Find the answers to some frequently asked questions about our installations.
The following FAQs may help to answer any questions that you have about booking an installation with us. Please contact us if you have any other questions or need further help.
Is Silver Stoves registered with HETAS?
Silver Stoves is registered with HETAS, the primary governing body of the solid fuel industry. Silver Stoves’ registration number is 7223 and our registration covers sales, installation and maintenance of solid fuel appliances.
Can I put a flue in my house?
There will always be a solution to the question of whether or not you can have a solid fuel appliance in your property. Regulations are in place to ensure that appliances are installed safely and that products of combustion do not impact adversely the local environment. In conducting a free site survey we will be able to determine how and where your appliance can be sited and then also what products will be needed to allow this to happen.
Does my room have enough ventilation for a solid fuel appliance?
Solid fuel appliances will require a source of external air in order to comply with building regulations and operate safely. Additional room ventilation will be required where an appliance has a rated nominal heat output of over 5kW or where air permeability ≤ 5.0m³/h.m². Properties built or renovated since October 2008 will likely require additional ventilation no matter what size of appliance you have chosen.
Will the installation need planning permission or consent?
Most solid fuel installations will not require planning permission unless the building is listed, you are within a National Park or development restrictions are in effect. In some circumstances, it may be prudent or necessary to inform relevant bodies of intended installations and there may be stipulations imposed such as powder-coated products externally or flue terminals on the blindside from neighbouring areas.
Will the installation need to be approved by Building Control?
As per Building Regulations, solid fuel installations will be commissioned by Silver Stoves Ltd who are accredited within the “Competent Persons scheme”, and thus additional Building Control approval is not required.
Where preparation works are being undertaken by 3rd parties it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure compliance with Building Regulations can be maintained. Cases where regulations, such as distances to combustible mantles, lintels or surrounds and hearth sizes haven’t been considered can cause delays in the installation process. We do provide full advice to help you comply with regulations so if in any doubt please check with us before making alterations.
When will you carry out the installation?
The installation will be arranged once we receive the necessary equipment and stove into stock. We will do our best to keep you informed of waiting periods on equipment and to work with your timeframes. We would normally request payment for an appliance prior to installation and settlement of the outstanding balance once the installation is complete.
Is there anything I need to do beforehand?
Any works or items that will be required prior to our installation work will be discussed with you and will be required to avoid delays in the installations process. In the case of solid fuel installations utilising existing chimneys, it is not required that the chimney is swept before we carry out the installation as we must include this service in our schedule before installing a flue liner.
How do you protect my furnishings and property during the installation?
All our engineers are fully trained and insured for your peace of mind. As part of our service, we will provide dust sheets and take care when working at your property. In general, installations will not require more than this. It is however the customer’s responsibility to arrange removal or protection of items of value from working areas.
Where building work such as fireplace alteration is to be undertaken we recommend removal of soft furnishings and new or light coloured carpets as we will not be able to guarantee 100% containment of dust by using dust sheeting alone. When building work is undertaken we also recommend that curtains and ornaments are removed or protected.
Our roof access and ladder systems are designed to protect roof surfaces. Damage is however possible in the case of older or brittle roof surfaces. We will carry out repairs on damaged slates or tiles but reserve the right to charge material costs where spare slates or tiles are not available. Where poor roof structures result in damage work to repair over and above the allocated labour times are chargeable.
Can I choose my own slate hearth?
When choosing a slate hearth we recommend that you personally undertake the selection of the piece you require if you feel that a natural character trait may displease you. Slate is a natural product and will have certain characteristics such as marks or blemishes. If you would like us to select slabs on your behalf we will choose one which is of as high quality as possible yet we cannot guarantee it will be exactly to your personal taste. We use The Slate Centre in Freystrop and they are happy to reserve pieces for you for us to collect.