Q&A

Your property questions answered

Too much heat from wood-burning stove

We would like to get a wood-burning stove (mainly for the look of it, we have to admit) but we recently visited friends who have one and the heat that was thrown out from it was overpowering and uncomfortable. Ours is the same size room, so any advice?

People often underestimate just how hot these wood-burning stoves can be. However, all manufacturers make a range of stoves with varying heat outputs so there's a good chance that your friends, when buying their stove, simply didn't take in to account the size of their room. (There's also a chance that your friends didn't have the appropriate ventilation - which is another day's work.)

The first thing you should do is measure your room and work out the heat output you require. Waterford Stanley, which has developed a new range of rather smart looking stoves both in coloured enamel and matt black, has produced a useful and simple formula.

Step one: multiply the length of the room by its width and then by its ceiling height. Step two: if the room has a standard amount of windows and doors and standard insulation, multiply this figure by five.

For example: 14ft length by 16ft width by 9ft height equals 2,016 cubic ft. Then multiply this by five which equals 10,075 cubic ft. So 10,075 BTU is the minimum heat output that the room requires.

When you go shopping for a stove, you'll discover that this BTU figure is going to be important. If your room is small (though you don't say quite how small) you may find that the Oisin model in the Waterford Stanley range will suit your needs. (Contact them at 051-302302 for more information). If your room really is tiny, you might have to revise your thinking and go for an electric stove - these are now much more attractive in design - which can have a much lower heat output.

Will metro affect the value of my house?

One of the routes of the proposed new metro in Dublin is close to my house. If it goes ahead is it likely to reduce my house's value?

Highly unlikely if the experience of homeowners along the Dart and Luas lines are anything to go by.

As soon as the route for the Luas was announced, estate agents noticed an upsurge of interest in houses adjacent to the line, and this rose even higher when the tramline was actually built.

Housebuyers in south Dublin will know that agents - never shy of a bit of exaggeration - now list the Luas as a local amenity even if the station is a good 20-minute walk away.

So no, it's likely at this stage that the metro will be beneficial to you on two counts: it'll make your commute easier and it'll increase the value of your house.

There's a Metro North consultation process going on at the moment, contact the Rail Procurement Agency at 1800 676464 for more details.

Send your queries to Property Questions, The Irish Times, 10-16 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 or email propertyquestions@irish-times.ie.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to respond to all questions. The above is a representative sample of queries received. This column is a readers' service and is not intended to replace professional advice. No individual correspondence will be entered into.