If you have never owned a stove or lived in a home that uses a wood burner for heat, there are several factors you should be aware of before you make the plunge. Making the decision to heat with wood will change your daily routine and possibly strengthen a few muscles you never knew existed.
Heating a home with a wood burning stove is an excellent way to save money. I have heated my home for almost 40 years with a wood stove.
I am a strong proponent and supporter of burning wood, but I do want anyone that intends to save money (which you can) by burning wood to have all the facts.
The first change you will notice is you cannot just turn up the thermostat on the first chilly day. There are some steps that must be taken to be prepared and have heat when the thermometer dips into the blue zone.
If you plan on a wood stove as
1. Have a Consistent Wood Supply
Wood does not grow on trees! Oh, yes, it does! Be prepared to be purchasing or cutting wood every year. An average home will require 3 to 4 cords of wood per season. A cord is a 4′ x 4′ x 8′ stack of split wood. A larger home will require more as will an outdoor boiler (usually 2 times as much).
If you have a location (wood lot) and the stamina to cut, haul, split, and stack your own wood, then make sure it has a good hardwood stand of trees. Hardwoods like oak, ash, hickory, and some maples will burn longer and hotter than softwood, making your time and effort worthwhile.
Softwoods, not only burn faster and less hot than hardwoods, but they also create more ashes to clean out in most cases. This adds more work to the list of things to do when you own a wood burner.
2. Adequate Storage
Whether you purchase all your wood “ready to use” or you are a do it your selfer and take on all the tasks, you will need a place to store your wood before burning. Three or four cords of wood will take some space, and ideally, that space is at least a few inches off the ground.
This lets the woodpile get air to dry and stay dry by not drawing moisture from the ground. It can be as simple as old pallets or a fabricated steel rack system. Whatever you use, the air should be able to move under the wood and on all the sides of the wood also.
I cannot stress the necessity of properly dried (seasoned) wood. Firewood should be seasoned until the moisture content is 15% – 20%. This allows the wood to burn properly, so the smoke does not carry too much creosote to the walls of the stove and the walls of the chimney.
To read more on this subject, see my article, “What is the Ideal Moisture Content for Firewood”?
Once firewood reaches the ideal moisture content, covering the wood with a tarp helps keep the wood consistently dry. A woodshed is the ideal storage location for firewood. A typical woodshed will have a roof, open walls or walls with large air gaps to allow the wood to dry naturally from the wind.
3. Cost of Stove
This could be the deal breaker for many people considering purchasing a wood burning system. If the goal is to save money, the price tag may be the pill you can’t swallow. Finding a stove that is the correct size for your home, with the proper air in and smoke out configuration is the first priority. Then to find all those in your price range may be difficult.
Since the EPA has forced manufacturers to produce stoves that meet lower emissions standards, stove prices have risen as the requirements have become stricter.
The stove output is based on BTU’s per hour. For the most part the price increases with the size. It also increases with the quality and the add-ons just like buying a car.
A smaller (economy) stove can be as little as $300.00. A quality small stove will run closer to $1,500.00. Larger stoves will cost about $3,000.00, and a very high-end stove will set you back $7,500.00.
Options like auto light and easy clean trays are available for an additional cost. It depends on your willingness to complete some tasks and how deep
4. Maintenance
Regardless of the options you choose, some maintenance will be required with a wood stove. Some items on the list are daily, weekly, some are monthly, and some are as needed. Here is a typical list of maintenance for a wood stove.
Daily
Stacking wood, this is typically a daily task, but could be every 2 -3 days if you have space. Wood must be brought in or near the area of the wood burner. The fire will need to be filled 3-4 times a day. Keeping the fire burning is the never-ending job with a wood stove.
Weekly
Clean out ashes, it is not a big job, but it is repetitive. The better the wood, the less you will have to do this. Good hardwoods burn longer and leave fewer ashes behind.
Monthly
During the burning season, most chimneys should be inspected once a month. This is probably the most important task that can be completed by a wood stove owner. If the chimney becomes coated with creosote, the smoke does not draw up the chimney properly, and there is always the potential for a chimney fire.
As Needed
Clean or sweep out the chimney, you may want to have a professional do this as it can be dangerous. It usually requires climbing a ladder and/or roof to get to the top of the chimney. If you do it yourself, the proper tools are required. A chimney brush that fits your chimney pipe and enough poles to extend the entire chimney height.
5. Keeping a Consistent Heat
A wood stove starts burning low the heat rises, then drops in temperature. This is just how they burn. If you consistently stoke the fire, the output of the heat will be consistent, and you house will stay warm. If the fire is out or low too long, the house will cool down.
This has always been a manual task to remember to stoke the fire on a consistent basis. If you turned the heat up by opening air vents because it was cold outside, the wood would generally burn up faster.
A new tool is available to make this task easier. The Tempsure temperature monitor can alert you to low or high temperatures variations. The monitor connects to your smartphone via WiFi and keeps you informed of the current temperature of you stove. It will also alert you if the temperature is too high or low. This warning will signal you to fill the stove when the temperature drops, and take notice if the stove is too hot.
Conclusion
Owning a wood stove is safer and easier than ever. The list I prepared is not to scare you away from burning wood, but to inform you of some of the tasks you may not have considered when you first looked into burning wood for a primary heat source.