Beginners Guide To Wood Stoves | Burning Inspirations
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Increasing numbers of people are turning towards wood as a fuel with which to heat their homes. Efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly, a wood stove can be a great addition to any home. Here are some things to keep in mind though if you have decided to install a stove in your dwelling.

First, make sure that you keep a good supply of dry wood to hand. While this may seem obvious, many newcomers to the world of wood burning stoves use green wood. This wood is actually still full of water, and leads to more smoke and less efficiency. While you can gather your own green wood and allow it to dry, this takes time. For this reason, it is better to find a supplier who can provide you with a steady amount of dried wood, ready to burn.

Many suppliers of wood are registered with a body called Woodsure, and it is well worth taking some time to see which suppliers are registered in your local area. Another option is to buy kiln-dried logs or briquettes, however there are environmental issues to consider if you decide to do this. Drying wood in this way does actually use fossil fuels, although some kilns do use wood. This is the easiest way of finding fuel, but it can be very expensive.

As well as managing a supply of good-quality wood, it is also important that you keep a close eye on the air flow around your stove. There are two types of air which circulate around the stove: primary air, which feeds the bed of the fire, and secondary air, which fuels the flames above it. Secondary air is therefore the more important of these two types.

In order to keep your stove working efficiently, never close the secondary air vent. This can cause the glass on the front of the stove to become very dirty, as soot and tar will build up quickly. Additionally, never leave the stove door open as this will allow all the hot air to escape up the chimney. In some cases, you may need to leave it open while lighting the fire, so check the manufacturer’s manual if in doubt.

Always remember that you want a fire with a hot, fast burn to it, rather than a big fire with lazily lapping flames. A small, very hot fire will warm your room much more efficiently.

If you want to see the options available when it comes to wood burning stoves for your home, check out what we can offer at Burning Inspirations. As well as being able to provide you with all the advice you need, we can also find the most suitable equipment and devices for your home. Contact us via the website or by telephone on 01908 507027.