With winter just about behind us and the prospect of summer on the horizon, if you haven’t already got a wood-burning stove then installing one might not be high on your list of priorities.

But it’s actually a very good time to prepare for next winter. Here are five reasons why you should act now and install a wood burner.

1. Make hay while the sun shines
It makes sense really, doesn’t it? That’s where all these old sayings come from. ‘Make hay while the sun shines.’ ‘Fix the roof while the sun shines.’

We’re going to add ‘Install your stove while the sun shines’ to that list. It’s silly to wait until you’re cold again before thinking about how to make your home warmer.

It’s far better to know that you already have a snug home prepared for next winter. And if you encounter any problems along the way, you’ve got plenty of time to resolve them before the cold weather returns.

2. Energy prices are continuing to rise
Media pundits, watchdog organisations and even energy suppliers themselves acknowledge that heating bills are going to rise substantially this year and for the foreseeable future.

Why not take the opportunity to put control of your energy costs back in your own hands?

3. You can start to season wood
It’s advisable to only use chopped, cut and seasoned wood in your stove. That helps to ensure a hotter, more efficient burn and stops your flue from getting clogged with creosote. Ideally your would should be seasoned for at least 18 months, so now’s the perfect time to make a start.

4. Installation is easier
Granted, the British weather doesn’t make this a certainty, but it’s better to have workmen traipsing through your house in late spring and summer when it’s not so wet or muddy underfoot.

It’s also easier to get a stove installed at the moment. The wood-burning stove market is very much off-peak, so you shouldn’t find yourself waiting around for a HETAS-approved installer to fit your stove.

5. There’s probably a deal to be done
If you’re looking for a bargain wood-burning stove, now’s the time to be looking. Most people are starting to forget the shivering cold of winter and are preparing for their summer holidays. That inevitably means a drop in stove sales and cut prices for you.

If you’re interested in getting a cosy home ready for next winter, check out the range of wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves at Gr8fires.co.uk.

Just like the Aarrow Stoves we’ve previously showcased, Villager Stoves are the work of British company Arada Ltd.

Each Villager stove is hand-finished to the highest standards of workmanship. Every part of the stove, including the smaller details like the door hinges, are made on site. So Villager stoves have a consistent level of quality throughout the production process.

Let’s take a look at a handful of stoves in the Villager Stoves range.

Villager Puffin 4kw Multi Fuel Stove

It’s a cute name and it’s a cute stove. The little Puffin is perfect for smaller spaces.

The design is just about as unobtrusive as it gets. As well as it’s diminutive stature – and a 4kW heat output to reflect this – it’s also very slender. Factor in the clean lines and modern looks, and you can guarantee that this is not a stove that’s likely to get in anybody’s way.

Villager C Flat Solo 5kw Wood Burning Stove

This model is in our Meet the manufacturer guide to represent the bread-and-butter of the Villager range. There are a couple of other stoves in the collection that are not dissimilar.

They’re slightly bigger than the Puffin, in both size and heat output. As such, they command a bit more attention and can hold their own in a larger space. Nonetheless, they retain the same slick, modern aesthetics.

Villager 8kW Flatmate Wood Burning Stove

The 8kW Flatmate stove is indicative of the double-door design that is the signature of many of the larger stoves within the Villager range.

The doors are perhaps more ornate than on the stoves we’ve featured so far, but the lines and shape of the stove are unmistakably Villager.

Villager Double B Low Wood Burning Stove

If two doors are the mark of the larger Villager stoves, this Double B model takes it to the next level. Boasting four doors, this is a stove that needs a very particular room.

It’s perfect in the centre of a large room to ensure heat is given off in all directions.

See the full Villager Stoves range on Gr8fires.co.uk.

Something that often causes confusion among wood-burning stove newcomers is the door. Should it be open? Should it be closed?

The short answer is closed.

And in most stoves it’s better to close the door as soon as possible. The reason is quite simple. With the door closed, your stove is up to 60% more efficient than if you have the door open. That means more heat in the room and less expense for you.

The confusion probably stems from people who are used to that instant blast of heat that comes from lighting an open fire. With a wood burner, you’re not supposed to feel the heat from the flames. Not directly, at least.

