Choosing a wood burning stove can be difficult and it’s important to buy one that suits your needs. There are many options available, both new and used, so how can you know which one to get? Use our Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Wood Burning Stove to simplify the process and find your perfect wood stove.
The first decision you’ll have to make is what type of stove you want to use.
Different types of wood burning stoves.
The two main types of wood burning stoves are non-catalytic and catalytic. The third option is a hybrid of the two.
Read the explanations below to determine which best suits you.
Non-Catalytic Wood Burning Stove
Non-Catalytic wood stoves use a reburn system called a baffle. This element sits inside the firebox just below the stove’s top. The baffle pumps oxygen into the firebox essentially allowing the fire to reburn before exiting the flue. This type of stove will produce heat hotter and faster than a catalytic wood stove. They are sold more often than catalytic wood stoves and are typically less expensive. In general they don’t require as much maintenance as a catalytic stove. In order to make them more efficient, the firebox is usually insulated and has a large baffle to produce a longer hotter gas flow path.
Catalytic Wood Burning Stove
On average they are typically more expensive than non-catalytic wood stoves. They require more maintenance to operate and the catalytic converter must be cleaned on a regular basis. The element inside them (the honeycomb catalyst) eventually breaks down or becomes clogged and needs to be replaced. Replacements can run up to $200-$400. There is a bit of work to be done when using this type of stove because you have to watch the temperature and move a handle once the temperature reaches 500 degrees. You do this in order to move the bypass so that the honeycomb catalyst can be accessed. Temperatures under 500 degrees are too low to allow the system to reburn so the catalyst is essentially “put away” till time to use it.
Catalytic combustors are coated with precious metals, platinum and palladium. The catalytic combustor increases the speed of the chemical reaction (burning the wood gases) and therefore the temperature increases. I have heard the catalytic element described as a kind of turbocharge to the system. Strategically placed in the smoke path inside a wood stove, the catalytic combustor causes smoke to burn as fuel, creating more heat from less wood. That means a wood stove can be burned slowly, transforming most energy stored in a log to the room as heat, instead of to the outside as air pollution.
Hybrid Wood Burning Stove
You can also buy a hybrid model which combines technologies of the reburn system and a catalytic combustor.
What are Wood Stoves Made of?
Manufactures typically use cast iron, steel or soapstone in making their wood stoves.
Cast Iron
With cast iron you have a lot more options and styles because the cast iron is actually poured into molds. You end up getting beautiful and unique styles with this option. You also are given the option with many models to have a porcelain gloss finish, which makes the stove look beautiful and smooth. This type of stove is easy to clean.
Steel
These stoves are made of steel plates that are bent into the shape of a firebox, which gives them a very simple and clean look. They are generally less expensive because they cost less to manufacture.
Soapstone
This type of stove retains heat really well because soapstone is very dense. Some consider these to be the best stoves because they continue to provide heat long after the fire has gone out due to the dense soapstone.
What Hearth Protection Will I Need?
The manufactures set guidelines for each different type of wood stove they produce. They do this so that you know what type of materials your hearth pad should be made out of in order to protect you and you family from fire damage. Hearth pads are often made of ceramic tile, stone tile, or cement board. Ember protection and thermal protection are the two elements you need to consider when building your hearth.
Ember protection is the protection provided by any non combustible material. It protects your floor in case embers fall out of your wood stove while loading firewood.
Thermal protection is the protection provided by insulated R-value materials. Each material is given its own R-value. The greater the R-value the better resistance to heat it has which makes it a better thermal insulator for building your hearth. For example tile has a smaller R-value than Hardie board, which makes it a poorer choice and possibly not acceptable for your wood stove.
What Size Wood Stove Should I Buy?
Unit Size. Manufactures sell small, medium and large units. With a larger unit you can put more wood in it which means a longer burn time and you can heat more square footage than a smaller unit. For example if you live up north where the winters are very cold and want your stove to burn all night long a small or medium unit may not work for you.
Square Footage. What size of space do you want to heat? In general a small wood stove will heat between 600-1,000 sq. ft. A medium wood stove will heat between 800-2,000 sq. ft. And a large wood stove will heat between 800-3,000 sq. ft. This may seem like a wide range of square footage for each size of stove, and I agree. However, a lot will depend on how well your house is insulated and weather sealed plus how well the heat circulates throughout your house.
