Installing a Wood Stove
When we talk about installing a wood stove many people think of the traditional Ben Franklin stove, but that is a thing of the past - today’s wood stove models feature both improved safety and efficiency. They produce almost no emmissions (i.e. smoke), create minimal ash, and require less firewood. This saves both time and money buying or hauling firewood.
Installing a Wood Stove for Different Uses
Wood stoves can be sized to heat a family room, a small cottage, or a full-sized home. The best choices are appliances that are labeled by the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada (ULC) or another qualified testing and certification body for safety. They should also be low-emission certified by EPA standards.
For comparison, the older uncertified stoves and fireplaces release 40 to 60 grams of smoke per hour; while the new EPA-certified stoves produce only 2 to 5 grams of smoke per hour. EPA certified wood stoves burn more cleanly and efficiently, save you money, reduce the risk of fire, and improve air quality inside and outside the home.
What Size Wood Stove to Install
EPA certified wood stoves come in different sizes, namely small stoves suitable for heating a family room or a seasonal cottage. They can also be used in larger homes with older central furnaces, for “zone heating” a specific area of the home reducing fuel consumption, conserving energy and saving money while maintaining comfort.
Medium stoves are suitable for heating small houses, medium-sized energy-efficient houses, and cottages used in winter while large stoves can be used for larger, open plan houses or older, leakier houses in colder climate zones.
Check out our archives for more information on installing a wood stove.
