I can give you the opinion on clearance reduction as most US codes and testing agencies see it. http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2012/icod_irc_2012_24_sec007.htm The short story is that a 1" air gap is required behind the heat shield, and something more substantial than foil. TABLE G2409.2 (308.2) REDUCTION OF CLEARANCES WITH SPECIFIED FORMS OF PROTECTION Should give you a good idea of what "should" be an acceptable means of reducing clearance. Think of it as a double boiler system. If you put a pan directly on the heat, you can burn things very easily. But, if you put one pan inside another with boiling water, then it keeps things from getting too hot.

Hi, I would think it probably is a requirement to have access to the flue for sweeping etc - however your set up looks a bit odd!! In my burner, the flue is accessed through the burner itself, so we don’t have any access from the flue pipe, so no hole. My brothers burner does have access - however it’s a very neat door. Just google woodburner flue pipe access doors and you will see examples - usually it’s a small circular door in either black or a contrasting chrome. Here’s a black version: https://www.woodburningstovesdirect.com/m/product/474/flue-pipe-door-6-choose.htm An enamelled version: http://www.naglefireplaces.com/Stovax-straight-enamelled-flue-pipe-with-door A metallic one: https://www.fluesystems.com/shop/stove-pipe-5mb-250-length-door.html If I was you, I would spend some time googling and then show the fitter to see if he will change it. You might have to buy a new bit of pipe with a door - but it’s relatively cheap in the scale of fitting the burner. The one that you have looks functional but it also looks a bit rough and “homemade”. If I had to have an access door, I would want to choose what it looks like!

This kind of post actually freaks me out because I simply cannot comprehend how this could happen. Either the person who did it has zero visual sense, in which case they shouldn't be making decisions, or they willfully don't care about doing a botched job in which case they shouldn't be employed. I've been pretty lucky with tradesmen but have found that after a friendly coffee and biscuit chat, I tell them I'm fussy about 'finish' on a level that may well suprise them and that I won't tolerate sloppy work as it's unprofessional. Once this awkward conversation is over we go back to coffee and biscuits and we all know the score. My carpenter told me that a large well known local company once instructed him to deliberately sabotage work in order to get called back for more. There are some gems but also some real sharks out there.

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