There is nothing like the warmth and coziness of
a hearth fire for a comfortable evening at home. But with the increase in prices for gas, many
people think “energy efficient” first, and “ambiance” last, and have turned to
alternatives for heating their homes.
When the energy crisis hit the U.S. hard
in the 1970’s, manufacturing companies answered the call for wood-burning
stoves with large, heavy, and not very efficient appliances. Today’s options are varied and
high-tech. Manufacturers have now had 40-plus years to perfect their art and today's appliances are much improved over
their predecessors. Homeowners now have a large selection of heating options
which we will discuss here, and hopefully these suggestions will be helpful to
you in making the decision to go with the renewable resource of wood and
alternative wood heating.
The Rumford Fireplace– Designed by Count Rumford in the 1700’s, this design
has not been improved on to this day. The shallow depth, curved throat, angled
side walls, and higher opening, combined with a smaller flue provide much more
heat than the standard “box style” fireplace. Compared to a standard fireplace,
which produces –30% to +5% in efficiency (meaning most of the heat goes up the
chimney), the +40% efficiency Rumford far surpasses its competitor. Don’t
expect to heat the entire house, but a Rumford will definitely heat the room it
is in plus, depending on the square footage in the area.
Historic homes are perfect for utilizing
the Rumford design, which looks authentic and ads ambiance to the residence,
but a Rumford looks great in modern homes, too.
A new method of “Rumfordizing” existing
fireplaces has been developed, where a box-style fireplace is transformed into
a Rumford style to gain more heat. Some masons and CSIA Certified Chimney
Sweeps are employing this method. Not all masons are trained properly in this
method of fireplace building, so find a qualified Rumford builder at
www.rumford.com, www.csia.org, or www.midwestcsc.org. Cost range- $8,500—$10,000.
Wood-burning Stoves- Gone are the days of the catalytic combustor, since
the new EPA approved “non-catalytic” appliances
are extremely low in emissions.
Today’s wood stoves require less wood to heat the same amount of space,
and that translates into savings in the cost of wood, and in your time to load
the stove. Where loading was once
required every 2 –3 hours, it is now only needed every 4-10 hours. The addition
of an electric built-in blower will push the warmed air through the house.
A wood-burning stove can be installed
almost anywhere, provided there is an existing chimney that can be used or an
outside wall where a Class A chimney can be installed. Existing chimneys must be brought up to
current standards, and this means the installation of a 6” - 8” insulated
stainless steel chimney liner. The flue can only be used for the stove—no other
appliances can be attached to the same flue.
Wood stoves come in a variety of styles
including standard matte black or a beautiful porcelain enamel finish, and are
constructed of heavy steel or cast iron.
All stoves require a non-combustible floor and wall behind the stove,
with clearance to combustibles being different with each manufacturer. The old
36” rule no longer applies with the newer models, so more usable space is
available in the room. 55,000—80,000 BTU output. Cost range—$5,000—$8,500
A wood stove insert will produce enough
heat to warm a large area (800—3,000 sq. ft.) , and is extremely
efficient—usually in the 70% + range for efficiency ratings. Most inserts are EPA approved non-catalytic,
which means that a catalytic combustor, which requires maintenance, is not
necessary. The addition of an electric built-in blower will push the warmed air
through the house. Burn well-seasoned hard woods and you’ll be happy with not
only the heat your insert produces, but the fewer times you need to load wood. 60,000—85,000 BTU output. Cost range $4,500—$6,500.
Wood-burning Furnaces - Similar to the woodburning stove, but larger and
produce 80,000—200,000 BTU’s or more.
Many woodburning furnaces may be installed alongside an existing gas furnace
(provided a separate flue is available), or outside the home in a shed, or in a
barn Most furnaces have electric fans
and use ductwork to distribute the heat throughout the home.
