Owning an Esse Ironheart Wood Burning Stove One Year on.
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- Опубліковано 12 жов 2019
- Last November (2018) I bought an Esse Ironheart wood burning stove to cook on, heat my water, warm my house and dry my washing.
I use logs as a fuel, mostly ash and oak. I don't burn coal. I have the stove on all year round but not twenty-four seven hours a day. What is it like to own and run one a year later? I try to answer those questions and demonstrate how I use the Ironheart.
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Hi Richard, I have had an ESSE Ironheart for the last 5 years in my cottage in France and have a few suggestions for you. The ESSE Ironheart is a multifuel stove ie coal or wood, however if you only burn wood ESSE sell a woodburning box that does away with the grate which should only be used with solid fuel. When using the woodburning box resist cleaning the stove out, wood burns best on a bed of wood ash, I usually take one shovel of wood ash a week plus any of the wood ash clinker that builds up at the front of the stove. The ESSE Ironheart has 4 air controls, the primary air control at the bottom of the stove, the secondary or airwash control, the oven damper and the flue damper. ESSE recommends when lighting the stove only the oven damper is shut and once the fire is established the primary air control should be shut as wood needs combustion air from above not below. Once the fire is burning strong and you need to use the oven you should open the oven damper. I usually leave the flue damper fully open at all times. Using this method, I burn well seasoned hardwood, oak and beech, predominantly to heat the whole of my house, but not water, on about 6-7 cubic metres of wood for a winter. The glass on my stove remains clear and clean, only requiring cleaning every 2 months or so. Using a woodfired rangecooker takes sometime to master but if you are continually having to clean the glass it is telling you that the fire is burning inefficiently and you may have a problem with your firewood, not seasoned, not dry enough or the wrong type, not all wood is good to burn in a woodburning range cooker, some is even extremely toxic such as Yew, or there is problem with your flue, insufficient draw! Remember that a woodburning range cooker or stove main purpose is not to burn wood, a bonfire will do that! It is to cleanly and efficiently convert wood into controllable heat for your home! Good luck
Hi Colin. Thanks so much for the advice and information. Trying to get properly season wood is a huge problem. I would say the wood I buy is not seasoned sufficiently, hence the blackened windows, so I keep buying wood to eventually have enough stored long enough to be seasoned, but meanwhile, because I have no other means of heat, I have to burn some of the unseasoned 1 year old stuff. We had to retro fit the water boiler in the fire box. I am not sure that the Esse wood box would now fit without a huge refit which I cannot do alone. But I am sure I could place a sheet of metal over the grill at the bottom to reduce the ask falling through to keep the ash. The supplier messed up on the ordered Esse and refused to put the problem right.
@@RichardVobes Hi Richard. Thank you for the video "one year on with the Esse Ironheart" ! A realistic and endearing account! I am 11 years on from installing mine ! I changed from the grate to the Esse Wood Burning Box but recently went back to the grate, as I found there just was not enough combustion using the box to keep and sustain a good fire going especially when using larger pieces of ash. I find the fire goes best with a progression of sizes of logs. I am in the country so am able to buy both seasoned and kiln-dried logs. Can see in London this could be a problem. Even with excellent wood you will still get a slight "dusting" on the inside of the glass on the Ironheart - but this can just be wiped off with a damp cloth and ash from the stove. You will get more blackening of the glass because, like me, you have the boiler to run hot water. So as the fire tries to heat up it is continually is having its temperatures lowered by the cold water being pulled through the fire box. I find it takes at least 40 mins to an hour for that to work through (depending on what hot water has been drawn off) . In the end, I agree with you - I love it .
Colin Shaw Well said! A clean burning fire keeps a clean glass. A great way to understand how good your wood burning and wood cooking skills are. If the glass is constantly getting black, then your fires are too cold, wood too wet, not enough combustion air and pollutants are not sufficiently burned off before closing the damper. Must allow the good clean gas in the wood to do its job.
Hi Colin, how much wood do you find yourself using for your Ironheart stove over a year? Do you use it year round for cooking and heating?