The flames in the firebox heats the metal panels that make up your stove. They, in turn, heat the rest of the room. It’s a more efficient way of heating your home than an open fire because less heat escapes.

If you think about it, closed is the obvious answer. Otherwise some enterprising company would have stopped putting the doors on and sold them at a cheaper price!

When to close the door

Assuming you’ve set your stove with newspaper and kindling, as soon as you’ve lit the newspaper is usually the best time to close the door. You should already have the air vents open while lighting the stove, so there is still a good air supply.

Some stove manufacturers prefer you to keep the door slightly open during these initial stages of the lighting process. Check your manufacturer’s manual to see if this is recommended for your stove.

You’ll soon learn what works best for your stove from experimenting. Even if you are leaving the door ajar, as soon as the stove is properly lit you should close the door.

For more information on wood-burning stoves, please visit www.gr8fires.co.uk.

A wood-burning stove is the perfect feature for any fireplace. But just like when you make a big purchase for your wardrobe, it’s accessorising that really completes the look.

You need accessories that make looking after your stove easier, and add to the character of your fireplace. Here a few ideas of some fireplace accessories that fit both both those criteria.

Companion set

The perfect companion for your stove. All the tools you need to prepare, load and clean your stove placed together in a handy set.

The companion set has long been an essential piece of fireplace decor. That shows no sign of changing given the current revival of wood-burning stoves.

Gr8fires.co.uk stocks a variety of options, including this large wrought iron companion set and this steel Arts and Crafts companion set. We do offer smaller sets but we think the greater the distance between your hands and the flame, the better.

Log holder

If you haven’t got an ample place to stack a good supply of logs inside then constantly fetching them from outdoors can become tiresome. That’s where a log holder comes in useful.

They’re unobtrusive in design and are a very handy way of keeping your logs tidy and near to your stove. Perhaps the most interesting design stocked by Gr8fires.co.uk is the hoop log store. Our Arts and Crafts log holder takes up a little less space and is slightly more understated.

A more ornate option is the Garland Scrolled Log Holder. It probably holds fewer logs than the large hoop log store, but you can still keep enough logs to keep your stove going for a while. And it looks rather nice on your hearth.

Fire screen

The fire screen has several uses. It can provide an extra layer of protection between a very hot stove and wandering hands/paws. It can also be used to protect your room from any stray sparks. Granted, that’s not as much of an issue with a stove as it is with an open fire. And it can also provide some additional fireplace decor.

The Garland Fire Screen is a flat screen that simply sits in front of the fireplace. The Arts and Crafts curved fire screen, as it’s name suggests, curves around in front of the fireplace.

We also offer a couple of folding fire screens, which can effectively cover all three outward-facing side of your stove or create a protective cage around your fireplace.

Take a look at our full range of wood-burning stove accessories.

Gr8fires’ Mazona Stoves collection centres around the popular Orlando range.

The various Orlando models are the cornerstones of Mazona’s small but perfectly formed product line. The stoves are traditional in appearance, boasting an undeniably classic design. And yet there is more to the Mazona range than that.

The timeless cast iron stoves are boosted with modern features, including the option for top or rear flue outlets, riddling multifuel grates and airwash. The secondary air vent that provides the airwash also supports clean burn technology, which ensures that you get the most from your fuel.

And that fuel can be either coal or wood. All of the Mazona Stoves range are multi-fuel stoves, giving you options when it comes to choosing what to burn.

Let’s take a look at some of the key Mazona stoves we stock.

Mazona Orlando 4.5kW Multi-Fuel Stove Small

The 4.5kW Orlando stove is the entry level appliance in our Mazona range. As always, it’s about getting the right heat output for your needs. If 4.5kW is enough for you and your room then you’re in luck, because the small Orlando offers great value for money.

Mazona Orlando 8kW Multi-Fuel Stove Double Door Medium

This model is the starting point of the Orlando family. All the other Orlando stoves take their lead from the 8kW version. Continuing the Mazona theme, the Orlando is traditional an appearance. But that hides some distinctly contemporary design features. The ornate cast iron decoration on the stove may add an authentic look, but it also increases the amount of heat given off by creating a large surface area.

We’re featuring the double-door version of the stove here, but it is also available in a single-door version. That ensures an unbroken view of your flames and arguably a slightly more modern appearance.

