Brand new Rotorvent

We had a visit from Colt Cowls today. They came to give us a preview of a brand new Rotorvent.

The new Rotorvent will be 30% lighter, and also offer increased airflow. This has been achieved by redesigning the base, making it less restrictive to airflow. The internal supports on the underside of the base will be narrower, without the channels which you can see on the existing Rotorvent above. The supports are also rounded to resist the build up of deposits.

Unfortunately, it was whisked away from us before we could take any pictures. First impressions however, are good. The new Rotorvent will be sold in addition to the existing one. There is talk of including a strap fixing kit as standard (it's a recommended addition on the existing one). Prices are expected to be higher for this new model, although not much. Availability is expected around the end of November.

Trade centre discounts

Recently we have been offering discounts to retail customers on some products, whilst not offering the same discounts to trade centre customers. Well, that can't be right, so we have now installed identical discounts for both.

Currently, we have 10% off Negarra MD Plus, all multi fuel chimney liner and components, and chimney liner gathers. It makes for some really cracking deals for both trade and retail customers. You need to order online to benefit from these extra discounts.

Any future offers will be made available simultaneously for both trade and retail customers.

10% off chimney liner gathers

We are now offering 10% discount on our range of standard chimney liner gathers, when you order online. This follows on from the 10% we have been offering on our multi fuel chimney liner and components. The base of the gather measures 300mm x 300mm and they incorporate an adaptor liner to pipe at the top. They are available is diameters 125mm, 150mm, 175mm and 200mm, and are generally in stock or available in 1-2 working days direct from the manufacturer. Did you know that we can manufacture any size gather to your requirement, details are here.

This discount is available to retail and trade centre customers.

Fitting a free standing stove

This article gives information on installing a freestanding solid fuel stove in a chimney breast, with a top flue outlet, according to the rules applicable in England and Wales.

Who is allowed to fit a solid fuel stove ?
In England and Wales domestic solid fuel appliances fitted in dwellings are subject to building control, which means that every installation is required to:-

1. EITHER. Be supervised by a registered installer. A register of certified installers is maintained by The Solid Fuel Association.
   
2. OR. The local building control department be informed

Please note that "CORGI" gas certification does not qualify or authorise an installer to fit solid fuel appliances.
(The Building Regulations and Statutory Instrument 440/2002)

Chimney Cleaning
There must be access to clean the entire length of the chimney, including the flue connector and the space above any closure plate. Some stoves can be swept through the appliance, but other models may need a separate access hatch fitting.

Flue Connector
The stove is connected to the chimney with a short (up to 2m) length of vitreous enamel stove pipe with flexible glass rope to allow for expansion. The stove pipe is preferably straight, but up to 2 x 45 degree bends (with cleaning hatches) can be used if absolutely necessary. Where it passes through the chimney closure, it is sealed with a rosette and glass rope, fire cement alone is never enough. See connecting the stove pipe to the stove.

Convection Space
For good heat distribution, there needs to be at least 75mm free air space at each side of, above, and preferably behind the stove. Some models may need extra space for servicing access.

Fuel
Must be stored away from the fire, for instance, at the other side of a heatproof wall.

Air supply
All stoves need air to burn; lack of air is a very common cause of smoke emission. There must be a permanent air supply into the room equal to 550mm² per kW output (so 52mm square for a 5kW stove). Air leaking in round doors etc may suffice but fitting a vent very near to the fire, or behind it, will minimise the risk of draughts. An extractor fan, or another fuel burning appliance, even in another room, can remove combustion air.
(Building Regulations, Table 2.1 may give the false impression that no air supply is needed for stoves below 5kW)

Terminal
The chimney terminates in a vent which can be swept-through, at least 1m above the highest part of the roof.

