Wood Burning Stove buying tips

3 June 2010      

Wood Burning Stove buying tips

Interest in wood burning stoves has jumped recently due to their environmentally friendly reputation and for their “green” selling point for homes. In order to make the right buying decision, you have to do a bit of homework first. You will have to measure both the room in which the stove will be placed and where the stove itself will be located in that room; length, depth and height. There are many kilowatt calculators available on line you can use to determine how much heat output you need to heat the allotted space. This way you can look at only models with the correct output. Now the more aesthetic questions come into play. Will it be freestanding or inside a hearth? Do you want to see the fire? If so, you need to look for a model with a glass door. What color do you want? With the increased interest in wood burning stoves, the styles, materials used, and colors available have increased as well. They range from cast iron and stainless steel, to antique and modern. Do you want to use the stove with the doors open? Then look for one with a larger door opening. Do you want to use yours for cooking? Cook tops are available on many models.

When it comes to installing your new wood burning stove, this is best left to experts. Chimneys often need to be lined in order to avoid issues with soot and tar. Also, there needs to be enough clearance above and on the sides of the stove. Also, the flue needs to be the right size in order to allow for the safe elimination of smoke. When it comes to installation, the best tip is to call around to some experts and then let one of them install it.