Wood Stove Shopping

Wood stoves are a great way to increase the utility of your fireplace. Since wood stoves need some form of channel to exhaust smoke, why not use your fireplace’s chimney to dispose of such. Most home owners install their wooden stoves near fireplace to make use of their fireplace. Only select and government approved fireplaces however are allowed to be inserted with wooden stoves.

You can buy wood burning stoves though without having fireplaces. There are a variety of these wooden stoves available in the market today. Wood stove shopping from different models, brands and styles can be very tiring considering the high cost of some wood stove models. Safety should be a consideration when you shop wood stove and be sure to remind family members of the safety measures in using the device.

To start your wood stove shopping, approach first stove dealers and agents. Make sure they are certified and authorized stove dealers in your area. You can rely on their knowledge about the product and how to operate them. Or better yet window shop in stores and collect brochures and information about various types of wood stoves. After this, you must already have an idea of how each type of stove costs.

Check for suiting material for your home. You have two options to choose from: cast iron or welded steel. There is no significant difference between the two when it comes to performance. These two forms of wood stove, nevertheless, vary in design and appeal. Welded steel stoves are simple in design. While cast iron stoves have stylish appeal that make it more sellable. Thus cast iron stoves are more expensive than welded steel stoves.

When it comes to durability, both cast iron and welded steel display no noteworthy difference. Before, repairmen usually welded a set of the parts when wooden stoves had defective parts otherwise the owner was forced to replace the stove. Modern versions of these stoves now have replaceable parts. So it is easy for the owner the switch old parts with new ones. One important thing to remember when you buy wood stove is to always check for its authenticity. Cheaply made stoves have leaks in between welded joints and can cause safety hazards to your home.

There are two types of wooden stoves according to combustion technology. One is called catalytic combustion and the other is non catalytic combustion. Both technologies have been proven to be effective in years of use. However there has been a recent stir and debate regarding the superiority of catalytic method over the non catalytic combustion.

The catalytic method is said to radiate an extended and steady heat output. This type of combustion works by passing the exhausted smoke gases through a ceramic honeycomb mounted deep inside the stove where it ignites and burns. All products with this method are manufactured with a catalyst bypass damper operated by a lever which results in a very complicated process. With proper care, a catalyst driven wooden stove can last up to six seasons. But with constant misuse and low maintenance application, the stove can only last less than two years.

The non catalyst wooden stove works differently as its name suggests. It does not use a catalyst. This type of wood stove has very efficient parts. The firebox insulation is used to reroute the flow of gas through the small holes that surrounds the upper portion of the firebox.

Another key feature required when you do wood stove shopping is the burn time. Burn time largely depends on the wood type. But ask dealers or store owners which stove model eats up less wood while retaining quality of fire.

If you should go for aesthetics, go for a catalyst type of wood stove. But if you are into less expensive yet as equally efficient as a catalyst, then go for the non catalyst stove. Either way, shop for a wood stove that needs most of your requirements and look for products that meet government standards.