3 Things You Should Consider Before You Buy a Wood Stove
Buying a wood stove is a pretty big expense, and the choice you make could have repercussions for years to come. This is why you need to learn a thing or two about them before you start shopping for one. If you don’t know what to look for in a stove, you might end up disappointed with its performance, or you might get one that is not the best suited for your desired application. Let’s take a look at a few things you should consider before you buy a wood stove.
Heat Output
One of the most important things to think about when you look at a wood stove is the required heat output for the room it’s intended to heat. If you pick a stove that is too powerful, then the room could overheat, and if you buy one that is not powerful enough, it won’t be able to heat it completely or you might have to burn an excessive amount of wood to reach the temperature desired.
There are many ways to calculate the proper heat output for a room, but one of the simplest ways to do it is to multiply the room’s length, width, and height in metres. You can then divide this number by 14 if the room is normally insulated, 10 if it’s poorly insulated, and 25 if it is a new build. This will give you the size number required for the stove which is denoted in KW.
Type of Fuel
If you are thinking of getting a wood stove and you don’t know the different types available, then you may not be aware that there are stoves that can burn more than just wood. There are multi-fuel stoves, for instance, that can burn both wood and coal, which could give you more options. So, you might want to consider these stoves too if you want more versatility.
Speaking of fuel, you should also start thinking about the type of wood you should be using. There are many types of wood that you can use, but the best type, if you want to keep your wood stove cleaner, is kiln dried wood. If this is something you’d like to give a try before you buy firewood, you can get a starter kit here.
Air Wash or No Air Wash?
Some wood stoves have features that make them easier to keep clean, like air washing, for instance. Wood stoves that have an air wash function pull air from the window above the stove and pass it over the window of the stove to clean the glass while the wood stove is in operation. This helps keep the glass nice and clean, and while you will still need to wash it from time to time, it will be much less strenuous.
There are only some of the things that you’ll need to think about before you spend money on a wood stove. Make sure that you know as much about them as you can, and don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as possible when buying one.
