S.A. Smith asked:


FUEL EFFICIENT

Wood pellet stoves are a clean burning and efficient source of heat energy. Many wood pellet stoves on the market have been rated to have burning efficiencies higher that 85% and have no issues meeting stringent local and federal air quality standards. Compared to wood stoves that have substantial soot and ash buildup after one use, pellet stoves can run for weeks at a time and still not produce as much ash as one days use with a woodstove.

ECO-FRIENDLY

The wood pellets that fuel these stoves are made from recycled sawdust that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills or incinerated in waste burners typically found at sawmills. Wood is also a natural renewable resource and by selecting wood pellets as a fuel source you are helping to recycle forestry related waste byproducts.

CONSISTENT HEAT SOURCE

Pellet stoves deliver the wood pellet fuel into the stoves combustible chamber on a regular and consistent basis. What this means is that you have a very steady and consistent source of heat for up to 72 hours before you have to refill the hopper with more wood pellets. No more feeding a woodstove chopped wood every couple of hours and facing hot and cold heating cycles as the wood burns strong then dies out.

HEATING CONVENIENCE

Fill up the hopper, start and go. That’s it! No more messing around with kindling or chopped wood, stoking, and refilling every couple of hours. You can even run pellet stoves connected to a thermostat to regulate the temperature. Pellet stoves offer true heating convenience without the hassles associated with traditional wood burning stoves.

COST EFFECTIVE

Pellet stoves are the most efficient solid fuel source on the planet, and because the pellets are made from a wood waste product the cost is very inexpensive to run a pellet stove compared to other heating sources. The rising cost of other energy sources like electricity, oil and natural gas have also added to the gaining popularity of pellet stoves.

EASY TO CLEAN

Pellet stoves are simple to clean. Most have simple lift out ash pans that need to be dumped every couple of weeks, depending upon your usage patterns. Furthermore, there is no wood pile mess, bark scraps, or having to sweeping out piles and piles of ash.

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Michael Flatley asked:


As with most things around the house, stoves need a little bit of tender loving care in order to serve you well throughout its life. Below are the main parts of your stove that you would need to check in order for your stove to work efficiently:

Fire Grate: This is the part on the bed of your stove that the fuel sits on. If it is a Multi Fuel Stove ensure that the grate can be riddled easily enough. If the grate does not move or is restricted in its movement remove the grate when cool and check for distortion and cracks. Please note that these do occasionally wear out and the normal reason behind this is often due to the ashpan not being cleaned regularly enough. Remove the ash daily as the ash can catch fire and will put direct heat onto the bar which will reduce the life of the grate.

Fire Bricks: are the concrete looking bricks that you normally find in side the stove on the inside walls and at the back of the stove. The job of the fire bricks are to protect the cast or steel shell from damage by the direct heat produced. From time to time the bricks can crack or start to crumble in places. If the crack is very small you can normally cover the crack in fire cement just to seal the crack but this should only be a short term fix and you should look to replace the fire bricks as soon as possible to avoid damaging your stove.

Stove Throat plate: This is the steel plate at the top of the stove that normally rests on top of the Fire Bricks. This is designed to stop all the heat going directly up the chimney and reflects the heat back into the stove. Over time these can sometimes warp slightly if the stove is run frequently at a high heat. If this gets too warped it could cause problems when sweeping the chimney or trying to remove fire bricks.

Ashpan: This is what catches the ash in a Multi Fuel Stove. Ensure that there are no holes in the ash pan to avoid having hot ash falling out. this should be emptied regularly as to protect the Fire Grate and the Ashpan itself as continued heat could cause damage.

Stove Rope Seal: This is the heat resistant roap that goes around the door or the stove and the inside of the glass. the road will wear out over time and will need to be replaced. you will normally know when the rope needs replacing as there may be air getting into the stove making it burn less efficiently or there may be smoke seeping out of the door or glass. The rope will also go very flat and hard and crispy over time and this is another sign of wear and tear.

