Stovetech

Stovetech, stove specialists in Holmer, Hereford

Stovetech is a family-run business based at The Old Saddlery in Foregates, Holmer, on the edge of Hereford. It describes itself as Herefordshire's stove specialist and states that it has operated in the county for 25 years, with 1999 given as its founding year. Its activity covers the full stove lifecycle: supply, installation, servicing and chimney sweeping, together with the in-house manufacture of the Merlin stove range.

The company reports that its installation work is carried out by an OFTEC approved team and certified on completion, a point it links to home insurance and property sales. It also states that it is approved by the Guild of Master Sweepers and issues a full certificate on each sweeping visit.

Stove supply and the Hereford showroom

Stovetech stocks modern and traditional wood burning stoves at its Herefordshire showroom, where models are displayed burning live. The catalogue is organised into several families:

• Merlin Stoves, designed by Stovetech in Herefordshire, with six models from 4kW to 7kW.
• Wood burning stoves that burn logs and kiln dried wood only, on a solid base, available in outputs from 4kW to 12kW.
• Multifuel stoves that burn wood and approved smokeless solid fuels, with a raised grate for fuel flexibility through the season.
• Contemporary stoves with clean lines and large glass viewing areas.
• Second hand stoves and bespoke fireplace chambers.

The stoves on offer are described as Ecodesign 2022 approved. The company also keeps fire bricks, replacement stove glass and rope for woodburners among its spares.

The Merlin range, made in Herefordshire

A distinctive part of the business is that it does not only retail stoves. The Merlin range is designed by Stovetech's own team in Herefordshire and built to its own specification rather than bought in and rebadged. The company states that it holds genuine spare parts for every model at its Hereford base, and that it installs and services what it manufactures. The current Merlin range is presented as comprising 12 models, while the Merlin section of the catalogue lists six models between 4kW and 7kW.

Installation, flues and chimney work

Installation begins with a free, no-obligation site visit in which the chimney and room are assessed, a suitable stove is recommended and a full written quotation is provided. The services listed around the installation include:

• OFTEC approved stove installation.
• Supply and fitting of flexible and rigid flue liner systems for existing chimneys.
• Twin wall flue installation, presented as a way to fit a wood burning or multifuel stove in any property.
• Chimney camera inspections to survey the condition of the flue.
• Chimney sweeping under Guild of Master Sweepers approval, with a certificate issued on each visit.

Servicing and repairs

Stovetech carries out an annual service at the customer's property, providing a written report and bringing the parts needed for the visit. Repair work is grouped with servicing in the company's service menu, alongside the chimney and flue services described above.

Bespoke fireplace chambers

The Stovetech Precision Chamber is designed, fabricated and installed by the company's own team. It is made to measure in any size in the Hereford workshop, finished in the customer's choice of colour and built around the chosen stove and hearth. The company presents it as offering a cleaner, sharper finish than traditional construction, with less disruption and decorating, and shows before-and-after examples of its work.

Outdoor living

The catalogue extends beyond indoor heating to a four-sided outdoor fireplace that gives a full view of the flames from every angle, with a 5kW heat output. It is described as hand-finished steel with a built-in log store and castor wheels for repositioning. At the time of writing this profile, the company indicated that only a few units remained in stock.

Coverage and reputation

The team works across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire. The company describes itself as family run since 1999 and based in Holmer, Hereford. Its site displayed a Google rating of "Excellent" based on 117 reviews at the time of writing this profile, with individual customer comments referring to installations, chimney lining, servicing and advice at the showroom.