shop responsibly and only come into the showroom for essential purposes when possible. We are still able to take orders for stove spares over phone and email and in many cases out manufacturers will deliver these directly to our customers to help us to reduce the need for people to put themselves at risk of Covid-19. We know we sound like we are lecturing, however we want to ensure all our customers have a very happy and healthy Christmas. With all this in mind, we have reduced the hours the showroom will be open. We will review these regularly and open for longer if needed, we are also able to arrange appointments to visit the showroom at Baytree outside these hours, Our December opening hours are as follows: Monday: CLOSED (Pre-booked appointments available) Tuesday: CLOSED (Pre-booked appointments available) Wednesday: CLOSED (Pre-booked appointments available) Thursday: 10am - 2pm (Pre-booked appointments available till 5pm) Friday: 10am - 2pm (Pre-booked appointments available till 5pm) Saturday: 10am - 5pm Sunday: 10am - 4pm We kindly ask when pre-booking appointments Monday - Wednesday that customers give 24 hours notice and Pre-booked appointments are available between 10am - 5pm. On Thursdays and Fridays appointments can be pre-booked on the day before 1:30pm via calling 01406 373600. We are available via emailing flamecraftuk@aol.com outside our opening hours and will try to reply to customers as quickly as possible.
by Flamecraft 03 Nov, 2020
With second lockdown looming many of our customers are concerned about being able to purchase fuel and spare parts during second lockdown. We completely understand this and whilst our showroom wont be open to the general public we are running a 'Call & Collect' service.
by Flamecraft 01 Nov, 2020
In October we teased that we were going to expand our range of wood burning and multi fuels stoves to give our customers a bigger range of Ecodesign Approved stoves that would suit a range of budgets, and we are excited to finally be able to introduce our two new brands to you.
by Flamecraft 30 Oct, 2020
The clearskies scheme has been recently introduced, and many of the wood burners and multi fuel stoves we sell have a clear skies mark. However many of our customers see this logo and are left wondering what it actually means. Therefore we have put together the basics explaining what clear skies is, and how this potentially will effect choosing a wood burner or multi fuel stove.
by Flamecraft 23 Oct, 2020
EcoDesign 2022 is changes to regulations for the Stove Industry.
by Flamecraft 16 Oct, 2020
It is the season for hot chocolate, fluffy blankets, hot water bottles and curling up in front of a roaring fire. With the days getting sorter and the nights getting longer it means we are busy installing wood burning and multi fuel stoves in homes. Like for many this year has been challenging, and we have worked tirelessly to ensure our customers will still receive the best service possible from us. We also understand that with the challenges of the past year many of us we are looking for more affordable heating options for this winter. Over the summer we have had many discussions about the issues we are all facing, and we knew we wanted to do everything we could to ensure our customers can still enjoy owning a wood burner or multi fuel stove. On top of the challenges this year has brought us all we are also very aware that since the announcement of the incoming Ecodesign regulations more and more of our customers are coming to us looking for Ecodesign 2022 Approved wood burners and multi fuel stoves. While we had Ecodesign stoves available, we wanted to give our customers more options to choose from. So, we knew we had two targets: 1. Have wood burning and multi fuels stove options available for a range of different budgets. 2. Expand our range of Ecodesign Approved stoves. We went through many different ideas until we finally realised the solution was in front of us (literally in a pile of brochures we had from a trade show we visited last year). A manufacturer that had a huge range of Ecodesign 2022 approved wood burning and multi fuel stoves that meet our own guidelines for quality and design (as well as being manufactured in the UK), and to top that off offering a range of price points that would allow us to offer more affordable stoves. So of course we gave them a call.
by Flamecraft 09 Oct, 2020
With the cold weather rolling in we are extending our opening hours to the following: Monday: CLOSED Tuesday: CLOSED Wednesday: 10am - 5pm Thursday: 10am - 5pm Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday: 10am - 5pm Sunday: 10 - 4pm We look forward to seeing you.
by Flamecraft 09 Oct, 2020
Everyone has their own style and taste, and they develop and change over time. In recent years our customers are coming to us wanting more sleek and contemporary designs that allow for a full view of the flames within a wood burner or multi fuel stove. We have put together a selection of stoves that have been designed for modern living with a contemporary aesthetic. Every wood burner and multi fuel stove on this list are Ecodesign 2022 approved.
by Flamecraft 25 Jul, 2020
We are open again and ready to welcome customers back into our showroom. However following government guidelines and to keep our team and customers safe we kindly ask customers to adhere to the following: When visiting please follow Baytree Garden Centre's one way system. Due to the width of our showroom and the positioning of our doors we are only able to accommodate one household at a time whilst adhering to social distancing. We are unable to ensure that there is a 2 meter distance between households due to our built in displays which allow for less than a 2 meter gap between them. Therefore we may politely ask customers to wait outside with a 2 meter distance from the door if we are already serving a household in the showroom, or return later. Please sanitise you hands upon entering the showroom. We are doing our best to sanitise the door handles, card machine and any handles on the stoves between customers. We kindly ask customers are patient with us as during busy periods they may be asked to refrain from touching the handles on the stoves until they are sanitised. We politely ask that you speak to a member of the team before touching any accessories or care products in the showroom, as this will allow our team to sanitise the products to ensure they are safe for the next customer to handle. Update: We kindly ask you wear an appropriate face mask/covering when visiting our showroom. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience at this challenging time.
by Flamecraft 17 Jul, 2020
There is no denying lockdown has been a challenge for all of us, however the weather has been amazing and many of us have flocked to our gardens to enjoy the amazing sun we have been having. Not that we can blame you, we have done the same. Many of us have also worked on those home renovations we suddenly have had the time to do! Many of the team have taken advantage and done a lot of repainting inside and out. Our homes and gardens have had a lot of TLC and we know we aren't the only ones. So we are taking this opportunity to encourage you to consider getting a wood burner or multi fuel stove fitted sooner rather than later. Now, we know the weather is still amazing and a wood burner or multi fuel stove is probably the last thing on your mind, but hear us out, now really is the best time to get a stove fitted!
Show More
Share by: