How to choose the right stove.

wood burning or multi fuel what is right for you?

Do you wish to burn wood in a Smoke Control Area? Chances are that you live in a Smoke Control Area.

The Style or aesthetics you desire, simple select Traditional, Contemporary or Modern Traditional

Heat output appropriate for the room/space you want to heat To achieve a relaxing room temperature of around 21ºC when the external air temperature is at freezing (0ºC) you will need approximately 1kW of heat output for every 14 cubic meters of space. Measure the length, width and height of your room and multiply the three figures together.

For example, a room measuring 7m long by 4m wide and with a height of 2.5m is 70 cu. m. of space.

Divide by the sum by 14 and this means you will require a 5kW stove.

However, factors such as the number of outside walls, the size of windows and whether they are double glazed, the age of the home etc, can all influence the heat requirement.

Fuel type – wood burning only or multi-fuel

Logs burns best on a flat bed of ash, with air for combustion coming from above. Coal and smokeless fuels burn best on a grate, with air entering from beneath the fire and cinders dropping into an ashpan below. Wood burning models, therefore, have flat fuel beds whilst multi-fuel models incorporate grates, but the latter are also designed to allow you to develop a bed of ash upon which to burn logs should you wish.

Air quality and wood fuel has become a hot topic and stove owners are being asked to think about the impact of burning poor quality firewood has on the environment. A stove is only as good as the fuel it burns .