Monster Stove Arrives

Friday 24 Nov 2017

After two abortive arrangements for the stove to be installed, we finally agreed a day that continued to be forecast as sunny, so the stove was actually going to arrive!

They (Mr Panos, of Soufleros Stoves in Lamia) said they'd stay overnight in Amfilochia, as Lamia is about 5 hours away.  We didn't know quite when to expect them, so we were up early and making sure the space was cleared for action:

 Never seen so much space in our living room (the other end is extra-cluttered, though, of course)

Panos, Yiannis and Dmitri (the boss and Panos' father)

They arrived promptly, were happy to drive into the field, and managed to manhandle the monster stove out of their van, across the gate bridge, up the ramp to the kitchen door - without falling through the increasingly dodgy terrace boards, down 30 cm into the living room and up 30 cm onto the plinth.  It can't have been their easiest installation.

 Scary moment - when there's a big hole in the roof.  Although it was interesting to see how nice it would be to have a skylight in the studio ... (hmm, thinks!)

 At work on the chimney.  It took all three of them a couple of hours on the roof to be sure of a good watertight fitting, we were pleased to see.  We've had a lot of rain in the few days since installation, and had no ingress so far.  Very impressed with the service throughout from Soufleros, very professional, clean and conscientious.

 Installed, and imposing.  Very large close to, but feels the right size for the room as a whole - and speaking of holes, it is raised up 30 cm from the current, temporary floor level.  When we have the floor in, it will be less towering.

 Later that evening - the first firing.  Armchairs in position already.

The next day.  Firing it through the day with all the outside doors open to burn off the new smell.

Logs collected and chopped.