What Laws about Wood Burning Stoves do I Need to Know?
Permits
Almost all local laws require a permit to install your wood stove. You may also be required to have an inspection done. There is typically a fee associated with a wood burning stove permit. Be sure to check with your city or county building department for precise details.
Insurance
Sometimes home owner’s insurance can be cheaper because you have a second source of heat, but other times it will be more expensive because the insurance company is not comfortable with insuring wood burning stoves. Some home owners insurance requires that the installation is done professionally which means you will pay more than if you installed it yourself. You may also be required to have at least one inspection done by a qualified professional before insuring a home with a wood stove.
Features to Consider When Buying a Wood Burning Stove
Aesthetics
- Legs and Pedestals. Wood stoves come with either the option of standing on legs or a pedestal. Some legs are adjustable. The type with legs has the obvious effect that you can clean under it easily. It’s really a personal preference choice.
- Door. You have single door, double door, and side door options. You also have the option for a glass door. Older models don’t have glass doors. A glass door allows you to see what’s going on inside without opening your wood stove and disrupting the combustion process. Also, most people just love the ambiance of a glass door stove.
- Shape. There are many styles to choose from nowadays. Some options are square, round, rectangular, and vertical.
- Ash Lip. Catches ashes from falling onto your floor when front door is opened.
- Flat Cook Top. Some wood burning stoves have a flat top that are designed so that you can cook on them. Other models have burners and sometimes they are removable.
- Firebox Orientation. This will effect which part of the log you are looking at if you have a glass door on your stove. If your wood stove has a north to south loading orientation this means your firebox is deeper than it is wide and you will be looking at the ends of your logs. On the other hand if your firebox has a east to west loading orientation this mean your firebox is wider than it is long and you will be looking at the sides of you logs which is much more traditional and beautiful.
Functionality
- Log capacity. Wood stoves vary in size so if you plan on using a specific length of firewood make sure your wood stove can accommodate them.
- Damper or Vents. A damper/vent regulates the air flow in your wood stove. Each stove’s damper will be in a different location. Some are in the stove pipes and some are on the stove itself. You can instal a damper plate yourself on the inside pipes.
- Built in blower. If you don’t have a built in blower you can buy a stove top fan or use a ceiling fan to disperse the heat from your stove.
- Heat register. Usually placed in the bottom section of your inside pipe. Requires electricity to use and blows heat to circulate it.
- Ash drawer. Stoves with an ash drawer or ash dump allow you to clean the excess ash from your unit without stopping to let the stove cool down. A lot of people just think they are a hassle though.
- Firebrick lining. Lines the inside of your stove so that your stove radiates heat after the wood is burned.
- Warranty. Warranties vary greatly. Look at the product overview on the model you are considering for specific details.
- Air wash. Some stoves include an air wash system to help keep glass clean enabling you to have a clean look into your stove.
Cost Breakdown of a Wood Burning Stove
Once you’ve purchased your wood stove, which vary greatly in price, there are still other costs to consider before installing it. You will need to include the cost of the chimney, hearth, permit fees, and installation fees, if you don’t install it yourself. Here is a general cost breakdown. This will differ depending on the type of wood stove you purchase.
Installation Costs Inside
- Inside pipe including clean out tee. Comes in single, double, and triple wall pipe. You might choose to use single wall pipe that attaches to your stove to the ceiling, but use double or even triple wall pipe through the ceiling and roof. This is a safety precaution to prevent fires.
- Paint. If you are buying used pipe that is not dented up too bad, you can clean it up and it will work great for you. Use some steel wool and sand paper to clean it up. Then prime it with some high temperature primer and then paint over that with a high temperature black spray paint. Metallic paint will help hide defects.
- Support box. This is the part that you see sticking out of your ceiling. It supports the chimney as it goes through the ceiling toward the roof. You can buy an adapter for this to fit your pipe if you purchase from different manufactures.