@@bodo9387 sorry for such a late reply I only use my ironheart in the late autumn through to early spring otherwise it would make my small home too hot and I also have other methods of baking and cooking so on warm days I would not light the stove
Carol Cordell, here, have written you a message recently. Am originally from Alaska, and now here in Eastern Tennessee, have lived on wood stove heat for total of 23 years, most of these years doing wood stove heat as a single person. I got to be really good at fire starting even from a very cold house. Have never used an Esse, but last stove was an Englander, I think. In this stove, it was suggested to leave the ash in the stove, and make an indentation in the middle of ash, front to back to allow the air to the bottom of the fire. I always use a larger log in the back of stove, and build my fire against the log. I had the smallest Englander; it kept the house warm over night, and had a warm house in the morning, that did save me money. My wood for almost all 6 years was free, by tree cutters bring me their wood that would have gone into trash. What I really liked about wood heat was a warm house when we lost power for many hours. But I could also heat soup, re -heat coffee, and other foods just needing to be warmed up. I REALLY LIKED the wood stove life style, cause it's like living with the elements, and like a partial life style, like the Alaskan colonist, many decades back. Then late at night it was very comforting, relaxing, to sit about 6 feet from stove and just sit, look at the flames, and relax. Many times in Alaska the power would go out, and the wood stove saved the day. That; and a lantern. Yes, a very Good Deal!
Great to have this 'off grid' type heating when it all goes wrong...thank you WEF!
I would love one of these!
I'd love one. When staying at my friends cottage in the Outer Hebrides last Christmas, we enjoyed the use of his wood burning stove. We loved collecting logs and lighting the fire, and while it was cold and raining outside we we indoors warm and cosy.
Hi Richard, really enjoy your videos here in NZ. Must say we have a wood burner fire which gives off a great heat. We actually are warmed by our firewood wood 4 times, firstly cutting up the logs with a chainsaw, then splitting with an axe, next carting them to the woodshed and finally burning them.
Never put your ash into your bin. Embers may seem cold down but all it take one to get the whole thing going. My son was a Volunteer Fireman and houses have been lost to ash reigniting
I will find a metal bin for them. Thanks for tip.
@@RichardVobes metal ash buckets with lids available used one was most useful no chance of ash blowing in wind
Stainless bucket with a lid, and never leave it inside. The Ash can produce Carbon monoxide and cause suffocation.
Excellent video presentation. I appreciated your honest talking points on the good and bad points of owning a wood burning stove. Not for everybody, and quite old fashioned, but I agree with you Richard. There's something ancient, primeval, and "human" about keeping a fire for warmth and cooking. Something very much in short supply in our modern, pushbutton, technology driven world. I'm approaching retirement and have been considering simplifying my life and getting a yurt, which would necessitate a wood burning stove. The Esse Ironheart would be one of my top choices. Thank you.
Thanks so much for your comments. It's a lovely bit of kit to own and I wouldn't go back to gas. Obtaining good seasoned logs in this modern era is the most tricky bit.
Great video! I live in a small rental and use an induction like your son, but I have a rocket stove outdoors. I hope to have an indoor wood stove once I build my own home. Thanks for this video! It's inspiring. I like the work and extra details too. It's a lifestyle, yes.
Thanks so much for watching. I love the lifestyle. Good luck with building your own home!
I love your 'unfitted' kitchen. I live in the states, and will be having to renovate my kitchen in the near future and am currently considering the wood vs gas option for cooking. I'm thinking I will probably go with a gas range for the kitchen and install a small wood burning stove downstairs in the family room, where I can utilize the chimney of my wood burning fireplace. If I could, I would build a house with a 'walk-in' cooking fireplace like what the Early Americans used. Thank you for sharing this...even if I am a little late to the party!
Thank you for your very down to earth video, it's been of great help
Hello from Canada. Great video about esse. We are buying a home and they have this cookstove. I was a bit intimidated but now feel excited to have it.
It is a lovely piece of kit - you will love it.
Great Richard , yes a complete life style , much better than being sat in front of the box all day . Great exercise and allows the mind to just chill out . Great video . Thanks Rory
My pleasure, Rory.
