What should I look for when choosing an installer?

Flamecraft • 27 September 2019

When considering having a wood burner or multi fuel stove installed, choosing who will install it is as important as what will be installed. We have put together the key things to consider when choosing an installer.

Use a HETAS Registered Installer

When you use a HETAS registered installer/engineer you can rest assured that you are employing someone fully competent for the job.

  • Certification

Your installation is signed off as correctly installed and safe. This is often required for home insurance and product warranties.
  • Training

All HETAS Engineers have to complete specialist vocational training and must complete refresher courses every 5 years in order to be qualified to install wood burners and multi fuel stoves. HETAS vet all registered engineers and will ensure they stay up to date with refresher courses.


  • Protection

If you have an issue HETAS will hold the HETAS engineer who installed your wood burner or Multi Fuel stove accountable and ensure that the issue is resolved.


  • Products

Due to the training HETAS engineers have the knowledge to ensure their product ranges meet regulations.

You can search the HETAS database for registered installers near you, as well as check if your installer is in fact registered. Its free and very easy to use.

Ask about the pipework warranties.

Like the stoves, the pipework required for the installation carries a warranty and varies between manufacturer. It is important to look at the terms and conditions of the warranties not just the length of them.

As with stoves one of the most common factors in keeping a warranty valid is the number of yearly chimney sweeps required.

For example:

(Please note this example is purely for illustrative purposes and does not reflect any specific company or pricing. This example should not be used as an actual estimate of cost.)

Pipework Manufacturer A (PMA) - Offers a 20 year warranty.
Pipework Manufacturer B (PMB) - Offers a 20 year warranty.

In PMA's warranty terms and conditions you need to have your chimney swept professionally once a year for the warranty to stay valid.

In PMB's warranty terms and conditions you need to have your chimney swept professionally twice a year for the warranty to stay valid.


An average professional chimney sweep is £50 a time.

For PMA the total cost of chimney sweeping over the 20 year warranty period is £1000.
For PMB the total cost of chimney sweeping over the 10 year warranty period is £2000.

The yearly upkeep required to keep your warranty valid is less for PMA than PMB.

Like with stoves the manufacturers the terms and conditions vary between manufacturers to it is best to compare before you buy.

Cost of Installation

It is often tempting to save those pennies and choose the cheapest quotation. However, this is not always wise, and can mean you are putting your safety at risk. We are not saying choose the most expensive quotation either.

Instead we always advise our customers that if a quotation is significantly cheaper or significantly more expensive from one company to another it is wise to find out why.

Sadly, like with most industries there are cowboy’s out there that will leave you with a headache and an unsafe installation. We are disappointed to say that in the 12 years we have been open we have been asked to fix many unsafe installations. A good installer will ensure you feel safe and secure and will answer any concerns you have.

How do I spot a cowboy?

As mentioned above if a quotation is significantly cheaper than other it can be a red flag. However, we have also come across dangerous installations in which the customer paid significantly more than the average price they were quoted for an installation.

Other red flags are:


  • The installer is not part of HETAS or does not offer certification.
  • Building regulations are never mentioned.
  • They don’t quote for a chimney liner. Generally, nearly every installation requires a liner.

We always advise getting multiple quotations, to ensure you are getting a fair deal.

The best way to avoid employing a cowboy is to use a HETAS registered engineer/installer.

Risks of an unsafe Installation

An unsafe installation is potentially life threatening as it increases the chances of a house fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.

by Flamecraft 3 December 2020
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by Flamecraft 3 November 2020
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by Flamecraft 25 July 2020
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