Good News

The woodburner was re-installed a few weeks ago.  Again, the room looks very beautiful. 

I had to gather courage to light it. Fortunately the days became colder. It has performed well on several lightings and doesn't roar as once it did.  I've noticed that the bottom hinge pin on the door is rusty...it's such a little thing that I don't want to be a nuisance to the company but feel I do need to tell as it grates, (excuse the pun), as I open and close the door.

I can't thank my helper enough in getting it sorted. 

I shall call those two rooms "The Annexe" as they are a haven of peace amidst chaos and dust.

Normality resumes

The walls, floor and hearth, rigid chimney pipes, and woodburner have all been cleaned of nasty streaks of goudrons. The woodburner has been re-installed but cannot be tested until we have colder weather and here we are in a March heatwave!  I took advantage and re-oiled the oak flooring.  It is recommended to be done once the floor is laid (unknown before now!) and then every year, depending on traffic. It looks beautiful as well as being 'un oeuvre d'art' and so my friend is happy.  I will be happier when I know there are no more problems!!!!!!
As the content of the rooms was emptied into the courtyard filled with sunshine, I decided to polish furniture and freshen upholstery using a cleaning product called 2001!  It's magically gentle on the fabric. Everything is back in place and ready for visitors again!  I am shattered.

LANGUAGE:

goudrons = creosote/wood tar/bituminous liquid

une oeuvre d'art = work a piece of art

main d'oeuvre = manpower /labour
hors d'oeuvre = a starter
être à l'œuvre = to be at work
se mettre à l'œuvre = to do some work
mettre en œuvre = to implement a plan or a project
la mise en œuvre de quelquechose = the implementation of something
les œuvres complètes = the complete works of a writer, etc
des bonnes œuvres = good deeds

Mathematics

Vocabulary for Volume
One stère is equal to one cubic metre.
The derivation is from  Greek στερεός stereos which means 'solid'.
Evidently, in 1793 France began to use this terminology as a metric equivalent to the cord which is used in Canada and USA.  A cord is equivalent to 3.62 m³. I can't understand that,  so ... we'll keep with the stère (pronounced stair) which is used for measuring large quantities of firewood or other cut wood, whilst the cubic metre is used for uncut wood.


Although my woodburner is still in use, mainly for mornings and evenings, or if the weather becomes more humid, I thought I would record the quantity of logs that I have burned since the Autumn when I began with 10 stères.  Now I have about 2½ stères in store so I have burned 7½ stères.
One stère cost me about 43 euros.  
43 x 7 = 301 + 22. 
Therefore, winter fuel has cost me about 323 euros. But wait!
Divide by 6 months = 53.8 euros per month, which is about 13.50 euros per week or 1.80 euros per day.
For budgetary purposes, it makes an average for the year of 26.90 euros per month or 6.72 per week or about 1 euro per day!
Add the cost of woodburner glass cleaner products, firelighters, matches, as well as the log splitter (a 200 euros investment that does a job I would not be able to do otherwise!)  Kindling wood has been free.  I inherited a lot of old wood but most of it needs to be sawn so I will have to pay someone to do that.  I also add the cost of a monthly newspaper I subscribe to as it is used for the fire once read!
Of course, it was a relatively mild winter apart from the 3 weeks of THEBIGFREEZE so the calculations cannot be applied to any other year.  As reported earlier it was not warm outside and not warm in my house!  I do NOT have central heating!  Me THINKS...I need to budget in the cost of the electricity bill  as there were many occasions especially in THEBIGFREEZE when I just had to get some extra warmth from a free-standing radiator,  even though I was wearing a coat, hat and scarves for most of the day and night!!!!!!

These figures indicate that I could order 10 stères for next winter but it would be better if I were to order 15 stères,  as I hope to run two woodburners in my L-shaped house next winter, and IF I am brave enough to give WinterinFrance another go I could burn more and be warmer at not much greater a cost. I was cautious and careful this year.  However, it may well be the case that my new source of oak logs will be more expensive and oh if the pensionable income goes down  a re-think may have to be made.  The beauty is that logs not burnt in any winter can be stored until the following winter.
At least, for me it has has been an interesting mathematical exercise!  

