The woodburning stove car heater...

Woodburning stoves are ever more popular, but the idea of installing one to heat your car was certainly new to us!  Faced with icy temperatures during the winter, one Swiss German guy decided that by far the most effective way to heat his Volvo would be to install a woodburning stove in the car - and so he did just that... The sight of him driving through the snow with a blazing stove in his car and a chimney poking out of the roof is quite interesting - take a look here!

Our installers can't put stoves into your Volvo, but will be able to help if you want a stove in a more normal setting in your home or office - contact us for information about our huge range of woodburning stoves approved by DEFRA for use in London's smoke control zone.

Delivery

We just took a call from a customer who'd found a stove she liked the look of online - but was expected to go and pick it up from the other side of the UK herself!  Buying online can sometimes seem cheap, but we're able to match many internet offers now - and the advantage of shopping with us is that you can see the stoves and fires yourself and discuss them with us making use of our many years of experience and expertise in this field.

True, we don't yet deliver across the UK but we offer free local delivery to many areas in London and even parts of Kent too.  For slightly longer distances, we can often deliver for a small charge depending on what we are delivering and where too!

Do come and see us at Westcombes if you're looking for a fire or stove - we have a wide selection in our four showrooms and we're sure you'll find something that appeals.  We're open 10-6, Monday to Saturday.

The best place to celebrate Valentine's Day...

If restaurants jam-packed with Valentine's Day couples don't appeal, why not choose to spend the evening with your loved one in front of a cosy fire at home.  A bottle of fizz, some delicious food and a roaring fire will make for a far more romantic evening than any special Valentine's menu in a restaurant.  Of course, we are a little biased but we think you'll probably agree if you've got one of our lovely Westcombes fires or stoves at home!

Cold. cold, cold...

After a snowy weekend here in London, it's frosty again today and there were even a few snowflakes in the air this morning.  Temperatures are expected to stay low for a while, and it's just the kind of weather when you want to come in from the cold and settle down in front of a cosy fire or stove.  Of course, it's rare nowadays to find a home without central heating, but even so a fire or stove can give a warming glow to your home.

If this cold snap has made you think about getting a stove or fire, come and visit us at Westcombes to take a look at the huge selection we have on offer.  And don't forget, we sell kiln dried logs, kindling and flamer firelighters too!

Can I have a stove if my house doesn't have a chimney?

We often see customers at Westcombes who say that they'd like to have a stove, but don't have a chimney. You may want to build a chimney or put in a rigid flue system but this is often an expensive business and there are other options.  You can still enjoy many of the benefits of a cosy stove without a chimney by opting for a balanced flue or flueless gas model or an electric stove.

Balanced Flue Gas Stoves - With a balanced flue stove, the flue is fitted to an outside wall so any emissions go straight outside. You don't need a chimney, but the position of the stove is important as the flue needs to be able to go to an outside wall.

Flueless Gas Stoves - With a flueless gas stove, you don't need to be next to an outside wall as the waste gases go through a catalytic convertor.  In order to have a flueless stove fitted you do need an air vent in the room.

Electric Stoves - Electric Stoves are increasingly popular because they are so easy to install and use. Our customers are often very pleasantly surprised by how authentic the latest electric stoves can look.  They often come with different heat settings, including one with just a glow so you can have the look of the blazing stove without the heat using very little energy.

If you're interested in any of these options, come along to Westcombes and take a look at some of the huge selection of stoves in our special stove showroom. We have more than fifty models on show giving you a wide range to choose from.

Happy New Year

Just to wish all our customers, former customers and friends all the best for a very happy 2012!  We've been closed over the Christmas period, but we are now open as usual from 10-6 Monday to Saturdays. Don't forget that we stock one of the largest ranges of modern, reproduction and antique fireplaces as well as a huge selection of stoves  - see www.westcombes.co.uk for details.

Mary Portas and High Street parking

We're glad that Mary Portas raised the issue of High Street parking in her analysis of the problems of the British High Street.  Here in Lee High Road, it has become increasingly difficult for our customers to park close to our shop.  The local streets are now almost exclusively residents' parking.  There are one or two parking bays close to Lee High Road, but the situation is very confusing - on one side of the shop you can park for an hour, but on the other side for only half an hour.

Lewisham Council has said the half hour restriction gives our customers plenty of time - but they've obviously never bought a fireplace from a specialist retailer like Westcombes.  Many of our customers like to spend far longer than that discussing their options, looking at all the fireplaces and stoves that we have and considering the relative pros and cons.

Lewisham Council clearly doesn't have much time for the traditional service and expertise that a shop like ours can offer - but fortunately our customers put up with the confusing parking arrangements because it's the service and expertise that they particularly like about Westcombes.