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@errm_rich
Just skim read the stove stuff so sorry if I am repeating. We had our Morso Squirrel installed a couple of seasons ago. They need to be installed by a HETAS registered installer, they take care of all paperwork with the council. If you are in a smoke control zone you will need a Defra certified stove, for wood it will need a hot air wash to burn the creosote etc in the smoke. If you dont comply it could be a pain in the arse if you leave when you sell.
If you have a multifuel stove (i.e. burns coal or wood) it will have two vents, one below the grill, one above. The vent below the grill should ONLY be used when burning coal which needs air to move up through the grill as well as from the top. When burning wood you should close the lower vent and use the top vent only. You should also burn wood on a bed of ash (have a couple of fire to build it up obvs) if you dont do this you will lose efficiency in your wood burn and can damage the grill itself.
It is possible to regulate the flow of air to create a slower burn to make your wood last longer, however, slow it down too much and you will deposit tar on the glass, its best to have a good supply of wood and allow the fire to burn properly and dont try to eek out the fuel, your stove will work much more efficiently.
If you do have a build up of tar on the glass DONT use scrappers or abrasive kitchen cleaners. Do this, it works incredibly well, get newspaper, screw into ball, dip in water, dip damp paper into ash in grate, rub over glass. You'll be amazed, it just falls off. I tried so much until someone told me that and its now a 2-4 min job rather than taking 30 and cursing why you choked the fire and built up the tar.
/stoverant