The woodburner is dismantled

Hohoho... the chimney does not bring Santa nor chaleur (warmth)
In fact, I was not prepared for reparation work today. I understood that the proprietor was coming to view the problem and discuss the proposed "modification" BUT... I had to say "STOP, STOP, STOP" (that is FRENCH for arrête! ) and tell the young man to slow down!!!!! He had already trodden on the hearth into the gunge and was about to spread this on my oak floor!!!!!!! Oh MY!
So I went in haste for sheets of cardboard, and my friend went in haste for sheets of chipboard and I returned to find that they were uninstalling the woodburner. 
First, I rushed to clean the gungy, glass hearth with warm water and a cloth.  We had to tell them repeatedly to slide cardboard under the legs of the woodburner as they edged it forwards off the 8mm thick glass onto a sheet of chipboard.  I emphasised how much it cost, as they later moved it out of position; it is very heavy.  By then they had already removed the rigid steel tubes after I had pointed to the dribbles on the exterior and how this gunge went into the next tube.
So it seems that one of the problems since May has been that:
They have flouted the clear instructions in the woodburner manufacturer's installation instruction manual. I have a copy. The installers had not installed the correct "raccord" which transforms the female into a male which is then inserted into the female part of the next tube.    
All male ends should point down into the female ends.  The sexual comparisons have all been aired and shared!!!!!!
I had to stop them rushing about and explain what I knew about the evaporation and condensation of gases and liquids from burning any fuel carburant and in this case burning 3 yr old seasoned oak logs.  I spoke about the height of the chimney and that the flue liner is not protected against keeping the flue hot as it gets further from the source of the heat and that perhaps it is cooling too quickly because there is no vermiculite surrounding it.  He said it wasn't essential but if it's what I want, it could be arranged.  He said that of course it is my responsibility to pay for that whether he did it in the first place or if I have it done now.  I have always known and accepted that.  He agreed that he was at fault and many times apologised.  I too am sorry .. for him, but more for me and my friend for all the stress that this palava has caused and most importantly for the time and energy that the damage has absorbed and prevented us from getting on with bathroom and other work.  As the young man said they installed many woodburners and told us this was the only problem. Frankly, I do not believe that mine has been the only problem.  That would be too unique!  I've counted 7 incidents / problems of their making, during the course of having employed this company.

It looks as if the water and creosote stain will be removed from the oak relatively easily but it has highlighted the need to oil the wood every year.   None of the installation information discussed after-care. Once the solid oak flooring was laid it should have been further oiled with the correct product and polished!  If you need a solid oak floor speak to me!  You will need more than the engineered oak lengths.  The beauty of the finished oak floor relies on preparation of the surfaces beneath it and the way in which the oak planks are fitted together, be they nailed or screwed.
I am trying to discover which oil was initially used and have discovered a company that sells a maintenance kit of soaps and oils specially for oak flooring.
Eventually, after using Acetone, it was the woodburner glass cleaner which moved the sticky tar from the skirting board which will then need to be sanded in situ and repainted.
It also moved the gunge off the plasterboard wall. The bubbled plasterboard has been scraped off still leaving brown stained plaster.  So we shall seal it with B-I-N, refill, sand, seal with B-I-N, paint and sand and paint and sand and hopefully the colour of the paint in the tin will match that paint on the wall.
I've vacuumed all the ash from the woodburner, cleaned the glass window and tried to remove most of the gunged-on resin from the enamelled edges within the woodburner, cleaned the rigid tubes, and cleaned the glass hearth. Everything is now ready for the extra raccord ... but I am waiting for more advice.

The installers will be allowed back to finish the repairs:
NOTE: all male ends should be pointing downwards and all female parts should be pointing upwards .... the vessels need to receive any discharge that falls!

My friend suggested we asked for further compensation that what was offered but in France this is not done! The fact of the matter is that there has been incompetence or negligence.  Yes, he was not as expensive as some companies I was most interested in the style of woodburners that he was promoting.  He was a brand new 'entreprise' and wanted to establish business. This year 50% of my rooms have not been used because of the damage.

