subject: Wood Fireplaces And Stoves That You Can Choose [print this page] Wood Fireplaces And Stoves That You Can Choose
Wood fireplaces come in a wide variety of styles and are made from different types of building materials. In addition, they are made with different colors and features based on the heating needs of people. They require a class A chimney to work efficiently. The chimney is either built from double lined steel or masonry.
There are a good number of options that you can consider when it comes to wood fireplaces and wood burning stoves.
Wood Fireplace Options
Traditional fireplaces that are made from brick and mortar are designed to provide heat by burning logs. They come in a really wide variety. They are often built onsite using brick masons, fire brick, cinder blocks, and ceramic flues. Their chimneys need to extend above the highest point of a houses roof in order to prevent downdrafts. In addition, their weight needs a stable foundation.
Next to the traditional heating systems are fireplace inserts, which have become really popular because they are a lot cheaper and lighter than their traditional counterparts. Inserts are factory-made and they are shipped pre-assembled to homes. This allows people to save on labor costs for installations. They are designed to be installed next to wood materials with close clearances in order to allow wood framing to be used for the construction of chimneys. Metal varieties are made with air ducts and fans that help increase the amount of heat thats transferred from the fire.
Wood Stove Options
Traditional wood burning stoves are made from cast iron. They arent air tight, which prevents accurate regulation of the fire that they produce. Since the flame is hard to regulate, a lot of heat is lost in the flue gases. This reduced the stoves overall heating efficiency.
Airtight wood burning stoves become popular during the 1970s because they were a lot more efficient. A single load of wood can be used to burn all night. The largest advantage of airtight wood burning stoves is that they allow long burning time and they are a lot more fuel efficient. Because of this, lesser amounts of heat is lost up the chimney.
Modern airtight stoves are made with catalytic converter options that help reduce the amount of creosote and other unburned gases that go up the flu. Both types of the wood stoves that Ive mentioned need to be placed on fireproof surfaces. In addition, since they produce radiant heat, adequate clearance of the stoves from flammable walls, fabrics, and floor materials should be maintained.
Both wood burning fireplaces and stoves offer an impressive architectural to a room.
