Today, buying a wood stove is a popular choice for many homes. It is a heating system that runs on wood. It is highly appreciated for its energy efficiency and ease of use. It logically presents itself as an efficient solution for heating your home at a lower cost. If the wood stove is so appreciated, it is also because it is environmentally friendly.
What are the different types of wood stoves ?
There are three types of wood stoves: inertia stoves, cast iron stoves and masonry heaters. Inertia stoves are renowned for their quality of heat accumulation and restitution to the entire volume to be heated. This is possible thanks to their casing. With a wood-burning salamander, comfort is much better. Wood-burning stoves offers flexibility and precision.
Cast-iron stoves are economical and can heat up quickly. This type of stove is recommended for auxiliary heating or small rooms. In addition, its cost is lower. As for masonry heaters, they are made of very heavy materials. They are characterized by their aesthetics and are perfectly integrated into the home.
Wood stove uses two kinds of technologies: post combustion or double combustion. The double combustion model reduces CO2 emissions and improves efficiency. In fact the combustion of wood takes place twice, the first one by burning wood, the second one by burning wood gases. For a better heating of your home, you need a good insulation.
How to make a good choice ?
The choice of a heating system should not be made on a whim! In order to make the best decision, certain important criteria must be taken into account. The first factor to keep an eye on when choosing a wood stove is its maximum output. In fact, you should know that the best wood heating performance is based on this factor. You can calculate this power by location, insulation, volume to be heated, desired temperature, draft and bioclimatic input. Choose a power of about 100 W per m² for a normally insulated house.
You must always respect the wood loads that are foreseen in the instructions, i.e. 2 to 3 kg of wood maximum. If your stove is oversized, it will run on underload. This means that the combustion will not be optimal, resulting in greater pollution and premature clogging of the flue.
The choice of a wood stove also depends on the choice of logs. The most important criterion in the adoption of logs is the moisture content. This is all the more important since a good combustion requires a moisture content of less than 20% or even 10%. Opt for small logs that take less time to dry. It is therefore important to choose the maximum log size for your wood stove. Logs of about 25 cm, 33 cm or 50 cm should be preferred. Think about your storage space and protect your slices of wood from the rain.
Wood-burning stoves : more advantages
Wood stoves offer several advantages. Indeed, since wood is a renewable energy, it is economical. It costs half as much as electricity. With the wood stove, the heat given off is soft and pleasant. The wood heater is available in a number of very different designs. The crackling of the wood in the hearth and the smell of the wood create a cosy atmosphere. In addition, from an aesthetic point of view, the wood-burning stove has nothing to envy other types of heating.