Fixing the Squirrel.

The Morso Squirrel wood burner, that is. As I may have mentioned previously a component has dropped onto the baffle plate and I can't get it out, meaning I'll never be able to sweep the chimney. Also, the bottom collar connecting the chimney to the stove is badly cracked and is a health risk. The last straw, however, is that the chimney itself has rotted through.

Not good!

Work started today and the first job was to get the old chimney out in one piece as it will be the template for its replacement. Here we are, covered up and ready to go.

After considerable hammering by our professional Gary

the chimney eventually came away, leaving a hole in the roof

and revealing just how clogged up the chimney was

When you look at this it's a wonder the fire was still burning OK. 

Gary cleaned everything up and was able to remove the part of the stove that was causing the problem. In fact, it was a part that should only be fitted to chimneys in excess of 4m and should never have been installed 😡

Still, the good news is that all we need is a new collar and a new chimney, which is to be welded up by a local fabricator. At one stage I thought I might need a new stove like the one, coincidentally, being installed in the boat next to us.

It's quite a dinky little thing and only costs about £230, unlike ours which are now going for £800+ but, if anything, are too hot for our boat. I've been informed of a local guy who will cut firebricks to reduce the size of the firebox rather than buying Morso genuine (and ruinously expensive) accessories. Think I'll give him a call. We can have a smaller fire, burn less fuel and hopefully be able to keep the door closed this winter!