Wood Burning Stoves
A wood burning stove can be a great addition to your home. You can pick from a range of sizes and styles to match your preferences. They can be freestanding or built into the wall.
Modern wood stoves are compliant with strict EU regulations (often known as Ecodesign) to offer high levels of fuel efficiency and low emissions. Some are also DEFRA exempt and can burn briquettes, or other smokeless fuel.
What is a wood-burning stove?
A wood stove is an independent heating device which makes use of firewood to create radiant heat for your home. Wood burning stoves are utilized for a long time and can be a more green alternative to heating your home with gas or oil. Modern stoves are more technologically advanced and come in a variety of styles to suit any taste. They work in the same way as fireplaces, but they produce more heat by utilizing wood to generate radiant heating.
A top-quality stove will produce efficient heat and will be certified as safe to use. The EPA label will tell you when the stove was made and what emission standards it complies with. It's better to choose an older model that has been tested, and has been proven to be safe.
All wood-burning stoves release vapors of creosote as they burn However, the majority of modern stoves burn these vapors before they escape into your home. They also burn fuel more efficiently which can prevent smoke and soot issues in the fireplace.
When purchasing a wood stove is necessary to have access to sufficient storage space and firewood to keep it adequately stocked. You will also need a chimney that is suitable for class A to vent the stove and proper clearance between your wood stove and the floors and walls around it. You'll require that your chimney regularly inspected and cleaned by a professional to ensure the structural integrity of the stove and chimney.
Wood smoke can cause respiratory issues for anyone, but is especially harmful to older adults, children and those suffering from respiratory ailments such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. You can protect yourself and your family from the health effects of wood smoke by limiting the time you spend in the areas in which the stove is running, using the recirculate function on the air conditioner, and keeping doors closed.
Size
Wood burning stoves bring warmth and a sense of style to any home. They are also energy efficient and can help you save money on heating costs. But, it is important to select the right size stove. If you choose a model that is too small, it will not effectively heat your home. If you select an appliance that is too large, the fuel will be wasted. If you're not sure about the size of your stove, you should seek advice from your installer. They can carry out a site assessment and offer advice on the right size stove for your home.
Stoves are rated according to their nominal output of heat. This is displayed as a number in kW. This is a guideline to the maximum amount they can produce under testing conditions. This number should not be relied upon when selecting the stove. The exact amount of heat produced will depend on the type and quality of fuel that you employ. It is also important to consider how well insulated your home is and whether it's humid.
There are a myriad of styles of stoves available and each offering a unique design and finish. Some are more traditional, with rustic features and a basic colour scheme, whilst others are more modern, featuring clear lines, large glass windows and new designs.
The majority of modern stoves are certified under the Ecodesign standard, which guarantees high efficiency and low emissions. Look for the 'ClearSkies' logo to ensure you're buying an Ecodesign compliant stove. They are around 80-90 percent more efficient than older stoves or open fires. This is a huge savings on your energy costs and a much more environmentally friendly alternative.
Efficiency
If properly designed and operated, wood burning stoves can be extremely efficient heaters. The most recent models are very low emissions, and a kilowatt hour of heat can be provided at a fraction of the cost of electricity, gas or oil.
The ability of a stove's burner to create a good flame, which can effectively burn logs and lasts for as long as it is possible, is a major factor in its effectiveness. This prevents the fire from "going out' or producing excessive smoke. Making sure you use only clean, kiln dried logs from accredited British suppliers will help maximise the efficiency of your stove, and also ensure that you do not over-load the firebox or exceed its maximum heating capacity.
A lot of care is taken to ensure that stoves are constructed with care and designed to perform at their best. The top wood-burning stoves are constructed with top-quality components and materials and feature an insulated firebox that is sealed. Ideally, the firebox must be maintained at a constant temperature so that the logs burn evenly and the flue doesn't over-heat.
The right size stove for your space is also crucial to optimise the efficiency of your heating. A stove that's too big for the space is less efficient, while an appliance that is too small could burn out and create excessive smoke.
Eco-friendly wood stoves are becoming more popular. They are a great method to decrease the household's dependence on fossil fuels and provide an acoustic, warmer heating. Wood is an energy source that is renewable, so it is more sustainable than mineral or coal fuels.
It is important to only use kiln-dried logs that have been cultivated and harvested in a sustainable manner. Avoid using shed wood burner or treated wood, oiled wood or waste or pallet wood. These will emit unpleasant fumes that could damage your stove and the flue. If you purchase your logs from a trusted supplier with the Defra-approved "Ready To Burn' logo is an assurance that you're buying high-quality, dry, smokless and carbon neutral fuel for your stove.
Design
Wood burners are available in a wide variety of styles and designs. Some are sleek, modern, while others have a more traditional look. Some stoves are multi-fuel while others are exclusively wood. The style of the stove will determine the type of heat it produces and how well it blends with the style of your home.
In general when burning wood in a stove it goes through two distinct processes: combustion and Pyrolysis. When wood is heated, it releases carbon monoxide and other byproducts which are released into the air. Pyrolysis is when the wood is heated to a higher temperature and evolves gasses such as hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide. The resulting gasses are burned again in the firebox, generating more carbon monoxide as well as other byproducts.
Many wood stoves are now equipped with secondary combustion which is a catalytic combustion unit that burns byproducts resulting from primary combustion. This helps reduce smoke, and other harmful pollutants, dramatically. This lets wood stoves run at lower temperatures. Less wood is needed and the efficiency of the stoves improves.
Older stoves that do not use secondary combustion are less efficient, and they're also more polluting because materials that have not been burned are allowed to escape through the flue. They are still in high demand due to their convenience of use and the atmosphere they create.
Modern wood burners have to meet a set of emission limits, known as Ecodesign. indoor wood burner are based on an efficiency rating of a minimum and a reduction in maximum levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. They are typically DEFRA-approved and have space for the storage of logs beneath. Some models also feature a cleanAir system that draws in air to clean the glass and avoid blackening or sooting.
Maintenance
To function optimally Wood stoves require regular maintenance. Cleaning it regularly, taking out the ashes from fires and examining the gaskets is a crucial part of this. Gaskets are used to protect the combustion process from air leakage, and if they are damaged, it could lead to problems such as smoke leakage and reduced efficiency. To avoid chimney fires, it is important to clean the chimney regularly. This is recommended to be done at least twice a year, and it may need to be more often depending on how frequently the stove is used.
Stoves come in various sizes and shapes. Some are better suited to certain spaces than others. A curved, cylindrical shape can be a stylish and contemporary design for any room while still offering warmth. The color of the room is another factor that can influence maintenance, with lighter colors displaying more dirt and soot and darker shades obscuring stains better.
The grate, which is a metal plate in the lower part of the stove that holds the firewood, wears down with use, but can be easily replaced. If the grate is not regularly cleaned, it can crack. The interior of the combustion chamber could also crack or snap. Repeatedly closing and opening of the door may degrade rope seals. The glass may also get stained or milky with time, though it isn't as easy to replace as a home window.
It is crucial to only burn wood that is properly seasoned in your stove. Unseasoned logs will produce more smoke and creosote. It is also important to properly fuel your stove by adjusting the amount of wood you use and making sure that it does not overheat. This will ensure that the stove is properly fueled and help to minimise pollution levels.