Surveys can sometimes seem like a mess of unfamiliar jargon. Let us demystify it for you. Here, we have broken down 30 of the key terms you might come across in your survey to help you better understand your quote.
Guide to understanding your survey quote:
Beam: Also known as a mantel, the beam is any wooden, or non-combustible shelf which sits above the stove. Depths, colours, and styles vary. The distance between the beam and the top of the stove often depends on the material of the beam, and the stove’s distance to combustibles. Typically, the distance is between 450mm-500mm.
Chamber: The chamber is the inside of a structured fireplace. It is the recess where the stove will be situated. You can style the chamber with a chamber insert, which is a thin, specially designed sheet of stone or tiles. These will be visible behind and to the sides of the stove.
Chimwrap: Chimwrap is an insulated blanket for flex-liners. This is used to protect flex-liners that are going into large chimneys. The chimwrap helps to hold the flex-liner in place and insulates the liner against temperature shocks inside the chimney, ensuring that the hot gases are safely released out of the top of the chimney.
Carbon Monoxide Alarm: As a HETAS registered company, and a conscientious supplier of log burners, we will always supply a carbon monoxide alarm to be fitted in the room containing your new stove. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, and poisonous gas. Carbon monoxide is produced when solid fuels, such as wood or coal fail to burn completely. Carbon monoxide alarms detect the gas in the air and warn you with a beep.
Cool Wall: We favour the Dean Forge Cool Wall, which comes in 3 different sizes. Due to distance to combustibles and non-combustible ratios, it can be unsafe to install a log burner in a new build home, or building with a wooden structure. Installing a Cool Wall completely protects the wall from the heat of the stove. Under tests, the Dean Forge Cool Wall has recorded temperatures of more than 600℃ behind the stove with a rise in the wall temperature of only 4℃.
Data Plate: The data plate is a small metal plate that is filled in by the installer. The data plate contains key information about your stove installation, such as which fuels can be used in it, recommended distances to combustibles, and information about your flue. This plate should be kept close to the stove at all times in case of an emergency.
Disconnect Gas: We work with an external gas specialist to disconnect existing gas stoves when required. This cuts off the gas supply to the fireplace, but does not alter the gas supply to any other area of your home. Whether completed by us, or a contractor of your choice, the gas must be disconnected from the existing gas stove before we can remove it.
External Air Vent: An external air vent is required if your log burner is being installed in a new build property, or if the log burners heat output is over 5kW. The external air vent allows the stove to draw air from the outside. This vent would be located behind the stove itself and is very rarely visible from inside the room.
Extra Works: On each quote we provide there is a section labelled ‘extra works’. This is a list of additional works that have been required on a handful of installations in the past. When building works take place, such as a knockout, unknown problems can sometimes arise. These extra works are not being quoted for or invoiced at the point of survey, it is simply something to be aware of in case of worst-case scenarios. Our installers will always discuss extra works with you if they need to happen.
Flex 316 Liner: The 316 flex liner is the standard flex liner we provide. It is a twin-skin flexible flue liner with a 316 grade stainless steel inner skin and a 316 grade stainless steel outer skin. Both layers are corrosion resistant. This liner is most suitable for stoves burning seasoned wood. The 316 liner has a warranty of 15 years.
Flex 904 Liner: The 904 flex liner is the upgraded flex liner we offer. It is a twin-skin flexible flue liner with a 904 grade stainless steel inner skin and a 904 grade stainless steel outer skin; this is the highest grade flex liner available. Both layers can withstand high temperatures and have excellent corrosion resistance. The 904 liner has a warranty of 30 years.
Glasroc Fireboard: Glasroc is a plasterboard designed for advanced fire protection. It is a high performance, non-combustible glass reinforced gypsum board. This is a strong and resilient product which offers good impact resistance without being prone to cracking or shattering. Glasroc can be used to line the inside of a chamber.
Glass Hearth: We can supply clear and smoked glass hearths in a range of shapes. Glass hearths need to be installed on perfectly level floors. This means that a glass hearth is not suitable for all homes and needs to be surveyed before purchase.
