reconditioned agas

[Bearworld]

I'm thinking on buying a reconditoned aga, any tips or pointer anyone could give me would be appreciated, also any suppliers/fitters in the North East of England (I know about Dix)

[jake-the-peg]

I bought a reconditioned Rayburn a few years ago because I wanted to run my central heating off of it - you can do that with a Rayburn but not an AGA I think.

Make sure you've thought through how you're cooking in the summer - you don't want to be running it then.

It takes quite a long time to get hot enough to fry on the top so you need to think ahead about turning it up.

Think about where the flue is going to go, that may determine the type you can buy (right hand left hand flue etc.)

Don't forget you may need additional airbricks installed to provide sufficient ventillation - I think you need a total ventilation area 50% of the cross-sectional area of the flue - but the regs are complex so I could be wrong.

[Goofy]

Agas don't get turned up and down like Rayburns. They run at a constant temperature, and would get very upset at being fiddled with on a daily basis.
The 2 oven Aga will heat the water - and you could probably take one radiator off as well. 4 oven Aga cooks and that's that!
Rayburn's are rather more versatile (they used to be known as 'the poor man's Aga).

[Tom B]

I too am thinking of installing a range cooker, whick I would chiefly like to run with wood, and some other solid fuel when required. I intend for it to cope with hot water and CH as well. Agas cant do this. I think that a Rayburn is the thing for me, I hear Stanley are good too.

On the issue of flues, I have found a supplier at : www.stovesonline.co.uk/wood_burning_stoves/Powermatic-System-250-Class1.html

...which may be of use to you if you don't have one already.

Take a look at 'Document J' which is the building regs guideline document for flues etc. Its 70-odd pages long but you will quickly find which bit is relevant.

you can download it free at: www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1165594

I was going to buy one that needed work on it from ebay then have it reconditioned. I am also looking for service providers / reconditioners in the North East.

I would be interested in any results in this regard.

Cheers.