Is a Wood Stove an Efficient Way to Heat Your Home? What Are the Potential Drawbacks?
Weary of high energy bills in the northern winters? Looking for a way to more efficiently heat your home? What about a wood stove? The right type of stove can be either the primary source of heat in your home or serve as an effective backup or supplemental heat source.
What Should You Look for When Buying a Wood Stove?
Wood stoves come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and configurations. When shopping for a wood stove, consider the following factors:
- Is the stove EPA-certified?—EPA-approved stoves will generally burn cleaner and heat your home more efficiently, with little or no smoke escaping into your home.
- Is the stove the right size for your space—In most instances, the wood stove will only deliver heat to the room in which it is located. If it’s too small, it will only heat a portion of the room. If it’s too big, it could pose a fire risk. The stove should come with a BTU rating, which will determine the area that it will heat.
- What is the stove made of?—Is it cast iron or steel? How thick is the stove?
- Is there a way to conveniently and safely remove ash from the stove?
What Are the Advantages of a Wood Stove?
As a general rule, a wood stove offers:
- A more cost-effective way to heat your home—Wood is typically less expensive than electric, gas or fuel oil and even more so if you have access to cheap or inexpensive firewood
- It allows you to be more self-sufficient—Your wood stove won’t require electricity or gas to operate, so if you have firewood, you’ll always have heat.
- It can be environmentally friendly, as wood is a renewable resource and the use of local wood eliminates transportation costs and reduces environmental impact.
- Wood stoves generate radiant heat and don’t require forced air to ensure even distribution of heat
What Are the Disadvantages of a Wood Stove?
Some of the challenges of using a wood stove include:
- The labor involved to keep the stove operating—you must start the fire, feed it, chop and stack firewood, and typically bring the wood in from wherever you have it stored. In addition, you’ll need to regularly empty the ashes and periodically have a chimney sweep come and remove creosote buildup.
- Potential for smoke in the house—Though modern wood stoves tend to burn cleanly, they can still introduce a certain amount of smoke inside the house
- The heat can be inconsistent—You’ll need to constantly manage the fire to ensure that you have consistent temperatures in the house
- You may not be able to get homeowners insurance—Many insurance companies are hesitant to provide homeowners insurance for homes with a wood stove. You’ll want to check with your carrier before you have a wood stove installed.
