Static caravans and mobile homes make for great holiday hideaways but, given that they are usually made of fairly thin metal, in cooler weather they are not always the cosiest of places in which to relax.
Increasingly, people are installing woodburners in their caravan to ensure that the British climate doesn’t reduce the amount of time they can spend there, and to create a snug and homely atmosphere for their family.
But many people are still unsure about the feasibility of such a project. A large number of caravan owners still contact us to ask: “Is it possible to install a wood-burning stove in a caravan?”
This answer is always a resounding ‘yes’, as long as it is a well-planned and safely carried out.
Inevitably, there are a lot of considerations along the way. Here are some of the main ones…
Fireproof materials
Your installation is likely to include changing materials in the vicinity of your new stove. It’s a legal requirement that you don’t have flammable materials next to your stove. That means wood and hardboard must be kept well away.
Get more information from the Building Regulations.
Building a hearth
Remember that among those fireproof materials surrounding your stove, it will need to rest on a hearth. This is a requirement for the aforementioned Building Regulations.
The hole in the roof
Obviously you’ll need to run a flue pipe through the roof of your caravan. And, equally obviously, it’s something you’ll want to get right first time. Do your research before even thinking about making a start on the hole. In fact, you might consider…
Using a professional installer
We know that many caravan owners enjoy the challenge of installing their woodburner as a DIY project. But we would recommend you consider bringing in a HETAS-qualified engineer who is well versed in all the legal and safety requirements of your installation.
Find out more about HETAS installers.
Flue walls
There is likely to be wood in the roof structure of your caravan, which poses a fire risk when positioned next to a standard single wall flue pipe.
So for the section directly before and through the roof, you’re likely to need a twin wall flue. A HETAS engineer would be able to advise on the most suitable way of achieving this in your caravan.
Generating hot water
Some caravan owners use the stove installation process to address their hot water supply. Installing a boiler stove will allow you to cut your reliance on gas by using heat generated from the woodburner to provide hot water and warm radiators.
Installing a boiler stove is likely to be a more expensive and complicated job, but you might consider it’s worthwhile for the extra convenience and the savings on gas.
Appropriate stove size
Keep in mind that your caravan is not likely to need a heat output of a regular living room.
It will probably hold the heat well given the snug space. You can use our stove size calculator as an approximate guide.
The chances are you will want one of our recommended small wood-burning stoves.
I want to fit a multi fuel stove in my Willerby aspen static caravan 37 feet x12feet it an apex pantile roof double glazing and central heating powered by a combi boiler I would probably want to connect a back boiler to the central heating system who would you recommend to do the installation
Hi we have the same van and would like to know if you had the stove fitted and was it worth it
Hi George, We’d suggest contacting a couple of Hetas-approved installers in your area: http://www.hetas.co.uk/find-installer/
My caravan is in Rosneath Argyll & Bute can you recommend someone nearby who could fit a wood burning stove
Hi Joe,
We’d recommend using the following link to find Hetas-approved installers in your area:
http://www.hetas.co.uk/find-installer/
Thanks.
Hi just wondering if you managed to fit a wood burner in your van . I have a static van in Inveraray and was looking at getting a wood burner
wood burner for a static caravan information required. re type cost requirements
We’ve emailed some information to you.
Hi there we live on a residential mobile home site is it possible to have installed a multichannel wokdburners or would we have to get permission from the owners of the site we have bought our home outright
Thanks lin
Hi Lin, There’s no good reason why you can’t assuming there’s nothing in a contract or terms and conditions you’ve signed that says you can’t. Thanks.
Please can you tell me a price for a wood stove for a atlas Moonstone static. Together with the hearth and double lined flue and back heat resistant board. Thanks
Hi Florence
Thanks for getting in touch. It’s difficult to give a definite idea on price because there are so many different factors at play (not least your choice of woodburner).
Feel free to give us a call on the number at the top of the page to discuss in more detail. Alternatively, you might like to download our stove installation cost calculator: http://lp.gr8fires.co.uk/stove-installation-cost-download/v2/?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Social
We don’t perform installations ourselves.
Thanks.
hi wonder if you can help?