Either a Class A stainless steel chimney
is required; or if using an existing masonry chimney, an approved stainless
steel flue liner is necessary. If used with an existing chimney and a tile flue
liner, a chimney fire is almost guaranteed to occur. It is extremely important
to have a professional CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep or approved manufacturer
installer do the analysis of the installation area and the actual installation
of the furnace and flue. This is not a do-it-yourselfer project, as there are
many critical items that must be taken into consideration including size of
flue, location of the furnace, distance of the connecting pipe run, type of
materials used, clearances to combustibles, etc. Find an installer at
www.csia.org, or ask the manufacturer for help in finding a qualified dealer.
80,000—250,000 BTU output. Cost range -$6,000 - $9,000.
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| Custom-made Granite Heater by HearthMasters, Inc. |
Masonry
Heaters– re
a pre-cast heater core inside of a brick, stone, or soapstone exterior, and
built on site. It may be also finished
on the exterior with tile or clay. The mass will be at least 1760 lbs. and the
heater will have tight fitting doors that are closed during the burn cycle. It
has an interior construction consisting of a firebox and heat exchange channels
built from refractory components. A masonry heater has the ability to store a
very large amount of heat, which means that you can rapidly burn a large amount
of wood without overheating the house. The heat is stored in the masonry
thermal mass, and then slowly radiates for the next 18 to 24 hours. Loading of wood is only required approximately
once every 12 hours. The heater burns the wood quickly and all of the energy in
the wood is used so there is no waste.
The heater burns very clean, and practically no emissions are produced
so it is environmentally friendly.
This type of heater, designed
and used extensively in Europe, is the most efficient appliance available
anywhere. The initial cost is more than
other types of heating, but due to the savings into an existing masonry
fireplace. A correctly sized stainless steel flue liner is necessary, with a
connection to the wood stove. Most flues will measure 6” - 8” in diameter—some
are in an oval shape. Do not install an insert without the required steel flue
liner with ceramic wool insulation—and have a professional do the installation.
If used without a steel liner, the existing flue that was sized originally for
your fireplace will be too large for the new appliance to draft
correctly and creosote will accumulate on the flue walls. Usually glazed or tar
creosote is the type that occurs in this situation, and since it is highly
flammable, it is the cause of many chimney fires.
A wood stove insert will produce enough
heat to warm a large area (800—3,000 sq. ft.) , and is extremely
efficient—usually in the 70% + range for efficiency ratings. Most inserts are EPA approved non-catalytic,
which means that a catalytic combustor, which requires maintenance, is not
necessary. The addition of an electric built-in blower will push the warmed air
through the house. Burn well-seasoned hard woods and you’ll be happy with not
only the heat your insert produces, but the fewer times you need to load wood. 60,000—85,000 BTU output. Cost range $4,500—$6,500.
Wood appliance safety tips:
·
Never install a
wood burning appliance in a garage or any area where flammable vapors from gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable products are stored.
·
Always have a
qualified professional who knows the NFPA 211 Standards do the installation.
·
Keep children and
pets away from hot appliances with special gates and guards made for this
purpose.
·
Keep the chimney
and connecting pipes clean and have them serviced annually by a CSIA Certified
Chimney Sweep (www.csia.org) to avoid chimney fires and improve the performance
of the appliance.
·
Keep furniture
and other flammable objects at least 36” away from the front and sides of the
appliance.
·
Do not burn
trash, treated wood, railroad ties, newspaper, or pine trees in a fireplace or
wood-burning appliance as toxic fumes and increased risk of a chimney fire may
occur.
·
Burn your
appliance hot—this means open the damper fully, provide enough combustion air
for it to function, and use dense, dry, hardwoods.
Internet Resources:
National Chimney Sweep Guild: www.ncsg.org
Chimney Safety Institute of America: www.csia.org
Midwest Chimney Safety Council: www.midwestcsc.org
Masonry Heater Association: www.mha-net.org
National Fireplace Institute: www.nficertified.org
Rumford Fireplaces: www.rumford.com
Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association: www.hpba.org
__________________________________________________________________________
Marge Padgitt is the CEO and President of HearthMasters, Inc. DBA Padgitt Chimney & Fireplace in Kansas City, Missouri, and has 30 years experience
in the chimney industry. She is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and an NFI
Certified Woodburning Specialist. Marge can be contacted at hearthmastersboss@gmail.com or 816-461-3665.
