Review of Clearview vision 500 stove
Installation problems but stove performing well.
I spent weeks on the selection and full marks to the whatstove website for help in the decision making. In the end it was a choice of three, Clearview, Aga and Franco Belge. I liked the looks of the Cast Iron stoves better than the Clearview but the final decision was based on the suppliers advice - " if you are going to use the stove regularly then Clearview is your best option".\n\nI installed the stove myself, replacing a baxi open fire. This proved to be quite difficult because of the low level position of the two lintels. One supporting the internal wall above the fireplace and one supporting the bottom of the 'clay liner'. This meant, in my case, leaving the lintels in place to avoid a really large building job! However, this resulted in two problems. Firstly the Clearview flue adaptor (still not supplied yet after two months) will not fit on the bottom of the clay liner and , secondly, the resultant height restriction above the stove. I did not install a flue liner and so far everything seems to be fine, ie draw is good and no signs of condensation.\n\nIf you are installing a stove I would recommend that you need a minimum 450mm above the stove on order to fit the flue fittings. Also, the stove needs to be as far forward from any alcove as possible. Again I was restricted in what I could do since I did not want to have bends at the rear of the stove and complex openings for the chimney sweep, so had to use the top flue exit.\n\nThe end result means that the alcove heats up to really high temperatures because of the stove position and, having insufficient height above the stove means that I cannot fit a stove top fan.\n\nThere is room for improvements in respect to Clearviews' service levels. They did not respond to my email with technical enquiries so I had to make phone calls, the Installation and Operating handbook is poor compared with, say, Franco Belge and I'm still waiting the delivery of the flue adaptor, which they claimed to 'have in stock'. (I've had a fitting made.)\n\nOn the stove itself, there was some difficulty in lighting but leaving the door slightly open overcame the problem. Air controls are very good once you have tried them out and overnight buring has not been a problem, just a few pieces on smokeless fuel and a large log, close the main air control and leave the secondary air control 'just open'. The fire will still be alight 9 hours later and can be restarted with a couple of small logs. Heat output is simply a matter of how much fuel you put in the stove and how far open you have the air controls. No rocket science here! The glass door does need cleaning but maybe this is because of the overnight burns. No back on the firebox, adjustable feet very useful, handle gets hot.\n\nFinally, the major advantages from the conversion are huge reductions in fuel burnt and no smoke or smells of smoke in the room.\n\n
Stove expert replied: Min clearance above the stove should be 450mm ideally and Documnet J should be adhered to. Installing a stove DIY is risky and should now be signed off by the local Building Control Department. Don't forget the CO2 alarm.