n
control technology is second to none.
Some manufacturers even offer additional
functions such as Wi-Fi temperature
probes that allow you to set a desired
temperature at any given point around
the home.STYLISH GOOD LOOKS
This level of control gives pellet stoves
the edge over their log burning cousins,
and while you may have heard the purists
argue that the ‘flame picture’ of a pellet
stove is no match for the log burner, even
that is now a myth.
Thanks to ongoing innovation in brazier
design – the brazier being the metal tray
that holds the burning pellets – the flame
picture from a pellet stove is now better
than ever. Look for a long, narrow brazieras this will distribute the pellets more
evenly for a wider view of the fire.
And speaking of looks, pellet stove
design is not exclusively utilitarian chic –
there are plenty of choices to suit all
interior styles from Scandi style cylindrical
in any number of colours, to the squared
look of the traditional log burner.
In terms of installation, a pellet stove is
no more complex to install than a
traditional wood burner, but you will
need an electrical point. As with a wood
burner, you will also need the appropriate
flue. Your best option is to use a HETAS
registered installer to ensure that your
chosen pellet stove and flue meets
Building Regulations and is safe to use.
When it comes to fuel, the pellet stove
offers yet another smart choice in terms
of future-proofing your heating. With
fossil fuels being closely scrutinised under
the Clean Air Strategy, pellets, or
biomass as they are often referred to,
offer the ultimate in sustainability.
Manufactured from pulverised biomass
using a variety of compression and
extrusion processes, pellets offer a
number of advantages over wood logs,
not least in terms of size, weight and
burn consistency.
This offers a number of benefits
including ease of storage – a bag of
pellets takes up considerably less space
than the equivalent kw output of logs,
and ease of use – some pellet air stoves
only require a daily fill depending on thesize of the hopper and length of
appliance use, compared to every couple
of hours for a log burning stove. Also,
because they produce little ash and
chimney creosote, cleaning is minimised.
Check the Woodsure website to ensure
your pellet manufacturer or supplier
conforms to the required standards for
biomass fuels and just like wood logs,
make sure you protect your fuel from
moisture to ensure burn consistency and
optimum appliance operation.ULTIMATE CONTROL
Pellet stoves offer you ultimate control
and maximum efficiency with hands-off
operation – perfect for today’s busy
lifestyles. Automatic ignition, power
modulation and combustion control are
all things that pellet stove users take for
granted. The flexibility offered in terms of
whole house or single room heating
makes them ideal for both new build and
retrofit renovation projects where
reliability, efficiency and aesthetic appeal
are demanded.
Specifying a pellet stove for your
project will also help guarantee the
environmental credentials of your build
and future fuel security.
So if you’re looking for style and
substance, invest your hard-earned
pounds in pellets.Ian Sams is commercial director at
SpecflueWith a wealth of
benets such as
smart controls,
ease of use, low
maintenance and
efciency, pellet
stoves tick all the
boxes
HEATING, VENTILATION & SERVICES (FIRES, FIREPLACES AND FLUES)
68www.sbhonline.co.uk september/october 2019