To all those people with wood stoves…
Are you getting your wood stove efficiency?
If you are not sure about this then read on.
Wood Stove Efficiency
1- How Efficient are Wood Stoves?
These days the wood stove models that you see feature much-improved safety measures and are more efficient compared to the old days.
With improved methods, the people that matter in the whole fire circle, have found more efficient methods of getting the most out of the wood stove.
Models today produce almost no smoke, can you believe that…
No more being smoked out of your dwelling, I mean occupancy, whatever you’re living in OK!
They are also boasting minimal ash, and even going to the lengths of requiring less firewood.
Now that’s a plus not only for the trees but your pocket or chopping abilities, whichever comes first.
While it is said that the older uncertified stoves release bot 15 to 30 grams of smoke per hour, these new EPA-certified stoves produce no more than, wait for it! 4.5 grams per hour.
While this subject is on wood burning stove efficiency I have however added below a wood burning stove that if you are thinking of upgrading, you might have a look at this model.
2 – What is the Most Efficient Wood Stove?
One of the most efficient free stand wood stoves is the Pleasant Hearth Large Wood Burning Stove.
This non-catalytic wood burning stove provides a highly effective and efficient indoor heating system bound to keep your toes warm for the cold days when you just want to snuggle up next to something warm, and in many cases, it also cooks.
The one great thing about this line of wooden stoves is the ceramic glass window that can withstand the scorching heat without the worry of shattering or breaking the glass, nice to know…
While allowing you to watch the flames dance around in the stove as it burns away safely.
And did you know that you can adjust the flames as well?
Well, you can!
You can change the size of the flames by changing the draft to get less or more heat for whatever room you are using your heater in.
There are different models that Pleasant Hearth brings out.
Whether you want a large wood burning stove or a small wood burning stove, depends on your circumstances right?
Shop away, people!
3 – Avoid Those Stovepipe Angles
Bet you never thought of that!
Yes, when it comes to the flue pipe or stovepipe assemblies, the hard and fast rule that you might not have known is the straighter the better.
I know…
I know you were thinking about it right?
Anyway, your piping should rise up, yes directly up into that chimney you have located right above it, you do have a chimney right?
On the odd occasion and I’m not being a sticky beak here, you must angle your stove piping into the chimney for whatever reason – remember not prying…
You would be better off going the way of using two of those forty-five-degree elbows as opposed to one that very sharply indeed at a whole ninety degrees.
Look.. the straighter you can go with your stove pipping the less curvy.
As these runs set up stronger air drafts that give more intense burning, they also reduce the amount of creosote buildup.
For those of you who are not familiar with creosote, it is a flammable woodstove/fireplace residue that can cause chimney fires.
4- Cutting Your Firewood in a Variety Of Sizes
Yes, size and shape does matter when it comes to how well your fire burns.
When packing, or you could also say stacking a wood stove fully and efficiently I may add…
Requires a somewhat art to it all.
Now you don’t have to worry about the technique of it if you follow basic rules that won’t get you worrying if you can do this.
Because YOU CAN!
Wood slices that come in different sizes are the best way to diversify your stacking and letting the airflow through your burning material.
A good assortment should include cross-sectional cuts of firewood being three, four, five, and six inches, better stop there.
And not only width we are also talking about the variety in the lengths as well.
Stacking your wood is so much easier when you have a variety of wood that can help your stacking methods.
You don’t want to go to all the trouble of getting a nice stack almost finished, only for it all to come crashing down.
With a few chosen words as well – and NO! I don’t want to hear them
thank you.
You see…
Different sizes and lengths of your firewood will snag and connect with each other, so you will be able to fill all of the available space crevices and all in your wood burning chamber.
5- Checking the Interior of Your Stove for Signs of Warping for Wood Stove Efficiency
Now, you can expect some warping of the metal in you’re wood-burning stove at some time or the other, it’s to be expected, and it will often have no effect on the overall operation of your stove.
I bet you breathed a sigh of relief, though I was coming up to something that might be negative.
Well, there you are…
But and I did say but! if the ‘internal’ steel parts of your wood stove do become misshapen, this can cause problems.
You see…
For the stove to perform below specifications by allowing the exhaust to bypass the combustion system, and you don’t want that.
For this reason alone, you should consider that any interior part of your wood stove should be replaced if it shows signs of warping or bending in any way.