Wonderful honest assessment to the pros and cons of a wood burning range something I identify with many thanks for post.
My pleasure, Stephen. Thanks so much for watching.
Just got rid of my Jotel woodstove , made in Norway! Awesome glass fronted wood stove! Loved it, replaced it with a natural gas stove! It is also nice but I miss cutting wood! Here in North Carolina, USA we hAve access to all the wood you feel like cutting, I miss that! I love to split wood with a Swedish maul! Hope you continue to enjoy your stove!
Getting wood here is the biggest headache because it costs o much - but I love the stove.
Very honest answers. Great job.
I have a wood burning stove and the Esse looks great. Would love one of those. I don’t clear the ash out every day as it burns too quick. Maybe every 4 to 6 days. It lights well and is very comforting.
that one is awesome!!! every once in awhile I go to this antique mall and you can usually see one or two of the old cast iron pot belly stoves❤I'd imagine the hardest part of it all would be moving the damn thing to your home.they usually weigh a ton.
Yes indeed very heavy!
There is something primeval about a good fire! I love to watch it - your lucky to have one w/ a window. I miss my wood burning stove at my last home!!! (Even if they did bring a bit of extra work) They sure cut down on the heating bills in the Winter & I was always able to keep a kettle on for a cup of tea!
Could get a bucket & save all that wood ash to throw on top of Julia's huge mulch pile whenever you go over to her house. It's best to let it work through w/ other kitchen scraps & yard debris so they can all breakdown together to make a nice rich & balanced soul. Dumping it straight on your garden bed can cause your soil to become too acidic & hazardous to certain plants.
There is nothing like it - I will ask Julia if she wants my ash! :)
Kettle always on our ironheart for a brew. She's tired but at 10 yrs old, still a belter to nod off next to 😀
I live in sunderland in England, and all I would have to do is ask people on Facebook if they have any old wood.
Like yourself, I think thiers somthing almost magical about fire, ;)
A labour of love!
You can’t beat the sight and sound of a wood fire. This wouldn’t work for me at the moment, but I can see its attraction - it’s also a great looking piece of kit!
It is so wonderful.
Wow. What a great informative movie. I never thought a movie about a log burner would be interesting, I enjoyed this one! Some excellent owners tips mixed in as well.
Glad you liked it Tony!
I’d like to second that as well. Very informative, I’m looking to get one soon so very relevant. Thanks
Great video and good to see your experience of using it, thanks for sharing. My father in law has the same Esse stove in his kitchen. It is excellent but it takes some getting use to cook/ bake with it! I'd love to have a stove like yours in our kitchen. We only have a multi-fuel stove in our living/dining room which we use a lot.
My sister lives in Austria has a custom built tiled and brick stove in her kitchen. It's an absolutely beauty and works superbly well. It also uses surprisingly little wood and stores heat for at least 12 hours. But it cost a small fortune (about £10k).
I would recommend a moisture meter for your logs. I have one and it makes a difference to check it (should be less than 20% moisture).
The beauty of burning wood is that keeps you warm three times. When you stack it, when you split it and when you burn it.
These old-fashioned stoves are the best.
Wow nearly a year with the esse! It is a nice piece of equipment. Mh dad had a log burner they are great. Well done Richard 👍
It is a lovely thing. (I have some more stuff for you from our 'friend' abroad - will be in touch!)
@@RichardVobes
You guys have a friend?????
Greetings from Galicia Northern Spain the land of rain and sun, green but as well cold and damped, thank you for nice video and a view in your kitchen ;-) .My tip to clean your window glass with less chemicals is using Frog Lemon Scouring Milk, it doesn't stink, works perfectly and is environment friendly. Put it on a wet Microfiber cloth, let it sit for two minutes on the glass and so we clean. Beechwood is great for heating not as good as oak but better than ash wood (what becomes slowly but steady an endangered specie in Europe through some type of micro fungus and and insects. Beech is growing very fast and eco-friendly when bought from a sustainable woodland farmer. Nevertheless you should try much more to find the "perfect" the air circulation for your burning chamber. I still dream to put a coal briquette covered in a wet newspaper on the hot Wood embers to preserve the heat up to the next morning like my grandparents did in Germany 50 years ago (not available in Spain). PS. I never had a tumble dryer but for the continent usual the "laundry rack", so in winter I do laundry only in the evening and before going to bed the humid laundry is moved in front of the stove and the morning it is surprising me with dry socks and T-shirts sometimes even warm. Greetings stay save and warm.
