A stove with no chimney: how it works
A bioethanol stove gives a real flame with no chimney, flue or building permit. Here is what to know about room size, heat, safety and rules.
Why no chimney is needed
Bioethanol burns without smoke or soot. What it gives off is mainly water vapour, carbon dioxide and heat, the same as lit candles. So there is nothing to vent, and the stove can stand freely in the room. The pipe on some versions is decorative.
Room size: at least 63 m³
Because the flame uses the room's air, the room needs a certain volume. Our stoves need at least 63 m³, Härdberg with its larger burner at least 80 m³. Multiply floor area by ceiling height.
| Floor area | Ceiling | Volume | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 m² | 2,5 m | 50 m³ | Too small |
| 25 m² | 2,5 m | 62,5 m³ | Too small |
| 30 m² | 2,5 m | 75 m³ | All but Härdberg |
| 35 m² | 2,4 m | 84 m³ | Every model |
An open-plan space counts as one room as long as the areas connect without a door between them.
Heat: up to 3 kW
Each stove gives up to 3 kW, roughly a large electric radiator. That is enough to warm a living room of around 30 m² in a normally insulated home. All the heat stays in the room, since none escapes up a chimney. You set the output with the burner lid.
Think of the stove as a heat source for the evening and the atmosphere, not the home's main heating.
Safety indoors
A bioethanol stove is safe indoors when you follow the manual. The essentials:
- 01Respect the minimum room volume and air the room normally, especially on long evenings.
- 02Never refill a warm or burning burner, let it cool first.
- 03Use liquid bioethanol only, never gel or other fuel.
- 04Keep curtains, furniture and paper away from the flame.
- 05Never leave a burning stove unattended, and keep children and pets away.
- 06Have a smoke alarm in the room, as in any home.
Rules: permits, flats and insurance
A freestanding bioethanol stove is not connected to a chimney and is not built into the house. So it needs no building permit, notice to the municipality, inspection or sweeping.
If you rent or live in a housing cooperative, check the association's or landlord's house rules, as some have their own rules about open flames. Ask your insurer too whether they have specific terms.