Full Answer
Should you heat your house with a wood stove?
Heat Your House with a Wood Stove There's no denying the rustic, romantic appeal of heating with a wood stove. Before you commit, though, do your research and ask whether you're up to the tasks entailed.
How does a wood stove heater work?
In some homes heated by a wood stove, there are multiple fans running at once in different rooms, each strategically positioned to maximize heat flow. Sometimes these are ceiling fans; sometimes they are small fans mounted at the corners of doorways.
How do you heat a wood stove with a blower?
Another option is a plug-in blower. You can position the blower beneath or next to the stove to push the heat where you want it to go. Some wood stove homes use multiple fans in different rooms, strategically positioned to maximize heat flow. They can be ceiling fans or small fans mounted at the corners of doorways.
Is wood-stove heating worth the cost?
In areas where wood is dependably available at low cost, wood-stove heating can save money over a gas or oil system. That’s never more true than for those who harvest their own firewood. Of course, it’s a lot of work to fell trees, saw them into logs, and split those logs into stove-length pieces.
How long does it take a wood burner to heat up?
Get a piece of scrap wood, plug in the woodburning tool and let it heat up for about 5 minutes, and test out “drawing” on the wood with the various tips just like you would with a pencil. It's that simple.
Can you run a wood stove all day?
In an extended fire, you load large pieces of wood into your wood burning stove, tightly packed, so the fire slowly spreads from log to log, extending your burn for 6 to 8 hours or more. You won't need to reload any time soon. This sort of burn maintains a low, steady heat that can stay burning all night.
Can a wood stove heat an entire house?
Wood stoves aren't typically designed to heat an entire house but sized to warm a particular room in a home. However, installing a wood stove in the right location in a home, along with helping to circulate air between rooms, or using a stove boiler, can help to raise temperatures across a whole house.
How can I get my wood stove to heat faster?
0:421:51Best Way For Fast Heat From The Wood Stove - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then you open your dampers up and let the air get inside there and you get some really goodMoreAnd then you open your dampers up and let the air get inside there and you get some really good flame and some fast heat to heat things back up quickly.
Can I go to bed with log burner on?
Finally, some people wonder whether it is safe to leave their wood burning stove on overnight. The safest option is to fully extinguish your stove fire when you go to bed at night. Leaving a burning fire unattended is rarely a good idea – we all know how quickly a few flames can get out of hand.
Can you sleep with a wood burning stove on overnight?
Don't shut off the air vents completely but close them right down. This will limit the air that gets into the chamber so the fire will slowly die out. Once the embers in the fire start to go orange then you then it will start to die and you can sleep without worrying.
Is it cheaper to heat your home with a wood burning stove?
If you are using electricity to heat your home, getting a wood burner is a lot cheaper – so it really is a no brainer if you have somewhere to put it! Remember electricity costs 15p / kWh, so installing a word burner, with fuel costs of just 4p / kWh is about 3-4 times cheaper.
Is a wood burner cheaper than gas?
In fact, gas is the cheapest form of energy, so choosing a high efficiency gas fire will reduce heating bills and running costs, as well as heating up the entire room. When comparing this with burning wood as a choice of energy supply, gas is over 90% cheaper.
Is a wood stove worth it?
A wood burning stove can be worth it alone for the increased heat output from your fires compared to using open wood burning fireplaces, and you'll save on firewood costs in the long run because you can control the fire more effectively in a wood stove to burn more slowly and efficiently.
How do I make my wood stove burn all night?
Close air vents Once the flames have been dampened down, close your stove's air vents to control the levels of oxygen getting to the fire: by doing this, the fuel will burn for longer. Once the embers are glowing orange, you can leave your wood burning stove for the night.
Can you put too much wood in a wood stove?
Manufacturers of wood burning stoves recommended to only have a certain amount of wood in the stove at one time. Placing too much wood into a stove or allowing too much air flow to the fire can cause the stove to over fire.
How long should a log burn for?
Generally, tests show that heat logs will burn for around 2 - 3 hours.
What is the goal of a wood burning stove?