Heat Resistant Glass: The glass can get brittle over time and can crack if knocked. Occasionally the glass will become too brittle because of the heat it will crack with the slightest touch. This is normal and can happen after a period of time. Try not to over tighten the glass screws on the in side of the door as these could make the glass crack once heated.

The above mentioned are the main things that can have an effect on the way the stove works. It is recommended that you check the above items regularly. This will ensure that your stove looks after you through out the cold winter months, year after year.

Wood Pellet Production Guide

Joel Hemmings asked:


A Wood Stove dates back hundreds of years, but these days they are a small fireplaces designed to look attractive and most importantly radiate heat around the home efficiently. A Wood Stove can be made from several materials, it really depends upon your choice whether you like the look of modern ceramic or old styled cast iron.

Why choose a wood stove? Well, they are safer than other heat options. A wood stove does not use gas so there is no chance of an unexpected gas leak. So a wood stove cuts out the danger of inhaling fumes and the chance of unexpected gas explosion, two of the real fears with a gas fire.

A wood stove is a decorative piece within the heart of a house, they draw everyone’s eyes. There are many styles to choose from, but your stereotypical wood stove is free standing on four small legs. These legs provide foundations for intricate bodies of many designs. Following on from here is the pipe which diverts all the smoke created out of harms way.

A wood stove is an effective and attractive way to heat your home. Placing the wood stove on the ground floor in the main room is the most efficient way to take advantage of the heat provided.

The price of a wood stove ranges but when you compare the price of a wood stove to other sources of heat what you get with a wood stove far out weighs the others, not only do you get a heat source with a wood stove but a decorative item as well.

Lastly, the environment is very important these days and with the use of inexpensive and plentiful wood the wood stove will contribute to a green world. Wood is renewable source and is the perfect fuel for a wood burner.

A wood stove is a real option to take when deciding on a heat source, they are contemporary, efficient, safe, well priced and do there part for the environment.

www.woodstovesite.info has been created to give a collection of facts, instructions, advice and general information all based around a wood stove.

David W Miller asked:


Wood burning stoves the comparison between steel and cast iron. Steel stoves heat up quick and start giving off heat right away. When the fire in the steel stove cools down so does the stove. A cast iron wood stove can take a couple hours to heat up, but when the fire dies down the cast iron will radiate out heat for hours. When comparable sized stoves are heated and operating both generate comparable heat into your home. What we will look at is the time it takes a wood stove to heat up and the time it takes to cool down.

If you plan to purchase a wood stove and burn it 24-7 late fall till early spring either stove will heat the same. Where the heat up and cool down times play into the comparison is the home owner who burns a wood stove just a few times a week and wants to heat up a cold home quickly. Many people have cabins or cottages that the sole source of heat is a wood stove. When entering a cold cabin in the dead of winter you want heat right away verses waiting for it to heat up.

Cast iron stoves have more features like upper air controls that allow you to add more or less air into the catalytic chamber for more combustion. Lower air controls are for the fire box. Most steel stoves only have lower air controls for the fire box.

Most cast iron stoves have ash drawers. The bottom of the fire box is either a cast grate with slots for the ash to fall into the clean-out drawer or some have shaker grates. Shaker grates are controlled from the side of the stove with a special wrench type tool. Steel stoves are lined with firebrick. Most steel stoves do not have ash drawers. Ashes are removed with a shovel. As stated above steel stoves are lined with firebrick this is to help the stove hold heat. Firebrick is easily broken when logs are tossed in and from normal wear of heating and cooling. Firebricks can be replaced.

While steel stoves are welded together, cast iron stoves are held together with furnace cement. Heating the stove under normal circumstances the expanding and contracting will cause the seams to crack. After a few years of burning the cast iron stove should be broke down and all the seams re-cemented.

Both steel and cast iron stoves have gaskets around the door and glass. The rope gaskets should be replaced annually. This is minor maintenance and it keeps the stove airtight.

