Read our introduction to wood stoves, their benefits, and what you can do. Maybe talk to other stove owners, (and see our resources – read books, attend courses) – get as much basic information as you can. Make sure your home is well-insulated, in good repair and dry before thinking about a wood stove.

Is your home suitable? If it’s a first-floor flat with no chimney, probably (but not definitely) not. If you have an existing, unused chimney, you can probably resurrect it (see chimney section below). If you have no chimney, you can get a twin-wall, stainless steel flue system that fits together like Meccano. It can go out through the nearest wall, or up through your house and out through the roof (again, see chimney section below).

Smoke control areas

Are you allowed to have a wood stove? You can check if you are in a smoke control area by searching online – and check with your local authority for the really accurate answer.
If you do live in a smoke control area, to burn wood you will need a Defra Exempt stove. These meet certain minimum criteria in lab tests.
Usually you cannot turn these stoves right down (that makes lots of smoke and is the worst way to burn) so do bear that in mind. If you already use a fireplace in a smoke control area then shifting to a Defra Exempt stove is miles better.

If you have any questions about the suitability of your home, you can ask them in the comments section of the topic introduction.

Thanks to Sune Nightingale of Stoves Online.