Hello Elli - thanks for the tip. I will try and look out for Frog Lemon Scouring Milk. :)
We looked at solid fuel Esse, Rayburn and Aga when we moved house three years ago, but opted for a gas cooking range in the end. Kids still at home and keeping odd hours. However we do have a wood burning stove running six months of the year, and everyone huddles round it in winter. With a few candles on the go it gets very cosy.
Sounds perfect!
Nice video. Very nice commentary.
Well done! 🙏 I would love one too ❤️
In our last house we had an open fire in the living room, there is something magical watching the flickering flames, very comforting. Used to enjoy making the fire, we had a pair of bellows were often used. Must say it wasn’t very nice having to get the coal in the rain, when it was dry used to fill up plastic buckets with coal and put them in the cupboard under the stairs. We now have gas central heating . Enjoyed your video Richard, it was a good one.
Thanks for the memories Ann - storing the coal under the stairs - love it.
I’m with you Ann. We have an open fire in the lounge. There is central heating, and I burn logs that I collect and split. When I see neighbors having trees cut or pruned, they are only to pleased to give to me as it costs them to dispose of them. I remember during the war folding newspapers into spills and lighting the fire after school. When the coalman came he carried the sack through the house. Nowadays watching the fire is better than looking at the rubbish on television most days. Also in the winter you can bbq a steak in the hot embers. Please excuse my rambling.
Colin Bryan that’s nice, we had logs delivered , they used to put them in the road , then I would carry them indoors and put some in the cupboard under the stairs. The smell of the logs. Were lovely. Happy days.
Beautiful!
Hi Richard
We use a dehumidifier for drying clothes, it costs around €300 to buy and costs virtually nothing to run The clothes dry overnight without causing condensation. We also find it is great for keeping dampness out of any room.
So we regularly move it around the house over the winter.
Made my day, best laugh for ages.
Lovely. As you say. Not for everybody. But I truly enjoy the process just as you describe. Not familiar with that brand. Esse. I’ll look it up.
Thank you
I used to clean my glass with stove glass cleaner, 0000 wire wool and then tissue.
Now I have found an incredible thing.
I use Wilko Mint and Rosemary Window Cleaner and tissue. I rarely use the wire wool now and only for really stubborn stains.
when you buy a iron heart, you will always wish you had bought it years ago, a way of life
I have a 50 year old oilfired Rayburn which I run 24/7. It cooks, heats the house, heats water, dries and irons washing. It was in my old farmhouse when I moved in 22 years ago. No c/h so I also have an oilfired Efel stove in my sitting room which I light Nov-March & it has a glass door to watch the glow. No maintenance except for annual service.
Sounds utterly brilliant.
Great, thanks for posting an update - great to hear the 1 year review as you really got to know the stove. I've added it to my list of things to buy for our house...
I love it and have no regrets.
I clean the glass of our 'Clearview' wood burning stove with damped newspaper. Works a treat as long as you do it each time you clean out the stove.
Clearview are fantastic stoves, we installed a Pioneer 400 in my parents house in 1996 and it's still working great, original glass griddle, ash box - only thing I replaced were the bricks, door rope and baffle every 5 years or so, fantastic engineering.
I must try that.
Lovely man after my own heart.
I love it.
Nice fire 🔥👍🏻👍🏻
Don’t use the chemical spray. Just add water to the ash. And the window will,get crystal clear. I agree with you about the ‘primeval’ experience . If you contact local tree surgeons should be able to get free wood
Lighting - start with big logs at bottom, then kindling on top, and add some paper. Counter intuitive, but it works as the kindling heats the chimney (to get the draw), and hot glowing bits of kindling light the logs below.