Cast iron stoves are available in decorator porcelain enamel colors. A word of caution the colors will darken over time after the stove is heated. If the wood stove is overheated the finish can crack. It is similar to crazing that appears on your diner plates and other ceramic pieces. If there is water on the stove clean it ASAP. If the stove is hot do not spill water on it. The enamel finish will stain and the water marks are noticeable.

A wood burning stove is a great source of heat. Wood stoves last for 15 plus years and are inexpensive to operate. Whichever wood stove you choose enjoy it!

Shirley A Steed asked:


Multifuel stoves are fast becoming the new trend. With Gas and Electric prices’ shooting up it is the new alternative source of heat. There are many makes and models and this is fast becoming a very competitive market. A good multifuel stove consists of a steel or cast iron body with usually cast iron doors. A Steel stove will heat up quicker but cool down faster. Cast iron will take longer to heat up but will retain the heat for a while after the fire has gone out. You will generally need more room around it for the air to circulate than a steel stove would, if there is limited circulation around a cast iron stove it could crack. There is an airwash to keep the glass clean, which is usually a top slider or spinner. This works by bringing air into the stove and drawing it in front of the glass to prevent the smoke blacking it up. The primary air supply is usually at the bottom and again is a slider or a spinner. This is usually left open whilst you are lighting your fire as you need to give it plenty of air to get it going. Once the fire is established then you can start to turn the fire down and just leave it ticking over nicely. Most small fires will burn for 2 – 4 hours on wood depending on hardwood or softwood and how well it is seasoned. It will burn longer on smokeless fuel between 6 – 12 hours, depending on the load size and fuel quality. A few models have a tertiary air supply which makes the stove much more efficient as it burns off any excessive gasses in the stove so there fewer emissions out of the chimney. A lot of areas are now smoke exempt. You will need to contact your local council to check if you are in a smoke controlled area; if you are and you want to burn wood then you will need to buy an approved stove. If you are not bothered about burning wood then you need to burn a smokeless fuel. There are plenty available now from your local coal man who will deliver fuel to you. Over the last few years many modifications have been made to multifuel stoves making them easier to use, more modern and ultimately much more efficient. Multifuel stoves come complete with ash pan and grate. Some have superior external riddling grates and some are pretty basic or don’t riddle at all.

Wood burning stoves are carbon neutral; it only gives off as much carbon as the wood has taken in while it has been growing. There are many different types of wood you can burn. Most need at least two winters outside to the elements and then six months under cover where the wind can still get in but the rain can’t to dry out. Wood that is seasoned correctly will give no smoke emissions out of the chimney, making it better for the environment. Hardwoods take longer to season up to three to four years. Ash can be burnt as soon as it is felled. Stoves that are wood burning only don’t usually come with a grate or ash pan. This is because wood burns best in its own ash and burns from the top down, With smokeless coal you need a grate to get air under the coal to make it burn.

If you have a chimney with a stack and a pot fitting of a stove is pretty straight forward, this has to be carried out by a Hetas registered engineer. You will need to get your chimney swept and tested; if you chimney fails a smoke test then it will need to be lined before a stove is fitted. There are two main types of liner, 316 grade which comes with a ten year guarantee and 904 grade which comes with a 25 year guarantee. If the stove is fitted by a non registered engineer you will need to contact the building inspector from your local council to check it has been fitted to manufacturers instructions and issue a certificate of compliance, however this can be pretty expensive. Stoves that are not fitted by Hetas registered engineers or passed by the building inspector will not be covered under the manufacturers guarantee.

If you don’t have a chimney you can use a prefabricated chimney in most cases. This is usually twin wall insulated flue; this is much cheaper that building a new chimney and will probably last the life of the stove providing you are burning the recommended fuels, and have it swept on a regular basis. Alternatively you can build a chimney and line it with pumice or terracotta liners. You will need to contact your local council for building regulations and in some cases planning permission.