Mazona Orlando 10kW Multi-Fuel Stove Double Door Large

The basics should now be familiar, but they’re all bigger and better on this 10kW appliance. Again, the design features – including fins on the back panel of the stove – help to increase the output and heat your room. Given its considerable heating capability, this version of the Orlando is best-suited to large, open rooms.

Check out our full Mazona Stoves range.

If you’re wondering what fuel is best to use in your stove, we’ll aim to give you some guidance in this blog post.

While we’ll try to keep the advice as general as possible, it’s worth pointing out that anything your manufacturer says in the user manual about the type of fuel that’s best for your stove should take precedence over our tips. 

Wood-burners

If you’ve bought a wood-burning stove rather than a multi-fuel stove then you can only burn wood. So, in terms of the best types of fuel for you to use, you’re limited to wood. But there is a big difference in the quality of different types of wood.

These variations include the heat given off by the wood, how much it sparks, how long it takes to burn and how pleasant its scent is.

Some of the best woods to burn in your wood-burning stove include:

• Apple: Burns slowly and does not spit. Gives off a nice scent
• Pear: Has a lot in common with apple.
• Ash: Provides good heat output and a steady burn. Burns well freshly cut, but is better once seasoned.
• Beech: Not quite as good as ash, but not far behind.
• Cedar: Doesn’t look very impressive as it burns, but generates a lot of heat and take a while to burn.
• Hawthorn: A slow burner that provides great heat.
• Blackthorn: Very similar to hawthorn.
• Maple: An excellent all-round performer.
• Eco-logs: Made from compressed sawdust. Very low in moisture and don’t spark.

Regardless of the type of wood, it’s always advisable to use seasoned wood.

What not to burn

• Wood that has been treated with varnish or paint.
• Unseasoned wood
• Wood from poisonous plants
• Coal or any other fuel

Multi-fuel stoves

Since wood is suitable to be burnt on a multi-fuel stove, the advice on the best types of wood to use as fuel apply here too.

That said, multi-fuel stoves are best suited to fuels with a high calorific value (i.e. fuels that give off a great level of thermal units when burnt). Fuels that can be used include:

• coal
• smokeless fuels 
• anthracite

What not to burn

• ‘Pet coke’ or petroleum-based coal
• Coal and wood at the same time. Use one or the other.

If you’re thinking of buying a wood-burning stove from Gr8fires.co.uk, you’ll also be considering how to install it once it arrives.

We’re experts in the workings and features of wood-burning stoves, but even we don’t get involved in installations at all. There are specialist installers and we think the job is best left to them.

So, when customers contact us to ask for advice on installing a stove themselves or on recommendations for a suitable installer, our advice is always the same: get in touch with HETAS.

HETAS is the official Government-recognised body for – among other things – the registration of competent installers and servicing businesses for biomass and solid fuel domestic heating appliances.

Just like you’d always consult the official registers of approved businesses for your gas or plumbing work – assuming you’ve taken heed of Anne Robinson’s advice on Watchdog – you should be doing exactly the same for wood-burning stoves.

The temptation to indulge in a spot of DIY might be there, but you ought to resist. And here’s why:

1. You’re dealing with poisonous gases. It isn’t just a case of a shelf falling down or something similarly trivial as in other DIY jobs. If you get your stove installation wrong, people could die.
2. You need to meet building regulations. A HETAS-approved installer can supply a certificate of compliance on the day. With an unapproved installer – or when doing the job yourself – you’ll have to pay for a building control officer to inspect the work. If you’ve paid a cowboy to do the job and it doesn’t meet building regulations, you’ll be faced with a battle to get your money back.
3. You’re liable to make a mess of it. There are lots of things to consider when installing a wood-burning stove. And there are even more internet horror stories of when people have neglected to consider one or more of these things.
4. You’ll pick up some useful tips. HETAS-approved installers are experts. They’ll be able to advise you on the most efficient way to operate your stove and answer any other questions you have.

All in all, it’s likely to be cheaper, easier and safer for you to use a HETAS-approved installer. Find your perfect stove at Gr8fires.co.uk and then get in touch with HETAS to find an expert installer near you.

It never ceases to amaze us how many people post giddy messages of being head-over-heels in love all over again after a wonderful weekend break at a holiday home with a wood-burning stove. The stove always gets a special mention, of course.