6- Choosing the Types of Wood that is Appropriate for Any Given Season for Wood Stove Efficiency
Yet another point that you might be scratching your head about.
Let me explain…
What you should aim for are the high-density, high-heat-content hardwoods like oak and maple for instance when it comes to the wintertime.
If you are in an area that has different trees and not what I have mentioned.
You need to seek advice, of course, look it up to find what high-density wooden trees you have around you.
And remember only the fallen trees OK.
The denser wood when in full burning mode burns longer and also hotter as the wood is concentrated and the intense flame can really get a hold of this sort of wood and burn longer, thus giving off concentrated long flames.
The softer of wood variety is less potent like aspen, spruce or poplar for the milder temperatures.
Having too much wood heat when it isn’t freezing outside is just wasteful and not necessary – having mild heat is in proportion to your needs don’t you think?
And when it comes to not having enough heat in the wintertime might just get you through too much firewood in the stove.
You get that much-needed heat is just wasteful and you might just find yourself without any firewood and then get really cold.
Not a good scenario is it?
7- Putting Your Wood Stove and Your Chimney in the Center of Your Home
In the wintertime, those wood stoves and chimneys that are installed on the outside walls of your house are surrounded by warm air on the one side and cold air on the other right!
So, when you think about it, with the wood stove on the outer wall surface and inside air temperatures are cooler than room temperature in the middle of the room right…
Making your wood burning stove work that much harder to heat up the extra chill surrounding it.
But when you think about centring the wood stove or potbelly, for instance, the stove and flue pipes and chimney are kept nicely at room temperature all the time.
And this can significantly reduce the burden that is caused on your stove once you get your fire started.
And not only that, when you have a centred wood stove, it will distribute that much-needed heat throughout the room with a much more even effect, toasty…
8- Are you Seasoning your Wood Sensibly
Seasoning…
Did I hear seasoning you say?
And did I hear Sensibly?
That’s right.
Now when the wood is fully dried it should be stacked in open areas.
You need to put it under some kind of suspended cover, though it must be exposed to the sun and wind.
So that the wood can be exposed to the elements to keep in its drying state.
With the exception of rain people…
RAIN!
If you go and stack it in a garage, shed or outdoors in the shade, for instance, you will slow down the seasoning process significantly.
You do need to be ready to wrap your wood up completely with plastic if it rains though when not raining and you think it might, it’s best if you add a cover overnight but only put plastic over the top and not over the entire stack…
There is a big NO-NO..
And that is that you should never put your wood on the ground to dry where the dampness can infiltrate the wood from the earth.
Instead, pile it on some sort of rails or a couple of logs laid on the ground to raise up your firewood so that air can underneath and keep it dry.
Well, there it is people…
The eight things that will improve your wood stove efficiency.
As we can see here wood plays a big part in it and even if you have an old wood burner stove you can see that managing your wood, for instance, can not only give you more burning time.
It can also give you the best heat from the wood you use by just managing your wood correctly.
Now below are some wood fire starters that I recommend that will help get your fire burning the most efficient way and some the most eco-friendly way as well.
- Fatwood 50 LB Box Fire Starter All Natural Organic Resin Rich Eco-Friendly Kindling Sticks for Wood Stoves, Fireplaces, Campfires, Fire Pits, Burns Quickly and Easily, Safe and Non-Toxicby Plow & Hearth
- Midwest Hearth Cedar Fire Starters
- 100% Natural – Made in The USA – BBQ, Fireplaces, Stoves, Outdoor, Camp Fire, Survival – 16 Pack (Up to 64 Fires) by Midwest Hearth
- Midwest Hearth Cedar Fire Starters
- 100% Natural – Made in The USA – BBQ, Fireplaces, Stoves, Outdoor, Camp Fire, Survival – 16 Pack (Up to 64 Fires) by Midwest Hearth
- Femor Log Rack Cover
- 8 Feet 600D Heavy Duty Waterproof Patio Outdoor Firewood Rack Cover, Black by femor
- ART TO REAL Firewood Rack Log Cart with Large Wheels, Firewood Mover with 3 Fireplace Tool Set Fireplace Log Carriers Holders Black Wrought Iron Firepit Firewood Cart, 31.5” x 14” x 14” by ART TO REAL