| If you're like millions, and are desperately searching | | | | divert gas; and pre-heated air to produce a more |
| for an alternative heating source to oil for this coming | | | | powerful, shorter-term (yet efficient) heat output. |
| fall/winter, then you've probably considered investing | | | | You'll find in shopping that the higher-end models |
| in a wood stove. In my opinion, they're great! They're | | | | typically use catalytic technology, but this is not |
| economical, energy-conscious, aesthetically charming, | | | | necessarily the best choice; as manufacturers are |
| and most effective. But, if you are in the market for | | | | swiftly switching to production of non-catalytic-most |
| one for either, the first time or the first time in a | | | | probably due to efficiency and emissions standards. |
| long time; you'll need to know all the contemporary | | | | · Heat Output |
| features that woodstoves now offer. Below, is a | | | | If this is your first time shopping for woodstoves, |
| quick reference guide on the most important | | | | you may have no idea what kind of heat power your |
| features to look for in a new wood burning stove for | | | | house will need. Typically, an average-sized medium |
| your home. | | | | home needs 5,000-20,000 BTUs per hour to keep |
| · Material | | | | itself warm continuously; but of course this depends |
| There are three basic materials that your new | | | | whether you have a catalytic or non-catalytic wood |
| woodstove can be made from: welded steel, | | | | stove, and the more specific size of your home. It's |
| soapstone, and cast iron. Starting with the most | | | | always best to ask what the manufacturer or store |
| basic, welded steel is the least aesthetic and | | | | recommends for your given square footage home. |
| consequently the cheapest of the three, so if you | | | | · Heating Capacity |
| are looking for purely functional: this is your best bet. | | | | When it comes to how much home a given wood |
| Cast iron is probably the most popular and prevalent | | | | stove will heat, knowing your home's square footage |
| among homeowners, because it is functional, | | | | can be helpful but should not be paramount when |
| beautiful, and moderately priced. Soapstone is what is | | | | deciding what size woodstove you will buy. For |
| regarded as the Cadillac model of woodstove. It has | | | | example, perhaps you have a large home with a lot |
| a very different, yet pleasing look to it; and offers | | | | of square footage, but it's broken down into lots of |
| the same top-notch efficiency and functionality as | | | | small spaces. In this case, buying a large capacity |
| well. | | | | woodstove will not necessarily serve you well. This |
| · Catalytic or Non-Catalytic Combustion | | | | being said, here is a general rule of thumb when it |
| Basically, catalytic combustion wood stoves use a | | | | comes to choosing the size of your woodstove: small |
| technology where the exhaust gasses are developed | | | | stoves will heat a large room or small house, medium |
| through a filter of sorts, outside of the main firebox; | | | | wood stoves will heat a medium-sized home, and |
| to produce a long, steady heat output. Non-catalytic, | | | | large woodstoves will best heat a larger home or one |
| on the other hand, produces its combustion or heat | | | | that isn't well insulated (an older home typically). |
| in the firebox and uses something called a baffle to | | | | |