The use of stoves is growing, and this is because they offer higher efficiency than many other kinds of heating, as well as being relatively good for the environment. They can be carbon neutral if you grow your own wood and replace it as you use it.
Sounds good? There are many different kinds of stoves out there, and various fuels that you can burn in them. Here’s how to choose your new stove in three steps.
Fuel Consumption
What fuel do you want to use? Modern wood burning stoves are designed to consume wood and are highly efficient, 70-80% efficient. They are great for the environment, however, you might want a bit more versatility. Multi fuel stoves are not reliant on wood alone and can run on coal.
Cost
An efficient stove can save money as fuel is usually very expensive. Stoves are expensive, and so recouping your investment can take a couple of years. However, even if you move home before your stove has paid for itself, it will have undoubtedly added value to your property.
Performance
The speed with which your stove recoups its investment will depend on its performance. Before committing to buy, look at features like output, efficiency and how the heat is distributed around the room.
What features should I look out for?
Modern wood burning stoves offer a wide range of advantages over older models – mainly aimed at either boosting efficiency and improving views of the flames. Airwash technology, which is fairly in the standard these days, draws air down the inside of the window to help keep it clean as well as get rid of performance-impairing residues. To further enhance performance, clean burn systems introduces the secondary and tertiary air into the chamber. By combusting the excess hydrocarbons into the smoke, this boosts thermal efficiency and also ensures a cleaner burn – reducing a number of unpleasant particles that go up into the chimney.
Buying a stove is an investment, but can be one of the savviest investments that you’ll ever make. Of course exactly how savvy will depend on the stove you buy.
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