The Natural Philosopher wibbled on Thursday 10 December 2009 14:09
I've just had my stove connected and the chimney lined by a Hetas registered chap[1], complete with paperwork.
He recommended a high quality single skin SS liner which is what he installed. This was to an existing stack in good external condition (though there is some loose internal rendering as evidenced by the small pile of dust and lumps that fell out whilst he was dropping it down.
I'm bedding the fire in so it hasn't run at full blast yet, but exposed bit of the flue from the top of the stove isn't running as hot as I would have imagined. Hot but not skin-rippingly so. What's coming out the top doesn't seem that hot - well, not enough to upset the TV aerial 12" away.[2]
[1] I had it in mind to do this myself, but I'm glad I didn't. Access is excellent - one can stand on the dormer flat roof and work on the stack at chest height. But watching him assemble a random bundle of parts down the bottom to couple the liner to the stove, I fear I simply wouldn't have had a clue what parts to buy or exactly how to put them together correctly. I did make sure that I was appraised of the final connection and sealant used, just in case I need to remove and refit the stove in the future. [2] The aerial's not great so I'm not bothered if it dies - it's on my list of 'tuits. I just asked it be left alone if he felt happy doing so.It will be a simple matter to refit a longer cranked mast to get the main aerial and plasticky bits a good 3 foot away, and mount it round the round the other side to boot.