How to Buy a Wood Stove (Wood Stove Accessories)

Wood Stove Accessories

By: eHow Contributing Writer

Beyond their romantic glow and homey crackle, modern wood stoves produce low-cost heat, and burn cleanly and efficiently, producing minimal ash and smoke. You pick the technology and choose the ideal-size stove to match your heating needs. Buy the most efficient stove you can afford. It'll pay for itself in the long run.

Step 1
Evaluate your home's floor plan to determine where you should install a wood stove. Some stoves can heat an entire house; others work best as zone heaters for the most-used areas. A stove placed in one room will heat adjacent rooms if there's good airflow at the ceiling and floor.

Step 2
Show a dealer a sketch of your home, the area that needs heat, and a description of the insulation surrounding that area. The dealer will help you calculate the proper stove size, expressed in British thermal units (Btus). You'll waste money if you buy too big a stove, and it will either create a smoky fire or use more fuel than necessary.

Step 3
Talk to one or more professional chimney sweeps (csia.org) about the brands you're interested in, and get their recommendations.

Step 4
Understand the technology in catalytic stoves ($1,000 to $2,000). A catalytic combustor cuts normal burn temperatures in half for a slow, controlled fire with the fewest emissions. Look for a castiron or plate-steel stove body 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and a tightclosing bypass plate 5/16 inch (8 mm) thick. Also look for a design that protects the combustor from direct flame.

Step 5
Consider noncatalytic (recirculating) stoves ($500 to $2,200) for their two-chamber combustion, which injects jets of preheated air into the fire to boost heat and reduce emissions. Look for a cast-iron or plate-steel body 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. To resist warping, the fire chamber's baffle should be 5/16-inch (8 mm) plate steel with V-shaped supports. These models have no combustor to maintain, but their smaller fireboxes mean you'll have to use shorter logs and load them more frequently.

Step 6
Buy a super-efficient pellet stoves ($1,700 to $3,000) for the cleanest-burning option. They burn easy-to-handle pellets formed from wood waste. A thermostat-controlled auger delivers fuel from a hopper to the firebox. Fans pull air in and exhaust gases out through a house-warming heat exchanger. Pellet stoves need battery backup during power outages.

Step 7
Get toasty warm beside stylish stoves in steel or soapstone. Design options to consider include legs or a pedestal base, colorful porcelain finishes and tile accents. Check out well-known brands such as Vermont Castings (vermontcastings.com) and Hearthstone (hearthstonestoves.com).

Tips & Warning:
- Look for two labels. One certifies that the stove meets Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards; the other lists efficiency range and heat output in Btus.
- Look for standard features including self-cleaning glass, hidden hinges and reversible flues, as well as optional accessories such as fans, gold-plated accents and heat shields for walls.
- Your home's air will become very dry when heated with a wood stove. Combat this with a humidifier or by placing a kettle of water on the stove.
- Ordinances regulating wood stove use vary by city and sometimes within cities. Check the back of the stove for the EPA certification label to see if you comply with local ordinances.
- Dirty chimneys can cause catastrophic chimney fires. Hire a chimney sweep for regular cleanings.

Article Source: eHow.com

Wood Stove Accessories

How to Clean a Wood Stove (Wood Stove Accessories)

Wood Stove Accessories

By Mary S. Yamin-Garone

Wood stoves are becoming more popular with homeowners as an economical alternative to the more conventional means of heating. A wood stove also adds aesthetic value to a home. Today's wood stoves are safer and more energy efficient than the old pot-bellied models of the past. They are nearly smokeless, produce small amounts of ash and use less firewood. Cleaning your wood stove regularly keeps it operating safely and effectively. Learn how to clean your wood stove.

Things You'll Need:

- Fireplace shovel
- Wire brush
- Metal container or bucket with lid
- Ladder
- Dust mask
- Gloves
- Flashlight

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1
Find your wood stove's catalytic combustor located between the fire and stovepipes. Look for any ash that may have amassed there from the burning wood.

Step 2
Use a small wire brush to remove the ash. This should be done every 2 months. Remove the combustor, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Step 3
Remove ashes from the stove with a small fireplace shovel. Put them into a metal container or bucket with a tight-fitting cover. Leave the container outdoors or on a non-combustible surface overnight or until the ashes have cooled before disposing. Cooled ashes can be used on flowerbeds, gardens and compost piles.

Step 4
Inspect the outside of the stovepipe and remove any surrounding debris. Scrape the sides of it with a proper fitting wire brush. Place the brush inside the pipe and move it in an up-and-down motion to get rid of any creosote that may have accumulated. Creosote is the yellow, rancid-smelling, oily matter produced when the gases emitted from the burning wood cool to less than 250 degrees F and turn to liquid.

Step 5
Shine a flashlight into the pipe to be sure all the creosote has been removed. If left inside the stovepipe, creosote can catch fire. Use a fireplace shovel to get rid of any soot or creosote that may have fallen into the stove.

Step 6
Clean the inside of the wood stove's window with fine steel wool once the glass is cool to the touch. If using chemical cleaners, check that the glass is dry before burning again so smoke or dirt is not ensnared in the dampness on the glass.

Step 7
If you've done all this and you still don't feel like it's clean enough, call a chimney sweep.

Tips & Warnings:

- A more thorough cleaning is performed at the end of the wood-burning season. Stovepipes should be cleaned any time there is at least 1/4 inch of creosote buildup.
- Never clean a wood stove while it is hot. Wear a dust mask and gloves when cleaning a wood stove. Burning seasoned or dry wood at a high temperature eliminates excessive creosote buildup. Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand.

Article Source: eHow.com
Wood Stove Accessories