Looking for a new stove? Considerations you need to take into account when choosing your new wood stove.

When you browse the internet you will see lots of lovely looking options, now is the time to be prepared. Do your research and list down your requirements, then seek the advice of a fully qualified HETAS fitter who will point you in the right direction.

Wood only or multi-fuel?

A dedicated wood burner can be the most efficient so It’s worth considering if you’re never going to want to burn other fuels.

This issue is one you will need to spend time on. As such ask yourself if you will ever want to burn other fuels, such as pellets? Get the opinion of the fitter as they will be able to inform you of the plus’s and minus’s, thus ensuring you make the correct choice.

Air wash

If you want to see the flames, which no doubt you do, the stove needs a window that stays clean. So you want an Air wash model. This pulls air into the stove that blows across the glass so when it’s working right the soot and tar doesn’t reach the glass.

Clean burning

Yes please no doubt. Of course, the cleaner the better. “clean burning” is a marketing term it’s not a quantifiable standard. It refers to a system where additional air is introduced to the gasses above the fire, allowing more combustion. This burns off more of the gasses that would have gone up the chimney. So it should give a higher heat output for the same amount of wood.

Help required?

Finally are you looking for a new stove? If you would like help choosing or fitting a new wood burner please do make contact and one of our fully qualified HETAS engineers will be happy to help

Seasoning your wood is a must for efficiency

Hardwoods are denser woods that burn hotter and longer than softwoods, but you will need to let them season for up to 2 years.  (Ash is an exception and can be burnt a bit earlier although the wood burns best when seasoned.)

You will find Wood stoves – Hardwood is a must for efficiency and the environment.

that hardwood is more expensive to purchase than softwood like pine and fir. But the hardwood burns longer so you’ll need less wood and in turn save money.

Heat efficiency and cost effectiveness

Seasoned wood burns better than green wood, because it produces more heat and less creosote build-up in the fireplace and chimney. Green or unseasoned wood, on the other hand, is hard to light and difficult to keep burning. If your wood smoulders and burns poorly with little heat, it’s probably green wood.

You can tell if wood is seasoned by looking at it. On the outside, seasoned wood probably looks grey and dusty from sitting around for a while. But on the inside, it’s often dry and white, usually lighter than on the outside. New wood, on the other hand, looks like it came fresh from the timber mill with the same colour throughout the wood.

Can we assist?

If you would like help selecting and installing a new wood burning stove, please do make contact. We have fully qualified (HETAS) fitters and advisers waiting to take your enquiry.

Looking forward to winter?  You know the feeling – it’s cold and rainy outside, the wind is howling, and the sun went down hours ago.

But when you’re curled up on the sofa in front of a warm and toasty wood stove, you won’t give the weather a second thought.

And don’t think a wood-burning stove is only the preserve of a grand country pile – there are plenty of colours, shapes and sizes to choose from, so even if your decor is ultra-modern or you’ve only got a compact space to slot one in, rest assured there’s a wood burner for you.

Vital!

Plus, they will help cut your energy bills, giving off enough heat to warm an entire room. So if you’ve been thinking about investing in a wood-burning get some professional advice. Read more

Just how green are wood burners, are they good for the environment? We are living in a vastly different world than we were only 15 or 20 years ago. The general public has become a lot more aware of environmental concerns and carbon footprints, and we have seen an increase in trends associated with a sustainable and ecological way of life.

Wood burning stoves have captured the interest of many homeowners. The combination of cheap heating and a cosy focal point within the property is an appealing idea. As a result, there are currently an estimated 1.5 million households in the UK with a wood burning stove. Additionally around 200,000 more stoves being sold every year.

Many people believe a wood burning stove to be a significant step towards lowering their environmental impact. Relying on a sustainable resource to heat their properties rather than purchasing energy from the central grid – much of which is generated by the burning of carbon-heavy fossil fuels. But how accurate is this idea? Finally are wood burners actually good for the environment? Read more

The biggest advantage homeowners have with a wood burning stove is the quality of heat the burner will give off. Wood stoves operate on the principal of radiant heat, which warms an area faster and more efficiently than warm air being blown through a home’s vent system. The powerful heat from a wood stove radiates from all sides of the unit as well as the top, sending warmth in all directions. Fitted in a central position in your home you will be amazed how the rest of your house suddenly gets a whole lot warmer.

Pointers to look out for when selecting your new heat machine

A stove that is too small for the room will not be powerful enough to heat the room adequately, on the other hand, if you have a stove that is too large it will need constant attention to keep the temperature down. A result of this is the combustion within the stove will not be complete and you will quickly have a build-up of soot not just on the glass, but up the chimney as well. Read more