We have a Victorian Airer on pulleys fixed to the ceiling, the washing dries well.
You should leave a good layer of ash in the burner area as it helps the wood burn better and last longer and gives out more heat.
I need to do that more.
@@RichardVobes The reason is that it insulates the wood and fire from the cold stone below which otherwise draws out heat.
Such a great video, thank you! I’m like you, I think I would love it! But during the summer would it be ok not to run it at all? I think an outdoor stove (like earthen) would be great for summer and an induction indoor.
Hi Richard.
I have the Ease Bakeheart and cook on and in it as often as the weather is cool enough.
I’ve had mine for year too and I love it but being a constant cook I’ve now got a grubby stove top.
I wonder what is the best way to clean that.
I clean the glass using some cold ash on wet newspapers and dry it off with a dry piece.
I think your glass gets black because the wood isn’t totally dry or not well seasoned.
All the Esse best.
😊
Use some wet newspaper to clean the glass - don’t use wire wool. If it’s sooting up a lot you’re probably using the stove wrong. Look to close down the spin wheel one the fire is established and control the heat with the vent at the top, which will be an air wash behind the glass. Do you have a flue damper?
I use an American hardback window scrapper on my woodburner glass. No chemicals and it doesn't scratch.
My Nan had an Aga and her house was always warm and cosy
Lovely things.
Hello Richard, I see you have all the advice you will ever need so I don't mean to add to it but I have installed a few solid fuel stoves in my time.
It is sometimes possible to add one or two radiators upstairs without any pumps or complication. They just heat up the same as your hot water.
It would make a huge difference.
As it is, lots of heat is being wasted. I don't want to bore you with the details, if you want to know more just ask.
I'd like to know more. I'm making a move go Norfolk in late summer and will get some sort of burner for the yurt, I'd also like one for the house, but need a basic lesson in how to attach boiler, hey water, heating, etc.
Fires are Great fun to play with.
Oh they are
You could try using heat logs which are guaranteed to be completely dry and will burn longer and hotter. There's no mess either!
Perfect for your new boat.
I think I would need a slightly smaller one.
@@RichardVobes Some people have full size Agas fitted with plenty of room to spare. It depends on the size of your boat and how you design it.
Nice stove
First time watching. You can use #0000 fine steel wool on stove glass. Make sure the stove and glass is cool👍
I use dry wire wool and it doesn't scratch. But in my woodburner (an Aduro) if you burn properly it does not get sooted up. Enough airflow is key & dry wood.
Great stuff - I will bear that in mind. Thanks.
I love you man 👍🏼
Hi Richard, a small suggestion. Use a piece of kindling to hold your logs with your other hand when splitting them with an axe. Even wearing thick leather gloves, a blow to your knuckles bloody hurts.
That is a good piece of advice - thanks.
You Tube has a coal fire picture with sounds of crackling. I told you earlier I was brought up with coal fire.You Tube nice for Christmas .
Very good stove save u money if heats water up heating good investment
If you cut one end from the ashtray it's a lot easier to empty.
Also easiest and best for kindling is an old pallet, split down by an reciprocating saw with a flexible blade (thru the nails not the wood). Then onto the chop saw for even length and finally split. Much quicker than making kindling from logs I'd say.
Thaks for the advice.
As child living in a country farm house we had a duck egg blue double aga oil burning, it was the heart of the house and heated the hot water and the radiators, the hot water was always very very hot and the house was always toasty. I've since re visited my childhood home and was delighted to find the aga is still there and fully operational 20 years on! Was delighted.
Do you have the round net for baking toast on the top burner plate?
It was always so delicious cooked that way 😋
Hey Richard I'm split between Ironhear and Godan Pomes which is French. Any advice?
A brillo pad cleaned these windows wonderfully. It does not scratch the glass. Put newspaper under to catch any soapy drops. Then wipe off glass but with no or little liquid. The surfactant soap remaining acts like a release agent so next time a wipe with a sponge and it all comes off with one wipe. Stanley owner Joss from Cork.
