Review of Broseley eVolution 5 woodburning stove
design fault
I am a stove installer and retailer. I have discovered a massive problem with this appliance. In order to safely install a solid fuel appliance I have to fill in a Hetas certificate to state that all joints in the pipe and flue are overlapping downwards and gas tight. The spigot on this stove does not overlap downwards but sits on top of the stove - the result is creosote leaks out under the spigot onto the top of the stove causing a lot of mess and an awful smell. This has happened for two of my customers so far (I now have changed the stoves for ones that will function safely). Unfortunately the manufacturer says that the customer is at fault for producing creosote in burning - but I disagree - surely the simple provision for creosote to drain inside the flue like everything else designed for solid fuel is the only safe option?
Stove expert replied: The manufacturer is correct in that creosote shouldn't be being formed inside a chimney. If creosote does occur then it is an indication that the moisture content of the wood being burned is too high or that the chimney liner isn't insulated sufficiently or possibly a combination of both. However in the real world wood that isn't fully seasoned can get burnt on occasions, stoves can get turned right down for longer than they should (again leading to condensates), and so for that reason flues and stoves are normally designed so that any condensate formed ends up back in the stove. A simple solution here would be to lift the flue spigot, remove the fire rope and seal it with high temperature silicone (good to 1200 degrees) which will prevent creosote leaking. I checked with the manufacturer and they were happy with this slight modification. The smell of creosote is very unpleasant but that smell is always a timely warning to check the firewood that is being used and to make sure that the liner is sufficiently insulated. Creosote forming in a chimney can lead to a chimney fire and they are dangerous.
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Chris Graham said 10 years ago:
I have just fitted one of these and I'm not sure exactly what the problem is. The flue spigot bolts onto the top of the body of the stove as it does with so many others. I think perhaps what the previous comment is referring to is the fact that the flue spigot is 150mm whereas the hole on the stove body is 125mm creating a "ledge" for condensates to collect. This is strange and I for one would like an explaination. But other than that - nice stove!
Tanya Clarke said 10 years ago:
Having purchased one of these stoves a year ago I can honestly say I have never experienced the problem mentioned. Its my understanding that creosote is a mixture of soot and moisture, creosote is flammable so if you've got it "oozing out onto your stove" alarm bells should be ringing. The production of creosote is nothing to do with the stove so you cannot base a negative review on it surely? We love our stove, it's very controllable and we get lots of positive comments from friends and family visiting. I would reccommend this stove for anyone looking for a modern wood burner with a large viewing window.