Never mind.. I am sure it will all work out nicely in the end... and life is just for challenges! 

Fire and Ice

I woke up this morning, eager for the day, 

things to do and happy to say

that I am burning almost the last log of 5 steres.

Ho hum.

The winter has been mild and 'we', the 'Royal we', made savings 

and now pay for it later.  

It is the Law of Life. 

I complain not,  until,  I view my other woodburner
which at about 11pm last night I lit to warm up the icy rooms where lie oak parquet.  

Trees stand in winter so why did I do that when I am not there and cannot afford this year to keep the two fires alight night and day.  

It is an L shaped house - ground floor only - a veritable bungalow
with two large cavernous empty attics.  

Digression! 

On the hearth is a brown liquid which stops before it spills over the edge. 

 Behind the dead fire is evidence that treacly stuff has gone below the glass.  

I have emailed the Monsieur and sent photos but no reply. It is Saturday.  Monday I am sure they are closed. Tuesday I will be calling in! Monday I will call my insurance company. 

I cannot understand. 

Only two weeks ago the fire was blazing for a good 12 hours
and le chaleur was impressionant a mes amis. 

Pourquoi ????? For what indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am concerned that I shall only feel secure if the whole job is refait!

          Meanwhile just outside the door of the same room hangs an icicle.  My very own! 

LANGUAGE:

le chaleur = the heat or warmth
impressionnant = impressive
Le travail devra être refait  = The work will have to be redone.

The Oval Room Chimney and Flooring

The Oval Room Chimneybreast was fireproofed with insulation materials and plasterboarded but the flexible flue liner had to be pushed up the chimney. The proprietor was alone to instal the flue liner. He was at the top of the stack pulling the flexible flue to the top of the chimney and luckily a friend was present to help push.

Then it was sealed with fireproof bricks leaving a hole in the insulation material for the rigid flue.

Covered with fireproof plasterboard

Cut a hole for the rigid flue - requires mathematics!

Beauty after the slog!

An old original door against the new one.

Wonderful!

Towards the small room

Towards the kitchen and the courtyard

Towards the kitchen

Although three times the anticipated price the flooring is beautiful

The Oval Moulding that attracted me

Travertin tiles in the doorway so that the oak flooring does not get wet or damp if the door is left open when it rains.

Detail of the ceiling which took forever to correct the previous damage.

The rest is history!

Oh woe! Not the woodburner again!

Quel horreur!
This was not supposed to happen! But it has, just one week before Christmas!! Just when I was beginning to think that for the winter I could move to an uncluttered, renovation-free environment of a new bedroom,  just beyond the oval room that contains the woodburner! How unjust!
Now, on the shortest day of the year I await the woodburner installer and know I am just within the guarantee period.  It was good that we used fireproofed plasterboard.  However, it wasn't waterproofed and the wall surface has bubbled. The glass hearth has to be cleaned and it seems that the oak flooring below has been stained. Certainly the skirting board and air vent are sticky.  Whether any of this can be cleaned and with what substance or whether items have to be replaced as yet is unknown. I would prefer the minimum of replacement!  Goodness knows how many more labour hours, material costs, and worry will be needed to create calm from this chaos.

I feel devastated and tired with all this renovation lark! I want my life back. I am sure my friend who is helping me to renovate feels the same if truth be known!
A record of the event
On Saturday night 17th December 2011 I thought I would sleep in my brand new single Victorian iron bedstead with brand new duvet and bedlinen in a totally uncluttered room,  free from office stuff, free from renovation materials,  free!  Indeed it felt as if I was on a retreat and all was calm and still in my life!  I lit the fire in the oval room about 6pm that evening.  By 8pm it was cosily warm.  I went to bed about 10 and woke unusually at 4am on the Sunday 18th December,  made myself a cup of tea and did some writing.  Then I slept like a hibernating hedgehog until late..11h30 in the morning!  I was tired! The fire was alight with glowing embers so I cleaned the window of the woodburner which was unusually difficult as the resins on the glass were stubborn.  Eventually, after rubbing the glass with vinegar, ash and the special cleaning product, it was perfect.  I laid the fire, closed the door safely, and went to have brunch.  When I returned to the room and saw the fire had not taken, I suddenly saw the wall!  The way in which the resin had dried on the glass hearth indicated that it had been like this for some time but certainly it was not there when I went to bed on Saturday evening.  