I will try a brillo pad - great tip. Thanks so much.
@@RichardVobes Be sure to leave some of the pad soap around the edges. A sponge will then work next time.
I have a Jøtul stove and have always had an open fire all my life. But I am looking at the esse bakeheart, I would not be able to cope without a proper fire and this would be perfect - triple whammy.
We had a wood burner installed in our lounge last year. Our gas bills have literally halved. Wood is relatively cheap compared to gas!
In Bosnia they/we cook on a wood burning stove but also have a 25Kw wood pellet central heating boiler ( a local firm makes furniture for IKEA so buy pellets there), most houses have a roofed wood shed with vertical slat sides (for air drying) on the side of the house.
I would advise using quite large logs, even newly slightly seasoned, for the slow overnight burn and small dry stuff for the cooking.
Thanks for the advice, I am slowly getting to grips with the woodburning stove - but I love it.
Cif cream works really well to clean the glass I have found. One wipe and its clean.
Excellent tip!
A clean burning fire keeps the glass clean. A great way to understand how good your wood burning and wood cooking skills are. If the glass is constantly getting black, then your fires are too cold, wood too wet, not enough combustion air and pollutants are not sufficiently burned off before closing the damper. You need to allow the good clean gas in the wood to do its job.
I wish my wood supplier sent me better dried logs.
Would love to have one ,,,
ive not had experience with an esse but when a standard wood burning heater, you shouldn't have smoke coming into the room if the air vent is fully open, perhaps because you have much colder starting temperatures than we have in Australian winter as the flue should draw the smoke up the chimney as soon as it starts to warm.
Nice, been thinking about getting one of these, at present I have a oil one, where could I get more information, on connecting like what extra pieces are required.
Best to talk to people like Esse to find out.
how do you control the temperature in the oven and stove?
This was heartwarming to watch; watching from Nairobi, Kenya. Thanks for sharing Richard. What is it about your upbringing that endeared you to wood burning stoves? Will you be passing on the ESSE to your son?
It was interesting to see the clash of technologies in your kitchen (wood burner vis a vis induction plate). The washing machine reminded me of Hans Rosling's TED talk, 'The magic washing machine.' Lots of people in this part of the world still cook using wood and handwash their clothes. But that is slowly changing and the art of gathering and splitting wood may be lost forever in favour of modern conveniences.
Hi man how do you get on with the slider on the top of the door,. And how far dose it travel,🤠 a good video by the way,
Hi Keith, do you mean the top rail? Or the little vent? I get on well with all of it. I love the esse.
You can clean the glass with natural cleaners eg vinegar and/or baking soda.
Hi Richard. I enjoyed your video....I have a query. I am considering buying the Esse but I 'm afraid it might be too powerful for my modest kitchen....Does it pump out 9.7 KW without putting in timber by the barrow full.?? Thanks.
There is a smaller version that is half the size which ,might fulfil your needs better. You do need to consider where to store your wood. I usually only burn late afternoons to early evening to save on wood. (5pm - 9pm)
Your stove has whats called an Airwash on the glass, that is that angled baffle you see sloping towards the glass at the top of the opening when you open the door. You want as much air coming out of that baffle and flowing down your glass as possible, that fresh air has no combustion byproducts in it and thus keeps your glass very clean almost indefinitely. The Airwash choke is the one above the door and there is a second choke (not for the airways) below the door near your ash pan. When you want to choke your fire down, first use up the full choking potential of the lower baffle before choking any with the Airwash baffle. Then only choke enough to slow the fires flame propagation, never choke it to much that it significantly dies down. Also, leave some more ash in the bottom of the firebox, this will help your coal bed burn more completely. Just push the excessive ash into the ash pan for removal but leave a coating of ash behind. If you do all of this your glass will stay MUCH cleaner for MUCH longer. Also, if you can better cover your wood so it is seasoning as its sitting out that wouldn't hurt either.
Fabulous hints and tips - thanks very much.
Wood ash has a lot of minerals to add to your garden , just add dirt. Just a hint add kerosene to the ash and store in a non breakable container. Then spoon the ash laden with kerosene to lite your fire.
