If you're thinking about wood heat, here are a couple of things you need to understand prior to investing in a wood burning stove, wood fireplace insert or wood cookstove. With rising fuel costs, wood heat can be a money saving investment, but you need to plan ahead of time and make great decisions.
Here are some things to understand prior to purchasing a wood burning stove:
# 1-- You Must Have an Ample Supply of Clean, Dry Wood for Your Stove
A few of the very best trees to collect for fire wood include:
• sugar and red maple
• hickory
• any of the oaks
• beech
• hornbeam (ironwood)
Hardwood species (like those listed above) will give you the very best return on your investment of labor by burning longer and producing a great deal of heat. These species are easily offered in northern Wisconsin, however you will require to do some research study to find what is offered in your area.
A wood lot can produce from 1 to 2 face cords of fire wood per acre each year. You might also have the ability to salvage some wood from tree trimming services, yard waste centers or storm damage.
Softwoods burn rapidly and produce less heat, which indicates that you need to refuel regularly and use a lot more wood overall. (Note: Pine does make great kindling for a quick start to your fires.).
Firewood must be "seasoned" or dried for a minimum of six months to a year prior to you burn to minimize creosote in the chimney and air pollution. Green (unseasoned) wood will burn gradually and produce a great deal of smoke and particulates. When these develop in your chimney, it increases the risk of a chimney fire. This indicates you should be preparing for next winter a year in advance.
# 2-- You Need to Plan for Proper Wood Storage
To treat (dry), wood requires excellent air circulation. You should likewise discover something to stack the wood on to keep it off the ground. It does not have to be expensive-- salvaged products used correctly can get the task done simply fine.
# 3-- Heating with Wood Burning Stove is Labor Intensive
One thing that many people don't think about is how much time you will have to buy cutting and splitting wood to heat your house. If you cut a cord or more of wood, split, and stack it, you will be doing a full day's work. If you have back problems or other illness you may want to think about buying your wood from a logger. There is likewise the task of keeping a fire. Most wood burners will require attention every 6 to 8 hours, maybe longer if you have an excellent heater or outdoor boiler.
On the plus side, you can skip the health club membership and get your workout in the house.
# 4-- Wood Burning Stoves are Not Cheap
The initial cost of a wood heater will be about $3000 plus setup. Quality wood cutting tools cost money, too, and with tools, you typically get what you pay for-- it's worth the extra money to get tools that last. This is an investment-- so make great choices.
Pellet ranges might be a better choice for urban areas, because you don't need to dry and store a year's worth of fuel. Outdoor boilers are another option. You will lose some BTU's because if the stove is outside the home, the water has to travel underground and be moved to the house through a heat exchanger. If you select an outdoor boiler, radiant heating is more suitable to a forced air system, which would decrease your efficiency even further.
Masonry heating systems are another option, however they may be more pricey than regular wood stoves or pellet ranges.
# 5-- There are Risks Involved in heating Your Home with Wood
Ensure your resident's insurance will cover you if you have wood heat, and what limitations they have on heating with wood. Tidy your chimney every year and check for issues. Inappropriate ventilation can result in carbon monoxide gas build up, which can be lethal. (A carbon monoxide detector is a great financial investment for nearly every home, however specifically those with combustion appliances.).
Town and Country Fires is a family run business based in Pickering on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. Once farmers, the Thurlow family took the big decision to diversify and as a consequence started the stove business in 1977.
Gaining a wealth of experience over the years and using a combination of old and new techniques has led to the company developing and manufacturing some of the best, energy efficient, solid fuel and wood burning stoves in the world.
For more information contact:
Town & Country Fires Ltd
Thornton Road Industrial Wood Burning Stoves Yorkshire Estate
1 Enterprise Way, Pickering YO18 7NA
01751 474803
https://www.townandcountryfires.co.uk/