10 Tips for Choosing a Wood Stove

Are you looking to purchase a wood stove that you can cook with? If so, there are a few things that you should consider first. These stoves can be a reliable and affordable source of heat, but choosing one to buy can be difficult because of the large range of options available. Here are 10 tips that will help you find the perfect wood stove for your home.

 1. Find a good dealer. They should have been in the

business for many years and burn wood regularly in their home.

 2. Find a brand with experience. Ideally, they should

have at least 20 years of experience in wood heating.

3. Pick a material. Most wood stoves are made from soapstone, cast iron or welded steel. Each has different characteristics that could affect your choice.

 4. Select a size. This will affect the heating capacity.

Have an experienced dealer help you figure out which one is right for you.

 5. Choose a combustion system. Catalytic stoves

burn cleaner and are often more efficient, but can also be more expensive and harder to operate.

 6. Determine your log length. If you are getting your

wood from a commercial dealer, then it will be cut to standard length, which is 16 inches.

7. Figure out if you want a top loader. Although they may look nice, they are messy, leak exhaust when opened and are difficult to load.

 8. Select a shape. Wide and shallow stoves are

attractive, but can be a pain when opening the door and loading the logs. Consider one that has a square floor.

 9. Find the right heat output. This should be

determined based on your house size and configuration as well as the climate you live in.

 10. Determine how you’ll handle ash. Although

stoves may come with ash pans, many of them can be inefficient and difficult to use.

 

When looking for the proper wood stove for your home, always consult a professional so they can help pick out the best one for you. For more information on wood burning fireplace in La Mesa, visit this website.