Chimney
Your chimney creates the draught which makes a stove work. It must:-

• Be at least 5m high
• Terminate at least 1m above any roof
• have an internal cross section not less than 0.018m² (e.g. 150mm diameter) and not more than 0.14m² (e.g. 375mm x 375mm)
• be free from even the slightest crack or source of leakage. See Do I need a multi fuel chimney liner?
• have no bends sharper than 45 degrees
• be entirely free of obstructions and swept by a qualified chimney sweep.
• be connected only to the one appliance
• have a wall thickness of at least 100mm throughout its length, or be thoroughly insulated
• new masonry chimneys should be fitted with ceramic liners of at least 200mm diameter

Prefabricated chimneys should be fully insulated of at least 150mm internal diameter, conform to current standards and be installed in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.

Combustibles
We recommend keeping all combustible materials, which includes wooden parts, at least 450mm away from the stove or fluepipe. Plaster and oil-based paints won't stand up to heat, so use cement render and emulsion paint for walls near the stove.

Hearth
The stove is placed on a solid non-combustible hearth, able to bear the weight of the stove, at least 125mm thick (which may include the thickness of a solid floor) extending at least 300mm in front of the stove and 150mm to each side (unless protected by a heat-resistant wall.) The hearth doesn't have to be raised up, but its edges should be marked.

Impending chimney liner price increase

We have today received notification from our chimney liner supplier that due to further increases on the cost of world steel prices, they have been forced to increase their prices on all orders received from 1st October 2007 for the following products:-

• Multi Fuel Chimney Liner 316 Grade: +6%


• Multi Fuel Chimney Liner 904 Grade: +12%


• Multi Fuel Chimney Liner Components: +6%


• Gas/Oil Liner: +6%


• Gas Liner Components: +6%

We will be looking at the prices we are currently charging for both retail and trade customers, and will make changes as required as from 1st October 2007. To avoid the increase, please order before this date.

To order:- Click here to view prices and to order online.

Chimney installations brochure now online

Our new installation brochure is now available to download online.

We offer a design, manufacture and installation service for industrial and commercial applications. We undertake work from a variety of sectors including Main Contractors, M&E Engineers, Heating Engineers through to End Users. As long as it's an industrial or commercial installation, then we'll undertake it. We cover London and the south-east of England for the majority of our installations.

More details and example of our installations can be found here.

Click here to download the brochure.

10% off all Negarra MD Plus lengths and components

We are currently offering an additional 10% discount off all Negarra MD Plus lengths and components when you order online. MD Plus is our twin wall insulated chimney system suitable for use with gas, oil or solid fuel fired appliances, and can be used both internally and externally. If you are installing a wood burning stove and you don't have a masonry chimney stack, then this is the system to use.

To order:- Click here to view prices and to order online.

10% off all chimney liner and components

We are currently offering an additional 10% discount off multi fuel chimney liner including all components, when you order online, ensuring that we remain the cheapest online supplier for chimney liner. If you find any cheaper online, simply call us and we'll beat the competitor. Please also note that their is no better multi fuel chimney liner on the market, despite some competitor claims :-)

To order:- Click here to view prices and to order online.

Chimney balloon price increase

We have received advance warning that costs for the chimney balloon are to be increased on 1st October 2007. Exact increase is yet to be confirmed but is expected to be in the region of £1 per balloon. Order before this date to beat the increase.

To order:- Click here to order online.

No such thing as cheap chimney liner

So often we get calls and emails from customers stating that they have been quoted extortionate amounts for their multi fuel chimney liner. They claim that our (and other online retailers) liner must be inferior in some way to that which they have been quoted. Well it's time to dispel the myth altogether.

There are actually very few different manufacturers/importers of multi fuel chimney liner in the UK, 11 as I write this. In order for a multi fuel chimney liner to be sold legally in the UK, it must be listed in the HETAS official guide. Multi fuel flexible chimney liner is in Part 3 Section E of this guide. You can look yourself from the link.

In the last 15 years, we have sold 5 of these manufacturers/importers multi fuel chimney liners, and for the last 3 years, exclusively Docherty Fire Flexmaster. We now sell something over £500,000 each year in liner alone, so we know our liner !

