Wood Burning Stoves are Timeless Classics

Though in many ways wood burning stoves have not changed much throughout the centuries, wood stove manufacturers continue to produce new and beautiful wood stove designs each year. Besides providing functional value many free-standing wood stoves that are manufactured today act as central focal points in family rooms and great rooms. With their beautiful ornate designs, and many with glass viewing windows, the timeless classic wood stove has been transformed into a gorgeous decorative piece that offers both functionality and beauty to a room or home.

Wood stoves are also much more efficient than traditional fireplaces. Due to the fact that they are free-standing they radiate heat outwards in all directions. Also, since their dampers can be closed, warm air is not sucked out of a room and up a chimney when the fire goes out, unlike the traditional fireplace. Moreover new air-tight wood stoves, versus the traditional updraft wood stove, have baffles built into them to create secondary burning chambers. As a result, these types of wood stoves are extremely efficient. This translates into a reduction in the amount of wood needed to be burned in them to produce same amount of heat output. Also, they spew less soot and ash into the air.

Woods burning stoves have traditionally been built in either cast iron or 3/16 or ¼ inch rolled stainless steel. However they are also manufactured out of ceramic and soapstone. They are available in tall and narrow shapes, as well as short and fat styles. And again, many can be purchased with viewing windows to provide a touch of ambiance. They also come in various sizes, so it’s important to purchase one that is appropriately sized for the room or home it is expected to heat. Too small and you may end up not being unable to adequately heat the room or home. Alternatively, if you buy one too large you may find yourself roasting when it’s going.

Also, you need to think where you plan to place the wood burning stove in your home. It is important to check with your building code inspector and/or fire chief to see what type of setbacks from walls and combustible surfaces are required. Moreover you want to install a wood stove in an area that is away from the normal traffic flow in your home. In addition, you want to position it in a location that is easy for storing wood and loading it. When heating with a wood burning stove it’s also important to regularly clean the chimney. Wood stoves can produce high amounts of soot and creosote in the wood stove pipe and chimney. Left unchecked, a chimney fire could easily be started.

To mitigate the risk of a chimney fire, the chimney should be cleaned a couple of times a season if you’re burning several cords of wood. Also, burn only dried hardwood in your wood stove. Burning wet wood or soft wood is a recipe for a chimney fire, high soot production, and poor heat output.

So before buying any timeless classic wood burning stove do your homework first and select one that is best for your home’s particular heating needs.