Wood Burning Stoves

A wood burning stove can be a fantastic addition to your home. You can pick from a variety of sizes and styles that match your preferences. They can either be installed on the wall or be free-standing.

Modern wood stoves adhere to strict EU regulations (often referred to as Ecodesign) to provide high levels of fuel efficiency and low emissions. Some are also DEFRA exempt and can burn briquettes, or other fuels that are smokeless.

What is a wood-burning stove?

A wood stove is a freestanding heating appliance that burns firewood to create radiant heat within your home. Wood burning stoves have been in use for centuries and are an eco-friendly alternative to heating your home with oil or gas. Modern stoves are technologically advanced and come in a variety styles to meet the needs of any. They operate similar to fireplaces, but they generate more heat by using wood to create radiant heating.

A high-quality stove will produce heat efficiently and be certified safe to use. You should look for the EPA label, which tells you when the stove was built and what emission standards it complies with. Antique stoves are often not EPA-certified, so it's best to choose the latest models that have been tested and proved to be safe and effective.

All wood-burning stoves release vapors of creosote as they burn however, modern stoves will use the vapors to burn before they escape into your home. They also make use of fuel more efficiently, which prevents smoke and soot problems in the fireplace.

You will need to have enough firewood to maintain your wood stove and an area to store it. You will also need a suitable class A chimney to vent the stove, and the proper clearance between your wood stove as well as the floors and walls surrounding it. To ensure the safety and integrity of your stove and chimney, you'll need an expert to examine and clean it on a regular basis.

Wood smoke is bad for the lungs of everyone, but it can be particularly harmful to children and older adults, as well as people who suffer from respiratory ailments such as asthma or chronic obstructive respiratory disease. You can protect your family members and yourself from the negative effects of smoke from wood. Limit the time you spend in rooms with an oven, make use of the recirculate function on your air conditioner, and keep doors closed.

Size

Wood-burning stoves can bring a real feel of warmth and charm to your home. They are also energy efficient and can help you reduce your heating expenses. However, it's important to select the right size stove. If you select a stove that is too small, it will fail to effectively heat your home. If you choose the wrong stove, it will be too big, the fuel will be wasted. Ask corner wood burner for advice if you aren't sure. They'll conduct an assessment of the site and provide you with advice on the right size stove for your home.

Stoves are rated according to their nominal output of heat. This is represented in kW. This is a guideline to the maximum amount of heat they can produce under test conditions. This figure is not a reliable guideline when selecting a stove. The amount of heat produced depends on the type and quality fuel you employ. It is also important to consider how well-insulated your property is and the draughtiness of your home.

There are many stoves to choose from with each having a distinct design and style. Some are more traditional, with rustic features, a simple color scheme, while others are more modern, with sleek lines, large windows, and innovative shapes.

Ecodesign is the standard that most modern stoves adhere to which ensures high efficiency and low emissions. If you want to be sure that the stove is Ecodesign compliant look for the ClearSkies logo. They are around 80-90 percent more efficient than older stoves or open fires. This will save you a lot of money on your energy bills and is also an environmentally friendly choice.

Efficiency

Wood burning stoves, if properly designed and used they can be very efficient heaters. The most recent models emit little pollution and can provide heat at a fraction of the price of electricity, gas or oil.

One of the most significant elements that determine the efficiency of a stove is its ability to create an effective flame that burns logs efficiently and for the longest duration possible. This will stop the fire from 'going off' or producing excessive quantities of smoke. It is important to make sure to use only clean, kiln dried logs from British suppliers. You should also be careful not to overload the firebox, and exceeding its maximum heating capacity.

A large amount of care is given to ensure that stoves are constructed with care and designed for optimum function. The best wood-burning stoves have sealed, insulated fireboxes that are made of high-quality parts and materials. Ideally, the firebox must be kept at a constant temperature to ensure that the logs burn properly and the flue does not over-heat.

The right size stove for your space is important to optimize the efficiency of your heating. A stove that is too big for the room will not be as efficient while one that is too small could result in over-firing and create excessive smoke.

Eco-friendly wood stoves are becoming increasingly popular. They are a great way to reduce the dependence of your household on fossil fuels, and also provide warm, more comfortable heating. Wood is an energy source that is renewable, which is better for the planet than coal or mineral fuels.

It is important to only use kiln-dried logs that have been cultivated and harvested in a sustainable manner. Avoid using wet or treated wood, oiled wood or waste or pallet wood. They emit unattractive fumes that can harm your stove and flue. Buying your logs from a retailer who is registered with the Defra approved 'Ready to Burn" logo will ensure that you get a 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 and modern, while others are more traditional in their appearance. Some are multi-fuel while others are strictly for wood. The style of your stove will influence the kind of heat it generates and how well it blends into the overall design of your home.

In general when burning wood in a stove it goes through two distinct processes that are called combustion and Pyrolysis. When wood is heated, it creates carbon monoxide, as well as other byproducts that are released into the air. Pyrolysis occurs when wood is heated to a higher temperature and evolves gasses, such as hydrocarbons or carbon dioxide. The resulting gasses are burned in the firebox, generating more carbon monoxide and other byproducts.

Many wood stoves are now equipped with secondary combustion, which is a catalytic unit that reburns byproducts from primary combustion. This reduces emissions of smoke and other pollutants by a significant amount. It also lets wood stoves operate at lower temperatures, meaning less wood is required, and more efficiency.

Older stoves that don't use secondary combustion are less efficient and they are also more polluting as the materials that are not burned can escape through the flue. They're still popular because of their simplicity of use and the atmosphere they create.


Modern wood burners are required to comply with a set of emission limits, referred to as Ecodesign. These are determined by an efficiency rating of a minimum and reduced maximum levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. They are typically DEFRA approved and have space underneath for a stack log. Some models come with cleanAir technology that draws air into the unit to clean the glass and stop sooting or blackening.

Maintenance

To function optimally wood stoves require regular maintenance. This means cleaning it regularly and removing the ashes after fires, and making sure that the gaskets are in good shape. Gaskets seal the airtight process of combustion and if they are damaged, it could lead to problems like smoke leakage or decreased efficiency. To prevent fires from chimneys it is crucial to regularly sweep the chimney. This should be done at least twice a year at the very minimum, however it could be necessary to do it more frequently based on how frequently the stove is used.

Stoves come in many different dimensions and shapes and styles, with some more suitable for specific areas than others. A cylindrical, curved shape can be a sleek and modern addition to any space, while still offering warmth. Color can also affect maintenance. Lighter colours show more dirt and soot while darker shades conceal the stains.

The grates, which are an iron plate at the bottom of the stove, which holds the firewood, wears down with use however it can be easily replaced. The grate could also break if not maintained regularly. The lining of the combustion chamber may also crack or snap. The repeated opening and closing of the door can degrade seals made of rope. The glass can also become scratched or milky over time, though this is not as simple to replace as a home window.

It is important that you only burn wood that is properly prepared in your stove. Unseasoned logs will produce more smoke and creosote. It is crucial to properly fuel your stove by adjusting how much wood you use and making sure that it isn't overheated. This will ensure that the stove is burning properly and help minimise pollution levels.