A lot of wood burning and multifuel stoves can now run central heating or domestic hot water boilers. They can be linked into existing systems. If you have an open vent system they can be linked by a Dunsley Neutraliser, if you have a pressurised system (combi boiler) this can be linked through a Thermal storage unit but this can be expensive and requires somewhere to site the cylinder. Once you have felt the warmth and comfort a real fire gives you will be impressed. Wood burning and multifuel stoves are a sealed unit so they don’t burn as much fuel as an open fire and are about three times more efficient. This is because with an open fire you have all the heat going up the chimney and it is constantly pulling cold air from into the room. With a sealed appliance the only air that it gets is what you give it through the air controls which enable the heat to build up and come out into the room. Most stoves need 2″ of space at the back, 6″ at each side and 12″ of hearth in front, the hearth needs to be 2″ thick of non combustible material. The stove and pipe also need to be 18″ away from anything combustible, these are the current building regulations in England; however manufacturer’s instructions override building regulations so if it states you need more room in the installation instructions you should have more room. If you are unsure when purchasing a stove you need to go to a reputable dealer who is well established and Hetas registered to ensure you get all the correct information.

A real fire cannot be beaten it is a different kind of warmth that seems to spread around the house not just in the room where the fire is. When purchasing a fire you need to make sure you get the correct size for the room that it is going in. your local dealer will be able to help you with this if you have your room sizes, height of ceilings and approximate age of property. They will also be able to advise you on materials to use around your fire and all current building regulations regarding multifuel and wood burning stoves. Most companies now offer free site surveys to check suitability of installation and have engineers who can knock out fireplace openings and lay hearths etc.

Wood Pellet Stove And Boiler Guide

Christopher W Smith asked:


We hear a lot of mention on the news these days about people seeking alternative methods of heating their homes. After all, natural gas, which became the most economical way of heating a home in the mid 20th century, has become prohibitively-expensive for many people today. Propane and electricity are even more expensive than natural gas, and the initial outlay for a geothermal system is not an economical solution either. Therefore, many people are turning to the heating methods used by our ancestors and going back to stoves. For example, pellet stove reviews indicate that many people are opting for new technology ways to save on their heating costs.

One of the best-known brands of this modern technology is the Whitfield Pellet Stove. When you think about old-time stoves, you probably envision bulky black monstrosities that have to be stoked with constant loads of wood. Pellet stoves are nothing like these older versions. They are basic, classy-looking units that fit right into your living or family room décor. They are also high-tech as far as performance and high-efficiency combustion are concerned. This type of a stove will deliver up to 30,000 or 40,000 BTUs of heat with an 85% heating efficiency which will keep your home and family warm and comfortable.

Harman pellet stoves are also top-of-the-line as far as efficiency and decorative appeal. These sleek, streamlined units are built powerful and convenient to use, and have state-of-the-art temperature control so that your home will always be the temperature you want it to be. These beautiful, free-standing stoves are made of cast iron and are engineered to surpass any other cast iron stoves on the market. All you need do is fill the hopper and set the temperature, and your Harman pellet stove will be good to go. You won’t even have to empty the ash collector until you’ve burned a ton of pellets.

High efficiency pellet stoves are definitely a wave of the future. Nothing is more convenient to use, more dependable, or more efficient. According to pellet stove reviews that are found online, customers love both Whitfield and Harman stoves. Think of how cozy your home could be next winter if you added one to your life.

Jonathan R Richards asked:


It is cold in here, turn up the thermostat! Turn the “what” up. Many people of the older generation can easily remember when the sophisticated heating systems of today were not yet available. Even worse, their parents can vividly bear witness to the many nights of cuddling under make shift covers trying to fend off the shivering below zero temperatures of winter. Icy cold feet, especially, were the problem. They would have loved to have been able to simply turn up the thermostat. However, warming an ordinary building brick on a wood stove was about all they could do. They would then place it between their bedding to be used as a foot warmer. The warmth that had been absorbed into the brick was then slowly released into the bedding; resulting in a better night’s sleep.

