It is well known these days that wood burning stoves are a great deal cheaper to run than regular oil and gas boilers and are also better for the environment. Whereas conventional fossil fuels cannot be renewed, wood comes from trees which can be grown and replaced more or less forever. So what’s involved in installing one?
First understand that installing a wood burner is akin to putting in an above ground furnace, so always check with your insurance company before you commence anything. Most of insurers will require the burner to be professionally installed since there is a certain amount of precision required and a single mistake can easily cause a fire to break out in your house or apartment.
Next you should work out exactly what size of wood burning stove you will need. The best approach is to consult someone who works in a hearth shop. Have this person visit your property and he or she will help you decide on the best wood burner for the size and space you have laid out.
While it is natural to focus on the wood stove it is in fact equally important to consider the flue, since flues fitted to wood stoves must be lined with material suitable for wood burning. If you are fortunate enough to have a conveniently located chimney you might be able to simply line this with the right sort of material, otherwise you will be looking at additionally installing a new flue.
After your wood burner has been professionally installed, your next step is to clear any and all combustible materials away from the vicinity of the stove. The owner’s manual will specify the recommended clearance for keeping flammable materials from the stove. If you have children, make sure they understand that what is being installed is potentially very dangerous and not a toy.
During normal operation wood stoves need to be regularly cleaned and maintained in good working order. If you are familiar with cleaning a normal fireplace chimney this will be quite familiar. It is important to remove the build up of creosote especially since it can reduce the efficiency of the system and eventually damage the flue (it also smells somewhat if left un-cleaned).
In general though a thorough clean and sweep at least once a year should keep repairs at bay. You might also want to consider things like chimney cleaning logs, which while no substitute for proper physical cleaning, can help reduce the build up of deposits.
In conclusion then, when it comes to wood burning stove installation the best advice is to get professionals involved from the start. A good wood burning stove will pay for itself in the long run by saving you big bucks in heating costs and may end up helping the planet in the process.
Check out these additional articles to find out much more about wood burning stove selection and how to fit a wood burning stove.