UPDATE: 21 December 2011

The two employees of the company arrived instead of the proprietor as promised.  Hm?  At first, the one who speaks English suggested it was not their fault and that water had fallen through the chimney breast, not the flexible flue liner, and penetrated the plasterboard and that old resins in the chimney had mixed with the rainwater.  Hm?  Apart from the lowest point in the oval hole there is no other moisture.  Eventually the same person accepted blame.  He'd climbed the ladder and was trying to convince us that he needed to put in some other flexible tubing to allow air pressure to escape, when we insisted  that we wanted to go up the ladder and quick-thinking, I dashed indoors for the camera.    It is as we thought: the chap had never cemented the chimney pot onto the chimney stack properly.  He says the high wind of last week had removed the metal that they normally put around the pot! Hm?  Whilst my friend and I were indoors discussing the phone conversation that I'd just had with the proprietor who tried to wriggle out of  responsibility, the men had removed the ladders and they refused toput them back for us to goup and see what they had done. The flaunching was not done correctly because moss should not be there nor the gaping hole for rain to tumble down!

There was some suspicion about his workmanship earlier in the year.  I'm cross that we never insisted on climbing the ladder when the chimney pot was put into place.  I thought that maybe they had dislodged the cement when they 'swept the chimney', when the woodburner fllled with smoke and it burst through every orifice and filled my room, but no that was not the reason.
However, there is a happy outcome - December 22nd. The charming director, conciliatory when he arrived, said he would pay for the interior decoration to be made good as he took responsibility.  The men will return in January so that we can see their work, take a photo, and be assured the work has been done properly.   If I were running his business this man would be justly fired!

Woodburners

Burning decisions

Finalising a choice of woodburners and finding an installer before the end of the year, in addition to all the prep building work was a challenge!   It sounded so simple but believe me, IT WAS NOT SIMPLE!!! I had  surfed the net to research woodburner companies in France, woodburner companies in our region of France and woodburner companies in UK and those with websites of particular brands of woodburner stoves as opposed to multifuel stoves, gathering useful information so as to at least have a little knowledge!   There is a huge difference in woodburners and I don’t just mean wood pellets or oak logs! 

I am not a technically-minded-creature so I cannot possibly re-iterate all that I have learned and what I HAVE learned is just the tip of the iceberg. I would like to learn more, but, just as I cannot afford the chateau when I can only afford a garden shed, I cannot afford the type of woodburner my heart desires, therefore as with some things in life, one just has to compromise. 

Eventually, I decided to buy two woodburners from a very new company, who had been in business for one month.  Their shop still not consumer ready but having visited two other woodburner businesses in one day, we were pleased to have stumbled upon this particular one.

BUYING AND INSTALLING a woodburner in France, or anywhere, was difficult for me because I like to try and understand as much as I can! Hence, nothing is simple in my life! Now to the practicalities, procedures and facts!

1. In France, one has to invite the company to one’s house to study the chimney/ fireplace to measure dimensions and to verify that it will accept the woodburner and to establish how the company will install it.  That appointment has to be made months ahead of when one wants to install the woodburner, because
      a) it will take several weeks before they can do ‘l’etude’,
      b) it will take at least two weeks after that for the estimate to arrive!
      c) it may take several weeks for the woodburner to be ordered and installed!
   

2.     IF as a law-abiding English person living in France on a full-time basis and registered to pay French taxes one wishes to apply for the 40% or 25% tax rebate, one needs to buy the woodburner from the installer!  This precludes buying a woodburner online!  As a result of this knowledge we did sums to compare the costs of buying a cheaper and/or more expensive woodburner online and not gaining the tax rebate with buying a cheaper and/or more expensive woodburner from a buyer/installer and applying for the tax rebate.  The difference was surprising! Please note that France may well reduce this tax option at the end of December 2010, hence the fact that all woodburner companies are fully-booked!