Your Number One Goal Is To Disperse The Heat. Wood burning stoves give off immense amounts of heat, which is perfect for warming up a house. However, there’s one issue: The heat needs to be dispersed; otherwise, all of that heat will sit in one room.
How to disperse heat around stove?
One method that you can use to disperse the heat around your home is to install a fan on the top of your stove. As long as your stove is free-standing and it’s not in a fireplace, the fan will be able to push the heat up and out. While this method takes a bit longer to heat your home, it’ll soon be warm and cozy.
What happens when you start a fire with a duct fan?
When you operate the fan when you start the fire, the duct fan blows the warm air from the stove into the plenum. From there, the plenum evenly distributes the heat throughout the duct system.
Why is it important to have a stove on a wall?
For instance, if your stove is over in a corner, instead of in a fireplace on a wall, the heat can get trapped in the corner of the room. Having the stove against a wall or in a fireplace will help the heat evenly distributed throughout the room.
How to get heat out of a house?
Leave doors open and crack a window. The oxygen from outside will help to depressurize the house, resulting in airflow. This air should help to disperse the heat throughout your home, and with the doors open, the heat can get into all rooms of the house. Re-position the stove.
How much does it cost to install a wood stove duct?
If you don’t have a duct system, there’s no need to worry. On average, it will cost about $1,800 and $3,300 to get a duct system installed so that you can adequately heat your home with a wood stove. This price also includes materials as well as labor. Now, if you wanted to do this yourself to save on costs, you can.
Can you use a wood burning stove to heat a house?
A wood-burning stove is great to have, especially if you’re living in an area where the winter feels like an arctic freeze. However, operating a wood-burning stove and getting it to heat your entire house is far different than the standard electric heater that people use today.
How does a blower work on a wood stove?
Positioned beneath or next to the stove—but not too close—the blower runs on electricity and pushes heat away from the unit. In some homes heated by a wood stove, there are multiple fans running at once in different rooms, each strategically positioned to maximize heat flow.
Is wood a renewable resource?
Of course, unlike fossil fuels, wood is a renewable resource. For some, that’s reason enough to think seriously about making the switch from a traditional oil- or gas-fueled system. And it would be a mistake not to mention that there’s something deeply satisfying, on a primal level, about wood heat.
Is a wood stove good for a fireplace?
A wood stove offers much the same benefit—something beautiful to gaze at—without seriously compromising your home’s overall energy efficiency. So if you’re looking to improve on your existing fireplace, or if you’ve always wished that your home had a fireplace, a wood stove may be your best bet.
Can you save money on a wood stove?
In areas where wood is dependably available at low cost, wood-stove heating can save money over a gas or oil system. That’s never more true than for those who harvest their own firewood. Of course, it’s a lot of work to fell trees, saw them into logs, and split those logs into stove-length pieces.
Do you have to start a fire with a wood stove?
Even apart from the amount of labor involved, heating the home with a wood stove takes real commitment. Every morning, you need to start a new fire . In the absence of a backup heating system, there must always be someone at home to tend the fire, lest the plumbing pipes freeze.
Do decorative fireplaces produce heat?
These decorative fireplaces are prized not so much for their heat production as for their aesthetic value. The trouble is that they’re so inefficient; the same way an open window would, a decorative fireplace rapidly leaks heated air (air you’ve paid to heat) out of the house.
Is a wood stove a good heating system?
While a wood stove can be a viable sole heating solution for some homes in some parts of the country, it more commonly serves as a valuable companion to an existing gas- or oil-fueled system. But there’s a third option, one that gives the average homeowner a compelling reason to consider the wood stove.
How long does it take for a wood stove to burn?
A wood stove should burn around six to eight hours, depending on your stove configuration and the wood. Some people advise to keep the draft open for the initial ten to thirty minutes to let the wood dry and then close the draft. Initially, make a small fire and then gradually add more wood.
How to make a wood stove burn longer?
Making a Wood Stove Burn Longer. Make sure the wood you’re using to burn the fire is not wet. Wet wood won’t burn longer. If you reduce the air inflow, it will be long-lasting but mild heat-producing fire. Stoves made of cast iron are more heat efficient as compared to stoves made with thin-gauge material.