That very same principle of heat transfer is still being utilized today. The masonry fireplace is usually built out of specially processed bricks. It is a very clean burning apparatus due to the extremely high temperature that is produced; thus the use of fire brick. This hotness permeates the total huge mass of this man made stone; which in turn heats the surrounding air in the room. Sufficiently raising the temperature of this small mountain may take a little while, but it will then continue to radiate heat through out your entire home for the rest of the day. This type of fireplace does not require the constant attention that a wood stove does.

Masonry fireplaces, unfortunately, are very expensive to build. They are extremely heavy; requiring a lot off extra support to hold them up. Never the less, these energy efficient, beautiful works of art will last a lifetime.

Wood Pellet Stove And Boiler Guide

AJ Vanderhorst asked:


When you set out to find the right stove for your home, there’s a lot to think about. Fortunately, after you answer some basic questions, picking a wood stove becomes a question of style-not survival! Here are some steps to help you enjoy the buying experience.

Step one, know why you want a wood stove. What main purpose will the stove serve? Heating, cooking, ambiance-or some combination? How much heat does the stove need to provide? Are you heating a single room, a whole floor, a good-sized house, or a cottage? A final question is how often the stove will be used-frequently or occasionally? Knowing what you want your wood stove to accomplish is the first step toward buying the perfect model.

Step two, read the small print-but read it casually. When you look at models, find the stickers on the stoves that tell you they are certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This means they are environmentally friendly and burn efficiently. If you’re shopping for stoves online, this information will be readily available. The EPA approval is the important thing. You’ll find the Btu ratings and square footage heating estimates as well-but since they aren’t standardized, it’s a mistake to depend on them too much as you shop. Consider them rough estimates, and focus instead on the size of the stoves you’re looking at. (See below.)

Step three, don’t buy the biggest, shiniest stove you can find-unless that’s what you need. You can buy a Hummer for cross-country driving without sacrificing comfort. But buying large stoves for small heating needs causes potential fire hazards and stuffy rooms. In addition, wood stoves that are too large cost you money. To control the heat, you’ll be forced to cut down the stove’s air supply-which will reduce efficiency and waste fuel. Buying over-sized wood stoves is a common mistake-but not one that you have to make. Practically, stoves come in only three sizes-small, medium, and large. Here’s a breakdown of how the sizes relate to your needs:

Small stoves heat a small cabin or large room. Medium stoves heat small or moderately-sized houses. Large stoves heat large or drafty houses.

Ultimately, a solid understanding of why you want a wood burning stove, with your climate, house type and fuel choice factored in, will lead you to the correctly-sized, EPA-approved models. At that point, the purchase gets fun: Which colors and styles do you prefer?

Wood Pellet Production Guide

Eamonn Horgan asked:


Now if you’re reading this you’ve probably been thinking about the benefits of having a multi-fuel stove in your home or workspace. So you’ll know they look great, save you hundreds of pounds if used as part of your central heating system and help in small way in battling global warming, all fantastic and worthy things.Well I’ll say it, isn’t it amazing the name variants you can have, for what is in effect a box with a fire in it?

Lets clear up a couple of the easy ones, a log burner is designed for the burning of wood. Multifuel or Multi-fuel? this one just comes down to your education, they mean the same thing, but, as with most things people like to stick with what they know, so either/or. A multifuel stove will burn, coal wood, smokeless coal, coke, biomass fuel (solid) and brickets. A wood burning stove is confusingly used a an industry standard term, so please ask your retailer to clarify. This brings me on to a few words of caution.If you live in a large urban area you should be subject to the clean air act. You cant use coal or wood in these areas unless you have purchased a DEfRA approved stove, these are expensive, but have been modified to allow you to burn wood in urban areas.

Well lets get started. A free standing stove is the traditional style,its designed so that heat can radiate from the front and two sides. Heat will come out of the back, but your HETAS fitter will position this correctly for you.

