Regarding A Wood Stove & Insert
Q: Where in my house is the best location to install a wood stove?A: The simple choice of location is to put your new stove where you spend most of your leisure time, since a cozy fire is a natural focal point for any room. A centrally located stove will provide optimal heating performance if you have an open floor plan. top ^
Q: Is there any other way to distribute heat to other locations of my house? A: Yes, using small quiet fans in a hallway or ceiling fans.top ^
Q: Can I install a wood stove into my existing masonry fireplace? A: Yes. An existing fireplace and chimney is a convenient site for a new stove. To make this installation easier, Vermont Castings wood stoves have a reversible flue collar, so the stovepipe can extend straight out the back. Also, certain stove models have optional short legs to enable the stove to fit into the fireplace.top ^
Q. When installing a wood stove, what’s the first thing I should consider? A. That the wood stove and chimney work as a system. It is important for the stove’s chimney system be sized properly, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Whether venting into a masonry or metal system, make sure the diameter of the chimney matches closely, but never smaller than, the size of the stove’s flue outlet. top ^
Q. How can I tell if I am operating my wood stove properly? A. Check the exhaust coming out of your wood stove chimney; the smoke is your operational barometer. If your fire is burning properly, you should only see the white transparent steam of evaporating water, darker and opaque smoke will only be slightly visible. The darker the color of the exhaust, the less efficiently you are operating the appliance. It may be necessary to adjust the operation of your wood stove to decrease the opacity of the exhaust (that is, the density of the smoke). A 15% opacity level indicates efficient operations, while a 90% level reflects unacceptable polluting conditions; some state regulate opacity levels from wood stove chimneys.top ^
Q. How often should I have my wood stove or fireplace inserts serviced? A. Manufacturer’s manuals recommend an annual inspection/service/maintenance for solid fuel appliances and venting systems. top ^
Q. Is it important to season wood before burning it? A. The seasoning, or drying, process allows most of the natural moisture found in wood to evaporate, making it easier to burn. A properly seasoned log will have 20%-30% moisture content. Wood only dries from the surface inward so un-split pieces dry very slowly. To properly season wood, split the logs as soon as possible and stack them in a dry spot for 6-18 months. Pile the wood loosely, allowing air to circulate through the split logs. Hardwoods take longer to dry than softwoods. Humidity and temperature levels also impact drying time.top ^
Q. What’s the best way to load wood into my stove or insert? A. Avoid placing pieces of wood in parallel directions, where they may stack too closely. Vary the position of the wood in the firebox to maximize the exposed surface area of each piece of wood. Only use wood properly sized for your stove’s fire chamber. Complete wood combustion requires wood (fuel), temperature (heat), and oxygen (air) to burn completely and cleanly. top ^
Q. “Is there anything I shouldn’t burn?” A. Never burn garbage, plastic, foil, or any kind of chemically treated or painted wood. They all produce noxious fumes; these are dangerous and highly polluting. top ^
