If you’re looking to buy a wood burning stove, you may be wondering whether they are efficient or not?
The last thing you want to do is spend your hard-earned money on an appliance just to find out it’s not getting you bang for buck. In short, the answer is yes, wood burning stoves can be very efficient.
However, you need to ensure you look after them properly. Wood burners are not the most efficient way of heating your home, but they can be good for supplemental heat.
We’ll look at the specifics of why wood stoves are efficient and how to use them efficiently. We want to ensure that you get the most out of your own burner.
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Are Wood Burning Stoves Efficient?
The EPA requires manufacturers of all wood heating appliances subject to the 2015 air emission rules (wood stoves manufactured after 1st May 2015) to test and report overall efficiency as part of the EPA-certification process. To identify an EPA-certified appliance, look on the back for a metal tag, refer to your owner’s manual or check EPA’s list of certified appliances.
Wood burning stoves have been built to help overcome the flaws that are presented when using traditional open fireplaces. The efficiency of an open wood burning fireplace can be as little as 10%, compared to stoves which have efficiency ratings between 60% and 90% (be aware that this will depend on which model you buy).
Wood burning stoves not only look good in your home, but they also provide an attractive alternative to furnaces or electric heaters because they use a renewable fuel source.
However, if you’re wanting to reduce energy costs by switching from fossil fuels to wood as a primary source of heating, you need to be aware that the efficiency will realistically drop. Most wood-burning stoves are not more efficient than other sources, like gas and electricity.
How do you Use a Wood Burning Stove Efficiently?
Using the tips below will help ensure your wood stove runs more efficiently:
Replace your current stove:
One of the best ways to make your wood stove more efficient may be to simply replace it with a newer model. If you’re operating with an outdated stove, decades old it may be time to consider a replacement.
Keep in mind that wood burners manufactured before 1990 burn wood less efficiently. This results in wasted fuel, greater pollution and a dirtier home due to excess dust and ash. Replacing an old wood stove with a newer model will not only increase efficiency but can also protect your and your family’s health.
Clean and repair chimney:
Having clogged chimney walls can disrupt the smooth airflow and can be a reason why your stove isn’t working as efficiently as possible.
In many cases, you can clean the chimney yourself and save a few hundred dollars. Removing ordinary chimney soot is simple. However, if you have heavy creosote build-up, you may have to call a professional. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys should be cleaned at least once a year.
Before you start using your stove, get your chimney swept, clean out the airways connected to your stove and if you notice any cracks in your chimney, get them repaired.
Light the fire correctly:
If you want to ensure that you get the most heat from your stove, you need to get your fire off to a good start. To do this, ensure that your bed kindling is glowing hot before proceeding to add your wood. Make sure you only add a couple of logs and wait until they are fully on fire before adding more.
Without adequate airflow, the fire won’t start quickly so make sure you keep the air vents and door open when you’re getting the fire started.
Only use dry wood:
The less moisture in the wood, the more complete the combustion. Simple.
If you choose to burn wood from your garden, you need to be patient as it can take as long as two years for wood to air-dry naturally. You can use a moisture meter to confirm the moisture content of wood before using it.
Whilst freshly cut wood may be cheaper, always opt for dry wood with a moisture content of at least 15-20%. This will burn faster, longer, and does not produce any undesirable gases. You can buy already dry wood from a trusted wood supplier, or you can dry it yourself at home.
The fire will burn less efficiently if the wood you add is too wet. This is because more energy is required to burn off the excess moisture in the wood.
Add a catalytic combustor:
Adding a catalytic combustor insert can help increase efficiency for older wood-burning stoves. Catalytic combustors promote the combustion of pollutant gases and particulates released from burning wood. They operate at very high temperatures and therefore provide more heat and fewer emissions.
Maintain the supply of wood:
Keeping the supply of wood on the fire maintained at the right level will help ensure your fire is burning more efficiently. Each model of wood burning stove has a different capacity, and this amount should not be exceeded, or the stove can be running too hot to be efficient. To find out how hot your stove’s design capacity is, check out your manufacturer’s guidelines.
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So, is a wood-burning stove efficient?
It is a lot more efficient than using an open fire, but it may not be as efficient as traditional methods, such as gas and electricity. However, how you use the stove will have a big effect on how efficient the stove can be.
Using the information above can help you get the most out of your wood-burning stove. And remember, if you haven’t yet brought your stove, check the efficiency levels before purchasing.
We hope this helps, and for everything else home heating stick with CosyWarmer.com