Wood Stove FAQs

Although wood stoves have been around for centuries, many people are asking about them these days. Rising fuel costs are stirring homeowners into finding new ways to cut down the size of utility bills.

Heating is the biggest utility expense, particularly when you rely strictly on the local power company. The following are frequently asked questions about wood stoves, along with helpful answers.

 

Is a wood-burning stove a good way to heat my home in winter?

Yes! A wood-burning stove is a great choice for home heating in winter. Wood burning stoves of today are a far cry from granddaddy’s pot-bellied stove. Modern stoves are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and they are highly efficient. When you heat with a wood stove, you can drastically cut heating costs. Depending on the model you purchase, your wood stove could potentially provide a significant portion of your heat in winter. Firewood is the least expensive fuel source. An added benefit of a wood stove is that you have heat, light, and a means for cooking if the power goes out. If you’re concerned about being environmentally friendly, a wood stove is ideal. Wood is a renewable, carbon-neutral fuel source. Finally, a wood stove not only provides all above-named benefits, it also gives you the charming ambiance that only a fireplace or wood stove can provide.

What materials are wood stoves made with?

There are several beautiful options in wood stoves. Choose from steel, soap stone, and cast iron.

• Steel is a material that heats up quickly and cools down more quickly than other materials, as well. Because heat isn’t retained as the fire dies down, it’s necessary to feed the fire more frequently, for needed warmth. In some regions, a quick-cooling stove is an ideal feature. In others, it’s not as practical a choice.
• Soap stone is an excellent material that holds heat longer than the other materials wood stoves are made with. Soap stone retains heat as fires begin to burn. Heat is released slowly but lingers and continues to provide warmth after fires die down.
• Cast iron also takes a little time to begin heating up, and it also retains heat well. A cast iron wood stove continues radiating heat after the fire goes out. The radiant heat from the stove is as pleasant as enjoying the fires inside.

What size wood stove is right for my home?

The best answer to what size wood stove is right for your home is to consult our professionals. Getting the correct size for the space a wood stove will be installed in is important, to maximize on the efficiency of the appliances. In addition to considering the size of the space the stove will be installed in, determine whether you want the stove to heat other rooms in the home, as well.

There are numerous factors which determine the size that’s ideal for a particular home. Is the home well-insulated? If it is, the wood stove has less work to do than if insulation is on the thin side or if there are many windows that allow cold air inside. The height of your ceiling should also be considered, in choosing the size of your wood stove.

What is an EPA certification and how does it affect my choice of wood stoves?

The EPA has been regulating wood stoves since the 1980s. An EPA certification guarantees that an appliance operates with a certain level efficiency. An efficient wood-burning appliance emits less pollution than wood stoves of previous times, before standards began tightening for environmental purposes. Extensive testing is done to determine the efficiency level of each type of wood stove.

How old should a wood stove be before it should be replaced?

Stoves more than two decades old should be replaced with a more efficient appliance. Old stoves release from 40 to 60 grams of smoke each hour. Many EPA-certified wood stoves release only 5 grams of smoke per hour, at most. Outdated stoves are both inefficient and potentially dangerous to operate.

If you have any other questions about wood stoves, give us a call at Burlington Fireplace & Solar; our number is 262-763-3522. We have experts who will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.