Hi Folks,
I have an antique French stove that came with my property. The previous owners had used it but it was clear that the installation was unlikely to comply with any regulations as it sat directly on sisal carpet, which was on top of wooden floorboards! There was no scorching so the bottom of the stove clearly does not get hot and it has a kind of built in hearth - see photo here:
I have just replaced the roof and installed a new chimney and am now planning to reinstall it properly. I am thinking of putting a slate hearth between it and the wooden floorboards but am not sure if that will be sufficient to meet French regulations? I don’t want to give the insurance sharks an opportunity to invalidate our insurance. Anybody know where I can find details of the regulations? Any suggestions or advice? Many thanks.
Hello Sula
It’s a real beauty, is it your only means of heating? It looks like it has Mica inserts on the door, maybe it’s a charbon heater ? In any case for all poêles its imperative that you get the chimney swept to comply with insurance regs, maybe the ‘sweep’ could offer advice (or even your local insurance agent will give good advice, mine did). If its not your only source but you want to use it then you must still have the chimney swept, consider constructing a small hearth of stone for it to sit on, and light it only for special occasions, Christmas, winter birthdays …
Thanks Harry, seeing as you love it so much thought you might be interested in the other one that came with the house - up and working now! Not a very good photo unfortunately but I’ll try and get a better one next time I’m out.
Hi Sula
Wow another lovely stove…in a lot of cases the buyer takes/or sells these (unless noted on deeds) once the house is sold. Great that they were still there, beautiful features both of them .
Hello Sula. We are professional restorers of antique Frenchstoves! I manage fitting projects for people in France, working with local qualified french fitters.
All you need is your chimney properly lined and an adapter to take the old flue to moderm 150mm size.
Yes slate is a good idea and will be fine. Not sure about size around base will have to consult regs for that.
Also a good idea to build a wall of sone heat-retaining material: slate brick stone mud etc at back of this model it will make a semi-insert but retain the whole beauty of it. Save u loads of extra fuel that way. (10/15%)
Yes its mica window. Lasts about 5 yrs. We supply that too.
Hi Jo,
Thanks. Will definitely ring you when I get the chance. I do need to replace the mica ( I need 15 pieces of 5 x 9 cm) and also some stove rope and cement. I’m thinking of importing twin wall flue from the UK as it seems to be significantly cheaper but my main problem is finding an adaptor as it has an oval spigot!! Your idea of a semi insert sounds good - I think it would enhance the appearance as the back of the stove is not very attractive.
Hello
I don’t know if anyone else has said this but it’s called a salamandre in French.
What I would do is ask your insurers to advise - get it in writing then they have no wriggle room if you do what they say!
Ours (Aviva) would most certainly be happy to come out and check things like this over. Let’s hope yours do too.
Good luck and yes the stove is lovely!
Try conduit-cheminee.fr comes from Germany, free shipping and comparable to UK prices. Just bought seven metre kit, 150 mm internal diameter, includes all the bits, 800€ shipped to your door.
Thanks Trevor. I had a look at that site. It is certainly cheaper than the local shops in France but I can get it about 30% cheaper still if I buy it in the UK and they will also ship to France. I would also prefer a black flue which they do have available. The company I am currently looking at is: www.glowing-embers.co.uk
Thanks,
Sula
Weird, just compared what I ordered with prices on site you are looking at and it came out 140€ dearer plus the shipping. The Dinak flue system is available over here. If you are after black I take it you are running up inside the house rather than outside.
You are correct about local prices, had a price from a local merchant, came out at 2,400€, told him the price I got on the net, got the usual not the same quality response.
The insurance is the major bit and ramonnage (sweeping) must be done every year even if you haven’t had a fire on. Never use the ‘door to door’ types either, as the insurance needs the Invoice for ratification. No invoice no insurance payout is how it was explained to me.
Re your stove, it might be just a regional thing but most open fires here have a steel (iron?) plate in the floor, and a stone flooring on floorboards rather depends what is under the boards by way of support. Stone plus stove can be a fair weight.
Must be because I am getting a shorter flue I guess. They quoted me £260 for a 3 metre, twin wall with all the extra converters and gubbins. Yes, the stove flue is inside.
Sula
This will effectively be a new installation as I have changed the room the stove is in but in the old installation it just sat directly on the floor. The floor is pine floorboards on top of the usual rafters but the rafters are in good nick and are set directly into the stone wall behind the stove so should be well supported I would think? I was aware of the chimney sweeping requirement, though I have struggled to get a chimney sweep to turn up!