Note:- We have noticed some online retailers not stating the manufacturer of their liner. We would advise customers to confirm that their liner is listed in the HETAS official guide and which manufacturer it is before purchasing.

Why so cheap online
Well it's true to say that online retailers, through competition, have pushed multi fuel chimney liner prices down to a base level below which any distributor would be losing money, even us. So we can say that liner is great value online for the consumer. It only works for online retailers when the volumes of liner, and the profit on components, are factored in.

Why so expensive from fireplace shops
There are too many fireplace shops who are still living in the past (chimney liner used to be very expensive) and quoting £60-£90/metre for 150mm (6") diameter multi fuel chimney liner. There is no question that they are paying something under £16.00/metre (if not, then come to us !), so you can work the margins out for yourselves. If a fireplace shop is installing the liner for you, then this is a different situation altogether, and they should expect to make some margin on the materials as well as the installation costs, although charging something like £30-£40/metre would be more reasonable.

Where to Purchase
Liner and components can be purchased from the multi fuel chimney liner section online. Select the liner diameter here.

Chimney liner suspending cowls

Thank goodness for the new range of chimney liner suspending cowls ! Previously, when installing a chimney liner, the installer had to remove the chimney pot (often cracking or breaking it at the time), and install the liner at the top of the stack with the traditional closure plate, top clamp and top sleeve. Then he had to bed the chimney pot back into place and attach a chimney cowl on top. No fun in the wind at height !

But now there is no need for the plate, clamp, top sleeve or a chimney cowl in many installations. The installer can often now use a single component, the suspending cowl. Each suspending cowl has 2 sets of fixings. The inner set attach the chimney liner to the cowl, and the outer set attach the cowl to the chimney pot. It makes the installation a lot easier and quicker, and avoids replacing clay chimney pots. There are 2 models of suspending cowl available as follows:-

Anti Downdraught Suspending Cowl

The anti downdraught suspending cowl is the ultimate in suspending cowls, designed by us in connection with one of the leading chimney cowl manufacturers. They are all stainless steel, including the mesh, fixing straps and strap bands, so you can fit it and forget it. Available either with natural stainless steel finish or brown finish as shown. As well as preventing downdraught, you can also see from the images that these suspending cowls offer great protection from rain entering the chimney stack.

Suspending Cowl

The suspending cowl is also an all stainless steel construction. This model does not have anti downdraught properties, and will allow more rain into the chimney stack. It is also available in either natural stainless steel finish or brown finish as shown.

Fitting a chimney liner using a suspending cowl

The liner is installed by dropping it down through the chimney pot. The sleeve at the base of the suspending cowl slides inside the liner and incorporates straps for attaching the liner to the cowl. The cowl is then pushed onto the top of the chimney pot, and there is another set of straps on the suspending cowl for attaching the cowl to the pot.

Expensive ?
Initially the chimney liner suspending cowls look quite expensive. However, when you take into consideration the expense of doing the installation the traditional way, then they soon turn out to be excellent value. They are also of a really solid construction. A top quality product.

Competing Products
Check the images carefully online for seemingly equivalent products from competitors. You'll note the quality differences just from the images. Some don't even have a stainless steel mesh. An ordinary steel mesh with rot very quickly when used with a solid fuel appliance.

Where to Purchase
These can be purchased from the multi fuel chimney liner section online. Select the liner diameter here.

Save with the chimney balloon

With Autumn now upon us, it's time to think about the cold weather (I know we didn't get a great summer !). If you have an open fireplace in your house, then you are wasting money by allowing the heat from your room to escape directly up the chimney.

The simple low cost solution is the chimney balloon. It's reusable and simply inflates to block your chimney cavity when the fireplace is not being used.

We are the largest distributor of the chimney balloon in the country by some margin, and sell through a dedicated site at http://www.chimney-balloon.co.uk/ and also through our Ebay store here.

To see how popular this product is, simply have a look at our Ebay feedback here.

With a no hassle money back guarantee, you really can't go wrong.

It's all brand new

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