3.     Other complications set in!   One cannot discover the price of a woodburner from a French company because they want to come to the house to do the ‘l’etude’ so one has to enter the game!  I was unable to find out the price of a DOVRE from one establishment without this farce. I liked the installation company and if I had not found SEGUIN I would despite the cost have gone with this other company.

4.    When we came across the new company, I was amazed. The proprietor was prepared to give an estimate according to my friend’s plan, diagram and measurements AND within a few minutes of enquiry we had a devis / estimate as opposed to a 4 week wait!  More importantly, whereas from one company we had been quoted 650 euros to install each of the two woodburners we were now being quoted 150 euros to install the two woodburners.  Subsequently, from a different entreprise, I was quoted 200 euros to install one woodburner if they came and installed the two!  We realise the profits have been added to the cost of the woodburner but I have also gained a 15% reduction on the cost of each woodburner. It’s all to do with tax.  I realise that certain companies purchase e.g. the Dovre model and market it under a Franchise brand name.
  5. Another shop would not tell me the price of a Jotul or Dovre woodburner because they also have to come and do the study which will be in 2 weeks time!  NO, I cannot wait further at this time of year.

6.     An Englishman and his company working in France for over 10 years sounds to be a reputable company and eventually after some mystery and hesitation he agreed to work from the plan with measurements. However, I discovered that their website does not suggest that they can get me a certain  brand of woodburner that is not advertised on their site!  A telephone call does suggest this! Of course I have chosen the upper end of the market with the Jotul range and because I wanted two woodburners with side doors and in enamelled Ivory colour, one with 12kw or more and one with about 9kw he can order these.  If I had known this back in June I might have been more tempted!  Too late now.

7.    There is a requirement that the installer is responsible for the chimney, and in the case of any unwanted "fire in the chimney", the insurance company makes a claim against the installer. The installer has to guarantee his installation to the house insurance company. So obviously he must be registered. I was lucky. My friend has a technical and practical mind and had installed woodburners in a previous life but even he had to admit he was out of date with modern regulations.

8.   My research ended. The company which we stumbled upon had my confidence and within two days of correspondence  I’d paid 30% for the installation of two Seguin (Dovre) woodburners to be installed at the end of November. However, it was December 2010 for one and April 2011 for the other. My friend’s Nestor Martin beat out the heat in the winter and kept us as warm as toast.

9. I lit the larger woodburner in June 2011 and gradually built up a layer of ash but it was difficult to keep the fire in at night. Now that is much better because I have explore a technique!  In September I lit the small one and was rather horrified  to find smoke leaking out and filling the room. This happened several times and eventually after cleaning the brand new flue the company explained how I must light it. Following their instructions and  creating flames to eat the smoke I now have developed the right technique.  These designated wood burners have flat waffle-patterned beds and are not for multifuel.  

So in December 2011 logs and luxurious comfort have shunned the cold.

The Small Room and the Oval Room

TWO SMALL ROOMS

Work for both of these rooms was done at the same time. 
The smallest room is destined to be an office or bedroom. 
The oval room on account of the ceiling moulding will become a living room.

ELECTRICITY

Electrical points and switches all had to be corrected. I removed the central ceiling light and installed two wall lights in the smallest room. I would like the telephone point to be in this room as it arrives on the exterior of this room but for some reason the wire travels through the attic of this part of the house to the furthest room in the building!

WOOD AROUND THE DOORS AND WINDOWS

It was decided to remove the very French brown, varnished tongue and groove boarding around the windows and doors. The rooms felt as if they could breathe. The revealed stone walls were then covered with plasterboard, filled and sanded, filled and sanded! This was the treatment for the cracks in the ceilings as well.

DOUBLE GLAZED UNITS

The window and doors (four units) were removed, woodwork lovingly repaired and double glazed units inserted. They were made draughtproof. It was complicated and took time.

