What is the best wood to burn?
The best firewood is simply dry firewood. Here is how to spot logs under 20% moisture, what the Ready to Burn label means, how to season…
Stoves for homes on the coast
South Shields sits where the Tyne meets the North Sea, and that shapes how a stove and its flue should be planned. Homes near the seafront at Sandhaven, around the Lawe Top and up towards Marsden take the full force of easterly winds and salty air. Further inland, streets of Tyneside flats and Victorian terraces around Westoe, Tyne Dock and Laygate give way to interwar semis at Harton and Cleadon Park, and post-war estates at Biddick Hall and Simonside.
Most of the older homes were built with coal fires, so there is often a chimney to work with. The challenge is usually less about whether a stove is possible and more about how it is protected from weather and how it draws on an exposed site.
Coastal exposure and your flue
Wind and salt affect stoves in ways inland homes do not see as much:
- Downdraught. Strong gusts over the roofline can push smoke back down a short or exposed flue. Flue height, the position of the pot and the right cowl all matter.
- Corrosion. Salty air is hard on exposed metal. Where a twin-wall flue runs outside, we will talk about the specification and the finish that suit a coastal site.
- Weathered stacks. Old brick stacks facing the sea often need repointing, new flaunching or a new pot before a liner goes in.
We look at all of this during the survey, rather than assuming a standard set-up will work.
Fuel storage matters too. Damp sea air slows the drying of logs, so a covered, ventilated store helps. Burning wet wood gives less heat and more tar in the flue. Our guide to the best wood to burn explains what to look for, including the Ready to Burn label on smaller bags of wood.
Smoke control in South Tyneside
South Tyneside Council says most of the borough is a smoke control area. There, you can only burn authorised fuel unless you use an exempt appliance. For most South Shields homes, that means:
- A Defra-exempt wood burner, if you want to burn logs.
- Or a multi-fuel stove that burns authorised smokeless fuel.
Since the Environment Act 2021, councils in England can issue civil penalties for chimney smoke in smoke control areas. Our guide on wood-burning versus multi-fuel stoves can help you decide which suits you.
Tyneside flats and shared stacks
A lot of South Shields homes are Tyneside flats. In the version common in South Tyneside, one owner may hold the freehold of the whole building and the other pays a share of repairs. Either way, the chimney stack is shared, so:
- Check your title for who is responsible for the roof and stack.
- Agree access and any stack repairs with your neighbour.
- Make sure the flue being lined is the one that serves your flat.
Chimney liners, twin-wall flues and replacements
In older homes, a stainless steel chimney liner is the usual route. It seals the old flue, gives the stove the right diameter and helps it draw steadily. Where a home has no chimney, as with many later estate houses, a twin-wall flue system can run up an outside wall, with the specification chosen for the coast. If you already have a tired stove, a straight replacement with a modern Ecodesign model is often the simplest upgrade.
Older fireplaces in South Shields terraces were often built for small coal grates. Many need the opening enlarged or rebuilt and a new constructional hearth laid, with safe distances kept to timber floors and skirting.
Conservation areas
South Tyneside has 11 conservation areas. In South Shields itself these include Westoe, with its Georgian houses and Victorian mansions, as well as Mill Dam, St Paul's and Mariners' Cottages. Cleadon, the Boldons and Whitburn are nearby. A new external flue, or changes to a stack or roof in a conservation area, may need planning permission, and listed buildings may need listed building consent. Check with South Tyneside Council's planning team first.
How it works
- Enquiry: tell us about the room and what you have in mind.
- Survey: we inspect the chimney or flue route, hearth and ventilation, and note exposure.
- Recommendation: a stove and flue specification that suits your home.
- Written quote: clear, itemised and specific to your property.
- Installation: liner or flue, hearth, stove and testing.
- Handover: how to light and run the stove, certification through a competent person scheme such as HETAS or Building Control sign-off, and a carbon monoxide alarm in the room, which is required in England for a new or replacement solid fuel appliance.
Ask for a free quote
If you are thinking about a stove for your South Shields home, get in touch with Northcrest Stoves for a free survey and written quote.
