Choose a Wood Burning Stove
You’ve likely browsed a few images online and found the style you like, but how do you know it will work for your home and heating needs?
Once you start delving into this it can get a little overwhelming, to help you we’ve compiled a quick checklist of questions to ask yourself which will help to shortlist your options...
3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Selecting the Right Stove for Your Home.
#1 – What fuel would you like to burn?
Coal and wood are the most common choices of fuel to burn. Coal is more expensive, and generates more CO2 into the environment however it is far easier to store. Smokeless coal is available, which (depending on the product) is said to reduce carbon dioxide fumes by 25%. Wood on the other hand is cheaper, however you will need an readily accessible supply or have a good storage area where they can dry out before burning.
The reason you need to decide on the fuel early on is that the design of your stove will vary depending on it.
Multi-fuel stoves will burn both coal and wood, however a wood burning stove will only heat using wood or paper. For coals to burn coal efficiently it needs air below it which means that multi-fuel stoves have vents below them drawing air in. Wood burners on the other hand tend to have their air vents positioned above.
#2 – What size of space are you looking to heat?
Most stoves will range from 3kw to 20kw. As a rule of thumb carry out the following calculation using your room measurements:
(Height x width x length) / 14
This will give you a good KW estimate to look for.
It is important to not select a burner that will be too big. This is because not only will you have to continually open your windows to let out the heat, but it can also cause a build up of Creosote which can increase your risk of a chimney fire.
#3 – What is the purpose of your stove?
Are you looking for a stove that looks great and provides you with an instant cosy look and feel or is it a primary source of your house heating in winter?
The answer to this will likely guide the style choice of your stove, in particular whether you opt for a classic cast iron design or a modern style created in sheet iron or steel.
You will tend to find that modern designs built in sheet iron will heat up faster which is great for taking a cold edge off a room. Alternatively the cast iron classic styles will radiate more heat and therefore better if you are planning to have it all on all day.
#4 – What space do you have available ?
Struct rules apply to where you can position your stove to ensure your safety. As a minimum there should be 2.5cm at the back of the stove, with 10cm either side to provide the most efficient use of your stove. Finally, the hearth should be at least 1mm higher than the floor surrounding it.
Although alterations can often be made to your fireplace (should one exist already) the space available can often shortlist some of the models on offer.
Our Recommended Supplier
We work with The Burning Question who are based in Perth to bring you a fantastic range of multi-fuel and wood burning stoves. Below you will find a link to each of our recommended brands that we have installed on a regular basis across Tayside and Aberdeenshire.
View stove ranges below
Douglas Dolby, Burning Question
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Your Stove Installation
