A wood-fired stove is a great choice for heating a room without increasing electricity consumption or using kerosene. Wood stoves produce comfortable fires from inexpensive and renewable energy sources, making them the perfect choice for families looking to be frugal or environmentally conscious. For your safety, when installing the stove make sure you have looked into local building requirements and installation requirements. The instructions in this article are general guidelines and as such may not apply in your area. See Step 1 below to get started!
Step
Part 1 of 2: Choosing a Furnace and Preparing for Installation
Step 1. Determine the location for the furnace
You must determine in advance where to place the furnace. Decide on a place in your home before you buy a stove. The stove serves as heating and is generally installed on the first floor of the house where you will spend most of the time, so the stove is effective in keeping the body warm throughout the day. To further maximize the efficiency of your wood stove, choose a location in a room with excellent insulation so that heat from the stove is not lost through walls or windows.
Keep in mind that every wood stove requires a chimney. Take this into account when choosing a place for the stove. If you plan to direct the chimney straight up through the roof, for example, don't choose a spot under one of the main floor supports
Step 2. Pay attention to the furnace spacing rating when selecting a suitable site
Wood stoves can get very hot during use. The heat radiated from the stove can pose a hazard to nearby walls and furniture, so wood stoves generally have a certain distance - that is, the minimum safe distance between the stove and the floor and adjacent walls. The spacing of the stoves can depend on your home, whether the floors and walls of the house are flammable, and the type and size of wood stove you have. If you are in doubt about the furnace spacing rating, contact the furnace manufacturer.
Step 3. Choose a certified wood stove
When purchasing a wood stove, make sure you check that it is certified and meets the criteria for safety and environmental friendliness. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies that wood stoves meet certain emission standards. The EPA periodically publishes a comprehensive list of certified wood stoves, but certified stoves must also be labeled with a temporary paper label and a permanent metal label.
Step 4. Choose a furnace of the right size according to your needs
Generally, the larger the wood stove, the hotter it will be when it is full of wood burning. Thus, the restroom can be comfortable and warm from the heat generated by the large wood stove. Most wood stove manufacturers list their maximum heat output per hour in British Thermal Units (BTU) - the most popular stoves are in the 25,000 to 80,000 BTU range. The average medium-sized house only needs about 5,000 to 25,000 BTU - in other words, the maximum output from a small stove or less - even during winter. However, your home's heating needs may vary according to the climate and size of your home, so it's a good idea to contact the stove manufacturer.
Burning a wood stove at maximum capacity for an extended period of time can damage the stove, so you should choose a stove slightly larger than what you normally need, so that you can use it below maximum capacity
Part 2 of 2: Installing a New Furnace
Step 1. Before starting to install, notify local authorities
As with any building project, installing a wood stove may require permission from local authorities to ensure that you comply with safety regulations. However, these rules vary from place to place, so before you buy a stove or start modifying your home, check with your local planning department or city government for information about the legal dos and don'ts. If you must obtain a building permit to install a furnace, this department can assist you.
- You can also contact your local fire department, for example. In certain areas, installing a wood stove requires a check that will approve the legality of its installation.
- Finally, you can also contact the issuer of the homeowner's insurance, as installing a wood stove might change insurance liability.
Step 2. Provide a non-combustible floor mat where the furnace will be installed
This base is made of brick, ceramic tile, concrete or other non-combustible material, and must be flush with the floor of your home. Floor mats are very important for securing the stove wood, as any sparks or embers from the stove will only fall and come into contact with this base and not the floor thereby reducing the risk of fire. Floor mats are especially important for homes with hardwood or carpet floors directly adjacent to the stove.
Certain laws limit the use of floor mats - in the United States and Canada, floor mats must stretch at least 18 inches (45 cm) in front of the furnace door and 8 inches (20 cm) from the other side
Step 3. Add a heat shield to protect the flammable walls
Installing a heat shield on the wall around the furnace location can further reduce the risk of damage or fire. Heat shields are usually made of sheet metal which is relatively easy to attach to walls. Check local building requirements to see if any special permits are required to install shields as well as other pertinent permit requirements.
Note that installing a heat shield can reduce the need to clean the furnace
Step 4. Be careful when moving the furnace to the plug position
You'll have to move the furnace yourself if you don't hire a handyman to help you. Wood stoves are made of metal and can be very heavy, so make sure you protect yourself when moving the stove. Use a lorry or a sturdy cart with a weight greater than the stove to move the stove into position without injuring yourself.
You may have to adjust the position of the stove once it is in place. In this case you should enlist the help of a friend or other family member so that you do not lift the stove alone. You can also roll the stove into the plug position
Step 5. Install the chimney and connect it to the furnace, if necessary
A properly functioning chimney is essential to getting the most out of your wood stove. Chimneys must expel smoke and other sediments out of the house - chimneys with poor installation may not be effective at removing smoke, leaving your room full of smoke. The chimney can be part of the construction of the house, or it can be installed in conjunction with the stove. In any case, the chimney must be well insulated and made of non-combustible materials. Chimneys installed for wood stoves are usually made of a special type of insulated stainless steel pipe.
- You may need to use a long stovepipe to connect the wood stove to the chimney. This is fine, but remember that furnace pipes are relatively thin and not well insulated, so that does not mean that furnace pipes can be used instead of insulated chimneys.
- Generally, a taller, straighter chimney is a good chimney. The further the distance for smoke to escape horizontally (through the curved section of a pipe furnace, for example), the more effectively the chimney must remove smoke from the furnace.
Step 6. It is recommended that you hire a certified professional to install and inspect the furnace
A properly installed wood stove can be a huge advantage to a home. However, if not installed properly, furnaces can pose serious complications and even hazards. If you're having trouble installing your wood stove or you're not sure how to install it safely, hire an expert. Similarly, if after installation you have any doubts about the safety of the furnace, schedule a professional inspection. Home and family security is worth more than the cost of hiring the help of an expert.
The National Fireplace Institute (NFI) is the institution that certifies fireplace and stove experts. If you are unsure who to contact to install and/or inspect a new wood fireplace, contact a certified NFI expert in your area on the NFI website
Tips
- Install a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector (this is legally required in the UK). This detector will alert for smoke or carbon monoxide leaks in improper or malfunctioning vents in the chimney. Carbon monoxide cannot be detected by smell.
- Clean the dust from the furnace regularly. Put the ashes outdoors in a non-combustible container.
- Use old wood to burn. The wood should sound hollow when you tap it against another wood. Ideally the wood has been outside dried for 6 months or more.
- Run the chimney through the interior walls to further warm the house.
- Check it annually and clean the chimney with a certified broom. Look for a qualified chimney broom at the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
Warning
- Don't let the fire burn in the furnace.
- You must install a chimney for each wood stove installed.
- Do not make the fire bigger than necessary. Burning "excess" in the furnace will increase the amount of oilwood required. It can also weaken furnace components, resulting in extra maintenance costs.
- Do not burn wood that has been painted, has been exposed to chemicals, or is used specifically for open fireplaces. The hearth wood has sawdust and wax compressed in it.
- Do not store stove wood, chemicals, or flammable items near the stove.
- Do not use chemicals to light a fire in the furnace, such as lime or kerosene.
