Freestanding stoves sit completely in the room and require floor protection underneath. They need the draft provided by a full chimney to not only exhaust them but also to pull combustion air in to make them burn. Sitting in the room, they provide warm, radiant heat in all directions. Today’s modern wood stoves are tested for emissions by the EPA so they are extremely clean burning. Pre-EPA wood stoves consumed a lot more wood and usually left a heavy creosote buildup in the chimney. While older stoves tended to be plain black metal boxes, today’s stoves are designed to look good as well as produce great heat. Cast iron wood stoves are more decorative and also hold the heat longer but cost more than the more functional steel stoves. Steel stoves heat up quicker and are more likely to offer a circulation fan as an option. Soapstone stoves store the heat and release it more slowly and evenly.
Heats up to 1,200 sq ft.
Heats up to 2,000 sq ft.
Heats up to 1,800 sq ft.
Heats up to 3,500 sq ft.
Fireplace inserts go into existing masonry or factory built fireplaces, turning an old inefficient fireplace into a great heat source. Some freestanding wood stoves can be used as a fireplace stove or hearth stove. Usually they are rear vented so they can sit out on the hearth, but hearth store shoppers typically prefer the finished look preferred by a true insert that sits into the fireplace and has surround panels designed to close off the opening around the unit. National Fireplace Protection Association code requires almost all solid fuel appliances installed into an existing fireplace to reline the chimney for proper flue sizing. Most inserts offer optional blowers that are crucial for pushing enough heat out into the room since the unit sits part or all the way in the fireplace.
Heats up to 1,500 sq ft.
Heats up to 2,0000 sq ft.
Wood burning fireplaces don’t typically produce the high heating efficiency that we expect today. Most are sold for use for decorative purposes rather than for home heating. There are some high efficiency fireplaces on the market however. These appliances are like stoves that are built in the wall with the large viewing area of a fireplace. Built for zero clearance to combustibles, they can be framed into the wall with an outside chase or framed into the room. Air cooled pipe chimneys mounted on top of the fireplace need to extend above the roof. They offer high heat outputs that are capable of heating 2,000 plus square feet. Many of the newer models also offer the latest in decorative options like hand hammered artisan doors to fit any home design.
Heats up to 3,000 sq ft.
Heats up to 2,500 sq ft.