- Trim kit. This trims your support box. If you have cut the whole in your ceiling just a bit too large if fits over your support box and gives it a finished look. The kit is sold in two pieces so that if you have a vaulted ceiling you can adjust and mount at an angle.
- Non-combustible flooring/Hearth. Your wood stove needs to sit on something like a hearth pad, tile, or something else non-combustible.
Installation Costs Outside
- Stainless steel exterior pipes. These go through your ceiling, through your attic and poke out of the roof. They connect with a twist locking mechanism. They come in different section lengths 1 ft – 4 ft.
- Roof Flashing Kit. This attaches to your roof to keep moisture from getting into your house. They are sold based on the pitch of your roof and made of either aluminum or galvanized steel.
- Storm collar. This mounts around the stove pipe just above the flashing and provides added weather protection and is then sealed with silicone.
- High heat silicone. You don’t need a whole lot. Less than 3 ounces will do. You will use this on your storm collar.
- Support brackets. You may want to use support brackets if your chimney is going to stick out a far distance and your area is susceptible to wind and snow. They clamp around the pipe and connect to the roof for added strength.
- Rain cap. Goes on top of your chimney and prevents rain from going down the inside of your chimney.
Other Costs
- Permit fee. This may be required by your local regulations.
- Installation fees. If not doing the work yourself be sure to figure installation fees into your budget.
EPA, Environmental Protection Agency Certification
The EPA regulates emissions and helps to ensure a cleaner-burning stove. Since July 1, 1988 they began setting regulations that apply to the manufacturing and selling of all new wood stoves.
If you want to install a used wood stove in your home you will need to make sure that it is either EPA certified or that your local regulations will allow you to install a non-EPA certified wood stove. However, many local regulations will not allow you to install a non-EPA certified wood stove. If for example, you are looking on Craig’s List for a used EPA wood stove there will be labeled on the back indicating EPA certification.
Some states offer tax breaks if you are replacing your existing uncertified wood stove with a new certified one. Certified wood stoves will be more beneficial to you in the long run because they burn wood more efficiently, have less creosote build up which means less cleaning for us, and newer stoves produce less air pollution.
Accessories
There are a lot of accessories that you can get to go with your wood stove and make it more efficient and enjoyable to use.
Maintenance Accessories
- Metal Ash Bucket and Brush. Now that you are a wood stove owner you need a way to get rid of all the ashes that build up inside your firebox. Use a metal ash bucket and dispose of ashes outside in a designated area. You need to plan where you are going to discard your ashes. Possible locations include an ash pile or another metal container outside. Don’t put them near an out building where they might continue burning and catch the building on fire.
- Fireplace Tools Some handy tools to have sitting next to your wood stove are a brush to sweep ashes, a shovel to scoop out ashes, tongs to move large hot logs, and a fireplace poker to adjust log positions. All of these tools can be purchased in a single kit for reasonable prices.
- Chimney Cleaning Kit You need to keep your chimney clean and you can do it yourself or hire someone. If you have a straight pipe, you can easily use fiberglass chimney rods and a fiberglass or wire brush to do it yourself.
- Shop Vacuum In order to quickly clean out the firebox and area where the pipes connect to your wood stove, use a shop vac with a bag inside. Make sure to purchase one with a bag otherwise you will have fine ashes covering the inside of your home.
Performance Accessories
- Non-Electric Fan Circulating the heat throughout your home can be a problem, so use this self-running fan to help you out. They are not only efficient but they look really cool too!
- Fireplace Kettle Wood stoves use up the air from inside our house and that air is replaced with air from outside. During the cold winter months this means dry air. Dry air can cause cracked lips and skin, dry sinuses, and other unpleasant effects. You can boil water on top of your wood stove in order to add some moisture to the air thus alleviating some dryness. Plus having a cast iron kettle sit on your stove is pleasant to look at.
- Firewood Racks You are going to be burning a lot of firewood in your wood stove so you need a place inside and outside to store it. There are lots of options you can buy and DIY solutions too.
I hope that after reading this article you have a better idea of the many wood burning stove options available to you. If there is anything else you can think of that I neglected to include in this article, please write it in the comments below. Your comments will help the whole community be that much more educated.
Keepsm:)ing!