What does it mean when a wood stove smokes?
If the smoke builds up in the room instead of getting out of the chimney, it means the damper of the wood stove is closed. You can check the manufacturer provided a guide to check where the damper is located and how to find out if it is closed or open.
Why is it important to buy a wood burning stove?
Also, it is important to buy the right wood-burning stove because, with a good stove, there is minimal risk of an accident. You can check out our buyers guide on the best wood burning stove. The buildup of smoke can lead to creosote deposits over time. Creosote buildup can cause a fire.
What temperature does a wood burning stove burn?
The majority of modern wood-burning stoves give a heat ranging from 375 degrees to 650 degrees Fahrenheit. There are thermometers designed to find out the stove temperature. The optimal temperature of a wood-burning stove will produce no unwanted residue such as carbon dioxide, creosote, or smoke.
How much does a wood stove cost?
A good wood stove can cost anywhere between two to five thousand dollars. If aesthetically appealing, the cost might not be as important, and purchase decisions can solely depend on its looks. Since wood stoves are comparatively efficient, they save money in the long run.
Why is my wood stove fan so fast?
More heat will result in a faster speed of the fan. The stove needs to reach a certain temperature to get the fan started. The wood stove fan uses the energy from the stove to make its motor work.
How Long Does A Wood Burning Stove Last?
A wood-burning stove is a great investment for those living in cold places and who enjoy spending time relaxing by the fire. Wood-burning stoves are usually placed in the middle of the room to take up as little space as possible while providing enough heat to warm an entire area.
The Quality Of The Stove
The quality of the stove will determine how long it lasts. A top-end stove can last up to 50 years or more while a cheaper one may only last for 20 years.
Stove Usage Determines Length Of Usage
The longer you use a wood-burning stove the shorter its lifespan is. If it’s used daily, expect to replace it after several years. A couple of hours per day will extend your stove’s life for up to 15 or 20 years. *Daily usage also contributes to smoke and soot buildups that shorten the overall lifespan as well.*
Maintenance and Usage
Regularly inspect your stove and chimney for damage or obstructions. This can be done easily by looking through the glass of a wood-burning stove door or from outside with a mirror, brushing away any soot that is covering important parts. Do not use water to clean out creosote as this could damage components in your chimney such as flue tiles.
Environmental Protection and Safety
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, burning wood emits less toxic and particle pollution than coal or natural gas in a power plant does. Fireplaces also can help improve indoor air quality by releasing some of these pollutants from within your home!
Safety Tips
It is important to always use a wood-burning stove in a safe manner. There are many safety tips that should be used when using any type of fire or heat source.
FAQs
Replacing the stove entirely is not necessary, but you should replace its components at regular intervals. If your wood stove has a grate that burns up and down, for example, then it will need to be replaced every six years (if used daily).
What are the challenges of heating a home with a wood stove?
One of the challenges of heating a home with a wood stove is properly dispersing the heat throughout the house (something my Dad and our house wasn’t really able to accomplish).
How many square feet does a stove need?
You’ll likely need a stove that is rated for at least 2,000 square feet to heat a two-story house. And you’ll need a chimney if your house doesn’t already have one. The chimney should be vented out horizontally through the wall about 12 to 24 inches above the stove. The rest of the chimney pipe should then run up the exterior ...
What is chimney pipe?
Interior chimney pipe is usually single wall, which means it also radiates heat. Pipe that does not radiate heat and is safe to use near other materials is called double or triple-wall pipe.
Can you put a wood stove on a two story house?
This is definitely possible though it does take some planning and construction. Wood stoves should be installed on the lower level in two-story homes for the simple reason that heat rises. If possible, you should cut an air duct through the floor somewhere near the stove.
Do wood stoves have fans?
Some wood stove homes use multiple fans in different rooms, strategically positioned to maximize heat flow. They can be ceiling fans or small fans mounted at the corners of doorways. Our house had none of these which is why the heat pretty much hung around in the living room.
