There are only a limited number of ways you can heat your home, and a wood stove is one of the best. Not only is the heat from a real fire better than central heat, but it can be cheaper depending on the price of wood where you live.
If you’ve been wondering whether using a wood stove is a good idea, here are some of the best reasons to switch to this source to heat your home.
1. Wood stoves are simple to operate
Most heating systems are simple to operate, but when something goes wrong with your HVAC system, you need to call a repairperson. For instance, if your thermostat’s wiring goes bad, you can’t use your heat until you call someone out.
On the contrary, there are fewer reasons you’d have to call out a professional to help you use your wood stove. There are some exceptions, however. Like if you have a pellet stove, it’s possible that the ignition or hopper mechanism might need repair. However, a traditional wood burning stove doesn’t have electronic components that can malfunction. Once you learn how to build a fire, that’s all you need.
For more information about wood stoves in general, check out the wood stove buyer’s guide from eFireplaceStore. You’ll find tips for venting, installation, and different fuel options. If you’re doing any of the installation yourself, you’ll find plenty of instructional videos to help you through the process. However, it’s usually a better idea to hire an experienced professional.
2. Wood stoves produce superior heat
Perhaps the best reason to use a wood stove for heat is the quality of that heat. A central HVAC system will use convection heat to warm up your spaces and that’s not very efficient. Convection heat only warms up the air, but heat from a real fire is infrared heat.
Infrared heat sticks to your clothes and penetrates your skin deeper. Infrared heat is also more energy efficient than other types of heat, which makes it even more efficient when the source is a fire rather than electricity.
When you use a wood stove to heat your home, you’re getting infrared heat because you’re burning wood for fuel and burning wood produces infrared heat.
3. Split wood is affordable
Many people have noticed their energy bills rising fast in recent years and this is just an unfortunate part of daily life. Most people don’t have control over their electric bill, which means heating your home with electric heaters or a central HVAC system is going to cost a pretty penny.
Compared to an electric bill, in most areas, the split wood you’ll use in a wood stove is cheaper. A full cord of split wood can cost anywhere between $150-$300 and more, but the price will depend on demand, the type of wood, and whether it’s been properly seasoned or is still green. Regardless of the season, green wood (wood with a higher moisture content) is generally cheaper than wood that’s ready to burn.
Hardwoods like oak and maple tend to be more expensive because they burn longer, while fir is a bit softer and usually cheaper. However, if you get hard wood, you won’t use as many pieces throughout the day. With some tricks, many people are able to make two full cords of wood last all winter.
4. Wood stove heat is really warm
If you’ve ever been in a home heated by a wood stove, you’ve probably noticed that the heat produced by a wood stove is exceptionally warm. It’s not unheard of for people to have their wood stove going in the middle of winter while the windows are open to let some of the heat out.
The heat produced by fire is hot, and it’s much hotter than the heat produced by a central HVAC system. This is one of the best reasons to heat your home with a wood stove. When your home is properly insulated, it will retain much of the heat and keep your home warm all day and potentially all night.
You can technically start letting your fire die closer to the evening and expect your home to stay decently warm overnight, even if temperatures are in the negative outside.
Try using wood stove heat this winter – you’ll be warmer
There’s no doubt that using a wood stove to heat your home will keep you warmer this winter than relying on small heaters and an HVAC system. If you aren’t yet convinced, keep doing your research – you’ll find that there are plenty of options out there, but none will heat your home quite like a wood stove.