Check your wood or coal burning stove

Carmarthenshire homeowners who have a wood or coal burning stove are being urged to check they are correctly installed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Hundreds of homeowners in neighbouring Pembrokeshire have been warned to check their stoves after one fitter, Steven Poole, admitted regularly breaching legal requirements by incorrectly fitting flue connections and failing to supply and fit carbon monoxide detectors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Poole, who has since passed away, installed hundreds of wood burners as part of his company SM Poole, which was not registered. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pembrokeshire County Council has written to more than 500 households, and placed notices in local media, urging people to check their stoves. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carmarthenshire County Council’s environmental health team are urging local homeowners to do the same – particularly so if they were fitted by SM Poole. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They are also reminding people to ensure that if they are having a solid fuel fire installed, that the fitter is properly HETAS registered. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A poorly fitted stove could result in carbon monoxide poisoning. CO is an odourless, colourless and tasteless gas. Early warning signs of poisoning include feeling unusually faint or suffering headaches. If CO is detected, you should leave the room immediately, open doors and windows and call for help. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said: “I have recently accompanied officers of our environmental health team whilst they are undertaking visits to check wood, coal and gas heating appliances and stoves in Carmarthenshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our advice is simple – protect your family by making sure that the person you have employed to fit a boiler or solid fuel stove is properly qualified and HETAS registered. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following the recent discovery in neighbouring Pembrokeshire, I would also urge homeowners who have had stoves fitted in the last few years to check if the person who installed the stove was properly registered.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Maintenance for solid fuel fires should include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chimneys should be swept at least once a year
The throat plate and flue should be cleaned every fortnight and after heavy rain and strong winds
Ash pans should be emptied at least once a day
To burn safely, logs should be well seasoned, dry, with low resin content and not painted or varnished
Rooms need to be ventilated as the fire needs fresh air to burn safely ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​