SHUTTERS

These had all been sanded and painted by me in May 2010.

CUPBOARDS

The wallpaper in the corner cupboard was left on the walls but painted. The existing doors were sanded and painted but two of the four doors were missing so my friend built new ones so perfectly that no one would never know.

He built a small cover to conceal the water stopcock as once this room was a kitchen. I now need a cupboard to hide the electrics …. but later.

THE OVAL ROOM and the CHIMNEY

This room became a disaster when the stone chimney was opened to find out why there was damp.  I attempted to replace it with a similar aged fireplace but the price seemed prohibitive as in addition it would have required a woodburner. In May 2010 we had solved the problem by correcting the problem outside. Inside we removed the stone chimney by ingenious means and fortunately I managed to sell it.  Note how the clean water, waste water and gas pipes run along the back wall of this house from the kitchen!  I could not possibly afford to re-route them! 
The story is in photographs. 

Original 18th century stone chimney

The damage is evident...it had to go!

Think of the Ancient Egyptians!

The distance to the door is about 3½ metres

First the headstone!

The beef bone amongst the rubble.. Was this the French version of a medieval cat or shoes being left in the chimney?

Lovely dust as the last of the stones are removed

and laid outside for a buyer

and protected against wet weather

All cleaned up! Witness the pre-1985 wallpaper on plasterboarded polystyrene and the stone wall beneath.  We kept the chimney hole!

We replaced the plasterboard with fireproof board and all walls required a lot of filling and sanding to make them flat. My friend who’d had experience with woodburners before managed to work out the measurements of everything and I know that I could not have had such a beautifully finished room without him.

REMOVING FLOORING
I spent many hours each day on my hands and knees laboriously scraping off lino which left behind paper and glue. 

Not quite the last of the paper and certainly not the glue!

I then used various chemical products to soften the paper and glue and scrape it off the cement floor.  Towards the end we used machines to grind off the last stubborn remains.  It took weeks as I wrestled with the pain in my wrists and spent hours on my knees sobbing because of the difficult work and the emotional stuff that continued incessantly in my head and heart.

After I/we had lifted every scrap of lino, paper and glue from the cement and made the decision to lay oak it then transpired that it didn’t have to be removed and we could have leveled the floor over it. However, my mind was comforted because I know that it doesn’t exist and have photos to prove it!

Eventually we discarded the old skirting board. Under vigilant guidance I sanded and painted repeatedly brand new cheap skirting board and with careful drying out and weighting down it turned out well.

LAYING A SUB FLOOR, THE OAK FLOOR AND SKIRTING BOARDS

          I'LL FINISH WRITING ABOUT THIS LATER_____     Once the floor was laid, the radiator was replaced and the glass hearth and woodburner installed.

NEW INTERNAL DOORWAYS AND DOORS AND LIGHTING

One door way had to be widened and made higher. I chose two new doors and it was my task to sand and paint these. We bought the glazing from UK. 

INTERIOR DECORATION

I haven't yet added curtaining or hung photos / pictures on the walls.  LATER!

Another Woodburner

The woodburner in the other room is now working brilliantly. I had trouble with smoke coming out from the back and twice the company returned, investigated, swept the brand new chimney, lit the fire and found no problem.  In between the installation and their visits I lit it four times on different days and always the same problem. Happily, I have no more problems and would heartily recommend the company.

Mastering the Woodburner

When working well so much heat is generated that it is obviously unwise to touch the enamel stove and pipe ... and yet when it is not going quite so well to touch the enamel is warming to the hands and comforting. Which would I rather have? The former!
My theory is that men are better with pyrotechnics.... but  as a 'newlyagainlearninghowtobeindependent' woman,  I  have to learn to have androgynous talents!