This stove can be positioned in an existing chimney breast or anywhere in a room,where the flue has an outside wall to release the smoke through. (I’ll come to flues later)

Now the built in, this is designed to slot into the wall cavity, so that,usually the glass front and/or sides are visible, think how a flat screen TV looks on a wall. The heat will come into the room via the glass.

I hear a lot of people being pro cast iron or pro rolled steel. Lets cut right to the chase, cast iron is the traditional way, now I’m not saying that makes it either better, because its the tried and tested way, or worse, because its old hat. The differences are slight and depend on what you want. Basically, the rolled steel version heats up quicker than the cast iron stove. The cast iron stove will retain heat for long after the fire has gone out. Other minor things to look out for before you make your decision, very rarely the cast iron stove can crack, I stress this is very rare and the rolled steel with again rarely warp. So you pays your money you makes your choice. What its really down to is the “look” you want for your room and sometimes the sales mans own preference.

Multifuel stoves with boilers, these are one of the best things on the market right now. You can heat the room the stove is in as well your radiators throughout your home or workspace. As long as its fitted by a HETAS fitter and attached by a CORGI approved plumber you will save hundreds of pounds over a year. There are even gizmo’s that can have but your gas and stove generated boilers working in unison.

Flues, very straight forward they connect to the pipe at the back, but generally the top of your multi-fuel stove they release the smoke either up the chimney via flexi flues or via a hole in the wall which is lagged.

Always check with your district/borough/city/county council for available grants, some times,if your a business, you will find info on development agency site. This can be time consuming, but, very worth while financially.

So best of luck hope this helped, please feel free to visit my websites for more specific advice.

Wood Pellet Stove And Boiler Guide

Buck Richards asked:


It is incredible how stoves have become the consumer’s choice in recent times. With the rise in energy and home heating costs, it is hardly surprising that this has happened, in my opinion; I am surprised that it hasn’t happened sooner!

So, what is the best stove to buy?

Well, this is entirely dependent on your heating requirements and style choice – what I mean; is that it is personal preference that plays the major key.

In this article I will be discussing three of the popular stoves presently available, although I will say this with a pinch of salt, as we are in the Christmas period now and the availability of stoves has become somewhat scarce. With this said; many of the less popular stoves are still available, so if you are able to compromise, then getting a stove before Christmas could still be possible.

First Choice

The AGA, Little Wenlock Classic Multi-fuel Stove in Matt Black; possesses the perfect blend of new and old, by combining state-of-the-art design with traditional beauty.

With a nominal heat output of 4.7kW and a dedicated pre-heated, secondary air supply, makes this stove a fantastic choice for any home!

This Little Wenlock can be installed with a top or rear flue, has one of the most effective airwash systems available and this coupled with it’s interchangeable wood burning plate and built-in ash pan, offers you one of the most efficient wood burning stoves available on the market.

Second Choice

The Huntingdon 25 available from Stovax, is probably one of the smallest stoves available from the Huntingdon range of Stovax stoves, but provides much of what the larger models offer.

This Huntingdon is ideal for burning wood logs, smokeless fuels or peat briquettes and has been designed to suit both the décors of a country cottage and a contemporary living space.

Third Choice

The Firefox 5, available from the Gallery Collection of fireplaces, is a fantastic choice! Perfect for any living space, this product can be suited to both traditional and contemporary settings.

The Firefox 5 has a controllable heat output up to 5.5kW and has an authentic cast-iron construction. With its secondary airwash system that helps to maintain cleaner glass panels and aids in the combustion ability and its flexibility with fuel source (suitable for burning wood, peat, coke, coal, anthracite and smokeless fuels), makes this choice, a great choice for all!

As a final point; whatever stove you choose, it is important to always work with responsible, professional and reputable fireplace suppliers and installers.

Wood burning and multi fuel stoves can be purchased from By The Fireside. They are based in Broxbourne, on the border of Hertfordshire and Essex, but supply and install fires and fireplaces to many locations throughout the UK.

Buck Richards

Wood Pellet Production Guide