Wood burning stove installation
Buying and installing a wood burning stove can be an expensive process, so it is important to ensure you get it right first time.
As wood burning stoves have increased in popularity, so has concern about their potential health and environmental impacts. Tighter regulations around wood burning stoves are being introduced.
Before you purchase a stove, ensure you have read our guide to wood burning stove fines and regulations to make sure you're allowed to use one.
Plus, make sure you're familiar with the potential health and environmental impacts of using one in your home.
Choosing a wood burning stove
What size stove do I need?
The heat output of wood-burning stoves is measured in kilowatts. Although larger stoves typically generate more heat, the output does vary across models.
Therefore, instead of just considering size, you should consider the number of kilowatts of expected output when choosing a wood burning stove.
To work out the number of kilowatts you need, divide the volume of your room in cubic meters by 14. To calculate the volume of your room, multiply its length, width and height.
For example, if your room measures 3.5m*5.5m*2.5m then the volume of the room is 48 cubic meters. 48 dived by 14 is 3.4.
This means you would need a 3-4KW wood burning stove.
However, this is an approximate value. When deciding on the output of your stove, you should consider other factors that will affect the amount of heat you need, including:
- Your personal heating preference
- The level of insultation in the room you want to heat
- Whether you are planning to use additional heat sources in conjunction with the stove
Your fitter or the store from which you purchase the stove should be able to help you chose the correct size stove. It's important not to install a stove that's too big for your space, especially if your home is well insulated, as you'll find that lighting it could make your room unbearably hot, and it's hard to regulate the temperature output.
Stove regulations
If you are purchasing a new stove that was placed on the market after January 2022, you should ensure that it is Ecodesign compliant.
In addition, if you live in a designated smoke-control area but you want to burn wood, you need to buy a DEFRA-exempt stove.
If you're in Scotland, a change in regulations in April 2024 means wood-burning stoves cannot be installed as the primary heating source in new builds, extensions and renovations.
You can read more about the regulations you will need to follow in our guide to wood burning stove regulations.
How much does it cost to buy and install a wood burning stove?
We spoke to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), a global certification body in the field of construction, to understand the average cost of buying and installing a wood burning stove.
Average cost of a wood burning stove
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| Stove size | Average cost |
|---|---|
| 3kW-5kW | |
| 6kW-8kW | |
| 9kW-10kW | |
| 11kW-12kW | |
| 13kW-14kW | |
| 15kW-18kW |
Table notes: Data copyright Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) 2021 reproduced with permission. Data is current as of October 2021.
Wood burning stove installation costs
Log in or join Which? to see the average cost of installing a wood burning stove.
| Work required | Average starting price | Average maximum price |
|---|---|---|
| Flue through the floor/ ceiling, not in a chimney | ||
| Chimney that is in good working order | ||
| Chimney that needs a lot of work (e.g., relining) |
Table notes: Data copyright Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) 2021 reproduced with permission. Data is current as of October 2021.
The cost of your stove installation will be partially determined by the amount of building work you will need to have done to get your home ready.
Wood burning stove installation regulations
There are a number of regulations with which your stove must comply in order to be legal and safe to use.
Below are some of the key regulations you must follow. However, this list is not exhaustive; we recommend that you consult with your fitter to ensure your stove is properly installed.
Wood burning stove flue requirements
The flue of a wood burning stove is the passage that runs from the stove to the outdoors. The flue is typically contained within the chimney.
Your chimney should be checked for damage before your stove is installed. If there are any leaks, you are required to fit a flue liner. This will prevent any dangerous stove fumes escaping into your home.
If your chimney is in good condition, your fitter may still recommend you fit a flue liner as it improves the efficiency of your stove, but this is not required.
If you want to install a wood burning stove without a chimney, you will have to install a flue system. This is a series of stainless-steel pipes through which your stove fumes can escape.
Wood burning stove hearth requirements
Your stove must stand on a non-combustible hearth (e.g., made of granite), which extends at least 225mm in front and 150mm from the sides.
If your stove does not heat the hearth beyond 100 degrees, your hearth must be 12mm thick. If your stove heats your hearth beyond this, it must be at least 250mm thick.
Wood burning stove ventilation requirements
You may need to add extra ventilation to the room in which you install your wood burning stove.
Stoves require a clean air supply in order to operate; if they are not able to draw in air from the surrounding room, the wood will not burn properly.
In general, if your stove is less than 5kW, you will not need to add any ventilation. For larger stoves, you will need to add 550mm2 of ventilation (a system roughly the size of a 50 pence piece) for every additional kW.
However, there are different ventilation requirements for homes built after 2008 – as they tend to be better insulated. You will need to carry out an air permeability test to work out your ventilation requirements.
Carbon monoxide detector
It is a legal requirement that you have a carbon monoxide detector in the same room as your wood burning stove.
Wood burning stove installers
Choosing the right installer
We recommend that you use a HETAS registered installer to fit your wood-burning stove.
HETAS stands for Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme. It is a not-for-profit body that works with the government to assess and certify stoves and stove installers.
If an installer is registered with HETAS it means that they have passed a series of rigorous assessments. You can be confident that they will install your stove safely and that it will comply with building regulations.
In addition, your fitter will also be able to certify your stove and issue a certificate of compliance.
If you install your stove yourself, or use a non-registered installer, you will have to pay for your stove to be inspected by your local Building Control department once it is installed.
You can also look for vetted fitters using Which? Trusted Traders
Working with your installer
Before you chose your installer, we recommend asking at least three companies to survey your property and give you a written quote. This will allow you to easily compare costs.
Some installers will charge for this, so do shop around.
Warranties
All installers should provide a minimum one-year warranty on your installation. If your installer is HETAS registered, ask if they can also provide you with a Workmanship Warranty, which will cover you for six years after the installation in the event of the company going out of business.
Make sure you ask for written confirmation of what any warranties cover and the time period.
There is also a Deposit and Workmanship Warranty Insurance scheme to help protect your deposit. It’s worth noting that the installer should not ask you for more than a 25% deposit for the work.