Many thanks, useful and helpful video(s) on the cooking stove! My key question is though, how much wood do you use a year to keep it going for the year for your cooking and heating needs?
A fair amount.
@@RichardVobes cheers, I appreciate it eats the stuff! How many cubic metres could I expect to need per year for it though, and is it noticeably less in the summer without heating water for radiators?
You need Eric to come up from the basement and do all that for you! A 'real world' account one year on about your Esse. Very honest and realistic. As you day, it is more lifestyle than ecological or practical at this point. (Edited for clarity)
Er - this was a real world account for it. I love it.
@@RichardVobes sorry, that should have been read as a positive statement. This WAS a real world account, and very good too!
Ah - I see - yes indeed. I will bring a nice warm log when I come to yours at the end of the week.
Do you have a boiler optimising system? They are well worth the relatively small cost. They work by managing the flow and return temperature to the stoves boiler, keeping the boiler temperature hot and only allowing very hot water to flow to your cylinder. This helps keep the firebox temperature up, which means a cleaner, more efficient burn, a cleaner chimney, cleaner glass and also improves overall efficiency. Should be straightforward to retrofit as your plumbing is all accessible. If you do intend to connect the stove to the central heating in the future such a system is essential.
Search for product kindling cracker. Might save your fingers. I bought the largest one and it can do fairly large longs with no problem. I winced when i saw you swing that axe. Also a tip, try logs at the bottom. Kindling at the top. That will heat up the stove enough to create draw and then the large logs underneath will light up easier. I thinks its called swedish method
I will test out the Swedish method - thanks for the tip.
I believe that wood ash (as long as it’s not been painted) can be used straight onto the garden, but coal ash has to be weathered for sometime.
I always used it for mine! But have to be careful as it can cause your soil to go acidic if you use too much in one area. I did however like using it around my blue hydrangeas just for that reason (need a more acidic soil to give hydrangeas their blue color - more alkaline for the pink varieties).
That's handy! Cheers Steve
Steve Gee I would never use coal ash on the garden. It contains all sorts of nastiness including heavy metals, carcinogenic compounds etc. Although unlikely to cause problems why take the risk, when nutritionally it does nothing anyway?
Does it heat radiators?
Lovely stove Richard - had an Aarow woodburner/multifuel stove for about 10 years. Upside is cosy and homely - downside is inconvenience of sourcing fuel, lighting and cleaning - and more importantly dust. Bad for the chest. Plus I'm on my third back boiler !
Review again after a harsh winter and see what you think. I' m putting a new gas combi in this Autumn - unless you can source free fuel for the woodburner gas works out more economical and controllable if you have mains supply available.
Keeping the woodburner for high days and holidays - you can't beat that fireside cosiness. I bought a chainsaw to process the timber - once the neighbours get to know you're in the market for wood, all sorts of offers come in, from major tree surgery to clearing garages - once had a fitted kitchen and floor dumped on the drive.
I think trying to source free wood is very much the answer. I will put it about I am looking for old removed trees! Thanks for thoughts.
fraser hardmetal Think long and hard before you opt for a combi boiler. I have lived in several houses with them and have grown to detest them. They are unreliable, cause long delays before hot water reaches taps, and provide no back up option when they inevitably fail. Look into a regular system boiler with a mains pressure storage tank. You will have an immersion in case of boiler issues, almost instant hot water at the taps, no worries about the boiler DHW heat exchanger scaling up (there isn't one!) no diverter valve to fail and leak. Combis are best kept for small flats not family homes where taps are run dozens of times a day, each time causing the boiler to fire up only to shut down seconds later.
@@spencerwilton5831 I can see your point but I am fitting the combi as part of an integrated heating system. In trying to make my home as passive as possible ( 40 year old detached bungalow ) I have fitted pv solar, solar water heating, an air source heat pump and a 250 litre storage tank. This should give me about 50% autonomy from mains services. Relying on solid fuel as the main heating and hot water source is fine and dandy if you have the time and ability to support it. Having been laid low with pneumonia a couple of years ago brought this home to me, and explains my multi system approach. I also had the primary circs from the woodburner freeze whilst away on business for 10 days.