This woodburner is very different from all the others I have known. It has a waffle bed, rather than a grate, and is enamelled.   I have followed instructions and built up a bed of ash. Today I've emptied the ashpan, which was not full but I thought it could be a factor in why I cannot keep the woodburner alight through the  night or even day!  Now I know I have to get that oak really hot before  I close down the dampers and although it is "interdit" to open that front door just a crack, it seems to be effective at getting the oak fired up and getting the room and me warmer!   So before I went out this afternoon, I got it working well, closed down the levers... and on my homecoming opened up the door just a wee bit and now the fire is humming happily. This is when I know it is working well.  And the note compared to my piano which may need a re-tune is about Eb ( E flat ).  The hum is as comforting as the heat and I've never had a woodburner that hummed.  I ought to know about acoustics .... but perhaps it is the 1.70m length of enamelled pipe that creates the sound.
My lessons from others in woodburner skills is that I must watch, listen and observe and this will indicate what I do and what I have to do with .....

• the level of ash
• the amount of paper and kindling wood to build up the heat before adding the oak log
• when to open and close the dampers left and right - one is the air wash to keep the window clean (and this is important when it takes several minutes to clean the window each morning with expensive cleaning agent, vinegar and ash)
• the length of time to keep a stove door ajar and then which one - the front or the side  
• when to use the poker to break down the glowing red oak embers so that it creates a hotbed for the next log
• exactly when to load the next log.... this seems to be crucial ....
• and many other factors,  e.g.   I am convinced the air pressure of the weather has an effect!  Science was never my forté, but I challenge even the scientist to 'have a go' at  maintaining what is at present my only source of heat, apart from the hot water bottle! I have been sorely tempted to purchase another electric blanket but I  gave up on that luxury when I discovered that I had been saved from incineration when I discovered it had burnt my bedlinen!  OK that was 30 years ago! 

I love my woodburner and although it is dirty and dusty from time to time it is enormously satisfying when I get it right and can sit in warmth and watch the fire in the window. 

Lighting woodburners as dark nights draw in.

September 2011
The woodburner installer returned to show me how to operate the levers on my brand new woodburner and keep it burning throughout the night.
I'd followed instructions carefully,  gradually increasing the size and intensity of the fire over several lightings since June. This is important so as to not shock the enamel.  I had also been slowly building up a bed of ash.  He thought that I had not been charging the fire sufficiently with plenty of paper and small kindling wood before adding the oak logs.  Once the fire has been going strongly for about an hour, I can close the vents.  The steel pipes that go up into the chimney to meet the flexible pipe need to be hot. The same thing at night.  Before I wish to go to sleep I must charge up the fire so that it is burning brightly and fiercely, then close the dampers.  He says it should stay in overnight if I do that.  In the morning again charge it with lots of paper and small pieces of wood again until the fire is fierce before adding the small logs to begin with and then the larger ones.
I was also instructed in how to open the front door and side door. Basically because I have a side door I should not have to open the front door once the fire is well lit. However I still feel that the fire is not drawing enough draught.
My second woodburner is the same brand but a smaller version.  I bought woodburners which are made by Dovre with the Seguin brand name on them. Nothing else is different except the price!  This woodburner in my Oval Room sounded as if it was dead when I lit it on two occasions.  The second time I managed to confirm that smoke was emitting from the exterior of the woodburner into the room! Oh horror.  The doors had to be opened and left open to get rid of the smell of smoke.
However, the charming and helpful Monsieur Jerome Lachaume arrived and solved the mystery by sweeping my pristine new enamelled steel pipes visible in the room and the flexible piping within the chimney itself.  No, it was not blocked with rags which we thought might have been left up the chimney during the previous winter when we were renovating, trying to prevent heat from the electric radiator escaping up an open chimney.  No, it was not a wasps nest.  He said it was a spider's web and has seen this happen before even in huge chimneys.  The silk prevents the air passing through! 
He lit the fire.  Problem solved. There was no smoke coming out of the air vents and entering the room. The fire sounded alive and burned brightly.  Like the other one I must over 4 or 5 days charge it so that the enamel does not get shocked and again to build up a bed of ash.

The larger one is singing away to itself as I write.  Hummmmmmm!
ADDENDUM: several days later I still have room full of smoke when I lit the smaller woodburner. Something is wrong!