I have had a stovax multi fuel wood burner fitted into my pemberton static caravan and i am getting water down the outside of the chimney but inside the caravan. the installers have re-visited on numerous occasions. They have replaced the flashing twice and resealed edges, they have also double flashed it . They have also replaced the top half of the chimney which had water in as it is a double skinned i cannot see this being the problem. can you help?
thanks Mr p scott
Hi Paul
Is it definitely water getting in and not condensation on the inside? https://blog.gr8fires.co.uk/2015/06/29/why-is-there-condensation-on-my-wood-burning-stove/?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Social
If it is definitely water getting in, the only thing we can suggest is getting the flashing and sealing right.
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
I’m just worried about the regs that state you need to have a minimum 4.5 metre distance of flue….how am I supposed to support this length of flue?! Are there different rules we can follow to use a shorter flue?
Hi Daniel
The 4.5m figure is a recommendation rather than a regulation. It would be down to the person signing off the installation to decide what was appropriate.
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
We are in a park home 22×46 do we need permission to install a log burner .thx
Hi Peter
It will need to comply with building regulations, which includes restrictions on proximity to neighbouring properties, but other than that the only permission you would need is if your site places any sort of restrictions on use of woodburners.
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
Hi
I would like to install a wood burning stove in my static caravan, but every insurance company I contact refuses to offer cover. Do you know of any companies that would?
Thanks.
Hi Dave,
Sorry, we’re not knowledgeable enough on the caravan insurance industry to make recommendations on that. Have you tried asking on some of the caravan forums?
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
hi I have a New Hampshire lodge is it possible to have a log burner installed?
Hi Lorraine
You should be able to if you’re taking all the considerations in the article into account.
Thanks.
We are thinking about installing a log burner in our 35ft static park stone bluebird caravan could you tells us of any local installers for me12 in kent
Hi Tony,
There’s a postcode search function on the HETAS website: http://www.hetas.co.uk/find-installer/
And many of the other competent installer schemes have similar search functionality: https://blog.gr8fires.co.uk/2016/02/23/finding-a-competent-person-to-install-your-woodburner/
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
I’ve been looking at all the parts on your site but don’t want to order and miss something out. Are you able to advise what bits I need to install a log burner into a static? The flue outlet pipe is 4″. Thank you
Hi Stephanie,
Of course. Please give us a call during office hours and we’ll talk you through everything: https://www.gr8fires.co.uk/opening-times
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
There is some great information here, after much searching this is the best result.
One thing I’m not sure I’ve got to the bottom of yet though….
Are there any specific or exclusive regulations for installing a solid fuel heater in a motorhome or campervan?
If we put aside the aspects of vehicle insurance as a separate issue, is the requirement basically the same as in a building or mobile home, or different as the vehicle is not classed as a ‘permanent dwelling’ by definition.
I’m struggling yo find anything spefically relation yo installation in vehicles other than hearsay.
I own a 2016 Delta Cambridge and would like to iget a qualified tradesman to install a multi fuel stove. My current insurers will not insure for this does anyone have details of an insurance company who do. Any help much appreciated.
Hi I’m looking at getting some extra information on connecting a wood burning stove to a back boiler system, where should I start looking first?? Also how easy is it to install into a caravan??
Thanks
Hi Lucy
Here are a selection of boiler stoves: https://www.gr8fires.co.uk/stoves/boiler-stoves/?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Social
We’re not experts on caravan plumbing, unfortunately, so best to get someone in the know (a competent installer) come to have a look.
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
Hi there,
I looked on YouTube & There some tiny compact log burners that can be installed in camper vans & touring caravan,They are certainly a great way to warm up during the Winter & are so cheap,the older caravans already had coal fires,but they had a proper made to measure installation when the caravan was made…
Then we can spend so much more time in our holiday home not have the fear of being really cold?
Please advise who I contact re installation and purchase of Wood Burner for my Static Home. My home is situated in Seaton Estate in Arbroath. I want top quality.
Hi Jim
You can visit gr8fires.co.uk to find and purchase your woodburner.
And you’ll be able to find an installer near you via one of these competent person schemes: https://blog.gr8fires.co.uk/2016/02/23/finding-a-competent-person-to-install-your-woodburner/
Thanks,
Gr8Fires
We have a wood burner I’m our static but we are needing an insurance company that will insure the static to include the burner. Does anybody know of any please
I’m wondering about the weight that a static caravan can support for a stove. I wouldn’t want it to fall through the floor! I’ve a 12*32 dakota and was eyeing up stoves that seem to weigh over 100kg. Can people share what stoves they’ve installed in a static please?