This highlights the limitations of a solid fuel system - plus not having to light the fire every evening after work. In re assessing the system I have insulated as well as the building allows, fitted underfloor radiant heating and a centralised ventilation system that recovers heat. Quite expensive, but is money in the bank for the future. As an Engineer I have done the majority of the work myself. The combi boiler, a Worcester Bosch Greenstar will be fitted in the next couple of weeks by a colleague who is gas safe approved.
So it's horses for courses really. Reliability of combi boilers has come on in leaps and bounds - I have a Worcester Bosch fitted in another property which as been trouble free in the six years since it was fitted - it was installed correctly and has to be inspected every year, as it is in rented accommodation. Nothing has failed in that time - keep my fingers crossed now I've said that !
@@spencerwilton5831 combis are troublesome I'd agree.
We have 1 wood only burner, and a dual fuel. Because we have a large house with electrical underfloor heating (not my choice!) So we use them heavily on the winter as UK electricity is so expensive. I'd love free wood! But it's not easy to come by.
i clean mine the same way i use grade 2 steel wool 👍👌👏
Good man - sounds great! It works well.
[To clean the glass just use a damp rag and some of the ash works good no chemicals.]👍
Good tip!
Even better is damp to wet newspaper with the ash, then a clean old dampened duster and then dry scrunched up newspaper. Works a treat. For anything really stubborn, if you keep a bit of charcoal back of just the right size and shape, and then just very briefly dip it in water and rub it against the stubborn tarry deposits (if any), it will usually get rid of them. For the stubborn tarry deposits it does take a bit of elbow grease though and you have to listen out for the charcoal NOT scratching the glass - you get a feel for it and know the sound if it's likely to be scratching it.
What a beautiful stove but most of us are a little too lazy to work for our heat. I recently discovered your videos and find them fun and entertaining. Do you have a video of the tea cart and the huge rock that marks the Scotland England border. It is on the road from London to the Northumberland region?
No I haven't got that far yet - but will look out for it. Thanks for the suggestion.
Clean the glass with a damp newspaper dipped in a bit of ash
If your glass gets sooty you are not burning efficiently. Other point is you can clean the glass by using ash and a wet or dry piece of kitchen towel
You could clean the glass with a bit of newspaper wetted then dipped in ash. Cleans the glass a treat & no nasty chemicals!
If only that worked!
@@RichardVobes it's always worked for me
It's always worked for me!
Scrunched up wet aluminium foil for the glass. Burn the foil afterwards to keep the soot in your chimney powdery.
Not heard that one before.
You do need to burn seasoned wood, and wood that hasn't been exposed to rain, and adjust the vents to avoid a good deal of the pitch ending up in your glass on the door. That is common practice with any wood burning.
Yes the pitch on the glass is a pain. :)
It looks very tarry in your firebox. You should use drier wood or the flues will block and may catch fire. I'm just starting my seventh winter with the ESSE and have been pleased with it so far.
Thanks for the advice.
Get a wood moisture meter and buy two years of wood to give more dry time. Your glass will be clear and chimney that's cleaner. Build a woodshed. I guarantee your burning wet wood at 20+ percent. Aim for 10 percent moisture
That wood looked way too fresh yet, which might be why you are getting so much soot. If you can, seek out an old log that has been down for a year or more. I would at least put the next days wood in a fireproof container in the kitchen so it ca benefit from a little dryness. Make sure you have a sweep look in if green wood has been the case for any amount of time-once a chimney fire starts, you get well above 1,000d F, and usually up in the 2,000's and quickly due to the way it forms a strong draft. Even a well made masonry chimney isn't meant for that, which then heats the surrounding framing etc until -poof- the house goes too. I absolutely understand the slow way of life, and look forward to having a wood stove again.
Hi Richard, I was wondering do we legally need a gas stove in the kitchen or can we use a wood burner cooking stove and turn off gas legally in uk?
No - you don't have to have gas. Mine is shut off.
@@RichardVobes lovely news, thanks!