Hearth: The hearth is a non-combustible construction that is installed under the stove and extends in front and to the sides of the stove. It is typical for a hearth to extend 300mm in front of the stove and 150mm to the sides. As a HETAS registered company, there must be a hearth present for us to be able to sign off an installation.
Heat Shield: Heat shields are made from thin metal, or vitreous enamel, and can be attached to the back of the stove, or onto the wall surrounding the stove. This protects the wall from the heat of the stove, and can reduce the stove's distance to combustibles.
HETAS: HETAS is a not-for-profit organisation and the only competent persons scheme specialising in solid fuel and biomass appliances. Our installers have all completed HETAS courses and our qualified installers are HETAS registered. This allows us to sign off installations against HETAS standards and provide homeowners with a HETAS certificate for their stove.
Kota Stone: Kota stone is sometimes called Indian Limestone. It has the appearance of slate but is a harder wearing stone. Please note, as the stone is porous it may become stained overtime.
Log Store: Log stores come in a variety of different shapes and styles. Some stoves have a built-in log store underneath them that can raise the height of the stove. Log stores can also be built into the surrounding walls, or can be a structure outside the house.
Materials and Labour: The quoted figure for materials and labour covers all of the equipment required for installation, including and not limited to all the parts related to the flue. This figure also includes the labour costs for our highly trained HETAS registered installers.
Permanent Air Vent: An permanent air vent is required if your log burner is being installed in a new build property, or if the log burners heat output is over 5kW. The permanent air vent allows the stove to draw air from the outside. This vent would be located behind the stove itself and is very rarely visible from inside the room.
Pot Hanging Cowl: These have been designed to allow the liner to be installed without removing the existing chimney pot. It often has a mesh covering to prevent birds and other debris from coming down the chimney.
Power Sweep: A power sweep is a more intense version of a regular chimney sweep, providing a deeper clean. It is designed to safely remove all of the soot, debris, and tar that may have built up in your chimney using a power-driven brush. We complete a power sweep on installations going into existing chimneys to ensure that the chimney is clean and structurally sound before installing your new flex-liner. Sweeps are an essential part of stove maintenance to prevent a chimney fire.
Register Plate: The register plate is a flat metal sheet that is attached to the base of the chimney to close it off. This is often not visible, and protects the room from draughts from the chimney. The register plate also prevents fumes, especially carbon monoxide, flowing back into your room. We often paint this black to reduce visibility. Register plates are not usually necessary for twin wall installations.
Replacement Pot: If the existing chimney pot is damaged, or has fallen off, it will need to be replaced to complete the stove installation.
Single Black Flue: Single skinned black flue pipe that is often attached to the top of your stove and then connected to the bottom of the flex liner. This keeps the flex liner out of sight and give your stove a classic look.
Soot Hatch: A soot hatch sometimes needs to be installed to allow a chimney sweep access to the flue pipe. Most stoves have access through the stove for this annual clean, but there are a few on the market which don’t and therefore require a soot hatch to be installed.
Sub-hearth: A sub-hearth is the bed on which the hearth is installed. This sub hearth needs to be a solid and flat concrete base, to ensure your decorative hearth lays flat, before your new log burner is installed.
'Supplied by another': During surveys our installers are sometimes advised that a homeowner is employing another contractor, or completing some work themselves, before their stove is being installed. This can include, although is not limited to, supplying stone for the hearth, cherry pickers or similar scaffolding equipment, and the stove itself. We as a company are not expecting to, nor have we made allowances to, complete work marked as ‘supplied by another’.
Surround: The surround is any wooden, stone-based, or non-combustible structure going around the stove; often this is a three-piece set. The surround is mostly decorative and is available in a wide variety of styles.
Twin Wall: A twin wall system is often used when a property doesn’t have an existing chimney. It is a flue system constructed from two layers of rigid stainless steel with a middle layer of rock wool insulation. It is often black, and will lead off the top of the stove and out through the top of the room, and continue up. Twin wall systems are often more costly than a flex-liner as they consist of multiple connected parts.
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