So, if it can work such wonders over a weekend, imagine what it would do if you had a wood-burning stove at home?

We’re inclined to agree with the lovebirds who come back from their holiday praising the virtues of the wood burner. There is something inherently romantic about a wood-burning stove.

Fire is primal, for starters. People have been lighting fires to keep cosy for thousands of years. There’s something about that lineage and performing that basic act of survival that stirs something in a lot of people.

Then there’s the relaxation aspect. Watching the flames licking the stove door is highly therapeutic. It seems to make the worries of the world drift away and also has the habit of helping a glass of wine go down very well.

A wood-burning stove encourages quality time. It’s a focal point that you’re inclined to gather around with almost magnetic force. Whether you then want to read a book together, watch a film or just chat doesn’t really matter. Stoves somehow bring people together.

What about mood-setting? Well, soft lighting doesn’t get much softer than the flames from a stove. And we can all agree that a stove’s primary function – romance or not – is to create a cosy atmosphere, so you’re guaranteed a nice environment in which to snuggle up.

People go away and enjoy the simple pleasures that come from having a stove, but sometimes don’t seem to make the connection that they could have those pleasures at home all year round.

If you’re thinking about adding a little more romance to your home, please take a look at our range of wood-burning stoves.

If your fireplace is currently a bit of a ‘State’, an Arizona stove could be the perfect solution. The brand itself and each of its stove models take their names from places in the US of A.

While the monikers are very much Americana-themed, the stoves themselves are absolutely universal in their appeal.

Arizona specialises in multi-fuel stoves, so you can burn wood and/or coal on any Arizona model.

So, without further ado, let’s continue our Meet the manufacture series and get a quick overview of some of the key stoves in the Arizona range.

Arizona Oregon 8 kW Multi-Fuel Wood Burning Stove

The Oregon is one of a couple of stoves suitable for smoke control areas within the Arizona range. That means you can have it installed even if your local authority has banned the burning of coal in domestic properties. And it’s got a DEFRA seal of approval to prove it.

In terms of design, it is traditional but unfussy. The Oregon’s hidden design trick – in common with other Arizona Stoves – is its tertiary air system, which adds an additional stream of air to the stove. Read a bit more about how it works on the Gr8Fires website.

Arizona Kansas 629 5kw multifuel / wood burning stove

The Kansas is one of Arizona Stoves’ more compact models. At 5kW, it’s above entry level in terms of heat output but retains a neat and efficient appearance. And that level of efficiency is matched in the Kansas’ appearance.

Arizona Nevada 677 21kw multi fuel brown enamelled boiler stove

That’s right: 21kW. Plenty of heat to keep your home warm and heat your water too. The Nevada 677 is one of a few Arizona boiler stoves. That massive heat output means you can depend on this stove all year round.

Although it’s also available in black, we’re featuring the more unusual brown enamel finish here.

The boiler aspect of the stove is not visible unless you really want to go looking for it. The “wrap around” integrated boiler firebox is hidden by the outer panels, so you don’t lose any of the traditional appearance.

But just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. The Nevada 677 is a real grafter and really puts in a shift to keep you cost.

See our full Arizona Stoves range.

The obvious answer is that the heat output of a wood-burning stove is a measure of the amount of heat the wood burner is pumping out. But you’re probably more interested in what that means for you before you buy a wood-burning stove.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the higher the number, the more heat your stove is producing. Heat output is provided by stove manufacturers in kilowatts (kW). So a 6kW stove will give out more heat than a 4kw stove.

Our heat output calculator is a useful starting point in finding the most appropriate stove for you. It can’t take into consideration all the factors that might come into play in your home, but it can put you on the right track based on the room size.

Hopefully the outcome of heat output calculator will demonstrate that it’s not just a case of buying a stove with the biggest heat output you can find within your budget to guarantee a cosy home. It’s vital that you consider the sort of heat output that is most suited to your circumstances before making a purchase.

Buying a stove with a heat output that is too high for your room brings its own problems. If the stove is too powerful for the room, you’ll be tempted to run it below capacity – to avoid sweltering conditions – which is bad for your pocket and the environment.

Find out more on why it’s so important to get a stove with the best heat output for you on our website.