Wood stoves are devices that use firewood extracted from trees for fuel to heat the home. In general, firewood is a cheap and safe fuel. However, depending on the construction model of each stove, its performance varies.
In this article we are going to tell you about all the characteristics, types and maintenance of wood stoves.
The best wood stoves
Wood stoves have become the favorite option for many Spanish households. Therefore, choosing which is the best that suits us is difficult. Wood stoves they are easy to use and they do not require efforts or complex installations. They only require a smoke outlet.
The best wood stoves on the market are those that, depending on the design, power and aesthetics, have a better quality / price ratio. The best wood stove is not the most expensive or the one with the best brand, but the one that best suits us. It is useless to have a stove with a good brand, if it does not satisfy our need well.
To know which stove is best for us, we must take into account our budget and needs.
If we need to use the stove on a daily basis, it is better to resort to a high-end stove. These have a high performance that will leave us good savings. The best brands of high-end stoves They are Rocal and Jotul. They are the brands that have the highest efficiency and very sophisticated designs.
Wood stove with oven
Wood burning stoves with an oven have been designed to offer heating through radiation and convection, as well as being able to cook. This is possible thanks to a large stainless steel oven installed.
The stove is designed with a 5 mm thick laminated steel material to guarantee a fairly long useful life. The combustion grill is also incorporated. The oven has a thermometer and enough capacity to put roasts. It has an ash collection drawer where the air entering and leaving the circuit can also be regulated.
The front door incorporates a glass ceramic resistant to 900 ° C with special ceramic shielding with stainless steel support and secondary air inlet that improves combustion.
Outdoor wood burning stoves
Although stoves are often associated with heating indoors, it is also used for outdoors. They are perfect for heating porches and small rooms that are protected from the cold.
To make any outdoor space more pleasant, they will allow us to enjoy our terrace, garden or patio throughout the year. We can find elements of rusty iron, wrought iron and sheet metal.
They also give us the warm aroma of burnt wood and help us win in rural style.
Types of wood stoves: steel, cast iron or refractory material
There are three types of wood stoves depending on the material with which they are built.
Molten iron
First we have the cast iron ones. They are heavier since it is a resistant material and more difficult to install. However, its performance is better as it has excellent thermal inertia and transmits heat more evenly.
Maple
Steel stoves are lighter and easier to install. They are usually cheaper than the previous ones and although they have a good increase in temperature, they are less efficient heating.
Refracting Material
They are more voluminous and have autonomy of up to 20 hours. Being built with refractory material, they are able to better conserve heat and distribute it more efficiently. They have high performance and strong radiation.
Pipes for wood stoves
Wood stoves require tubes to divert the fumes generated during combustion and reduce the risk of poisoning. The most efficient tubes and with better quality materials They are from the Wolfpack brand.
How to make wood stoves
For those handymen who want to build their own wood stove, here we are going to provide all the necessary materials and explain it step by step.
First, you need the following materials:
- Clays
- Sand
- Bricks
- Mesh
- Spatula
- Level
- Burned oil
- tubes
- Cooking plates
Now we explain step by step what to do:
- We must clean the area where we are going to build the stove well so that it is as good as possible.
- Bricks are laid to make the base. To stick them, We will use a mixture of 20% clay and 80% sand.
- When the base is completely built, we will place a welded mesh to create an arch. The rods of the bed are used to put what we want to cook.
- We lined the inside of the mesh space with more bricks.
- We create a flat base that we will use to cook later.
- We apply a 3-centimeter layer of clay and sand mixture and we level it out.
- Once this is finished, we install the pipes and connections through which the combustion smoke will come out.
- We let everything dry for two days and we will have our stove ready to make meals.
How to install
It is important to know all the steps to install your wood stove and that everything is correct. Here we explain step by step.
- Decide in which area you are going to install it. The best place to install a wood stove is that area of the house that is most inhabited and that needs more heat.
- Put a material under and behind the stove that is not combustible to protect us from any accident. We must respect about 40 centimeters of space between the stove and the wall.
- We connect the chimney pipe that will expel the fumes to the stove.
Installing a wood stove is relatively straightforward. However, it is better to choose to call professionals to help you do it even if it is something more expensive. It is always better to invest in security.
Maintenance of a wood stove
Wood stoves require regular maintenance and cleaning to ensure good condition, safety and maximum performance.
- The first thing to consider are the joints. They must be cleaned and checked periodically. If they are not totally watertight, they must be replaced.
- The oven glass must be cleaned to prevent the accumulation of soot stains. The most useful is to use a damp cloth impregnated with ash.
- The plates in the combustion chamber wear out naturally after continuous use. Therefore, depending on the use we give it and the frequency, we will have to buy another.
- The ash tray must be emptied, although it is more efficient to leave a thin layer of it on the bottom.
- To clean the outside of the stove, use a vacuum cleaner or a dry cloth. You do not have to use alcohol or solvents, since they damage the paint.
Firewood classes
Finally, depending on the need and the frequency with which we use our stove, we will use one type of firewood or another. Before differentiating which are the best firewood, it should be mentioned that it must be very dry.
We differentiate two types of firewood, hard and soft. Soft wood is not usually useful because it is fresher and does not produce good combustion. Its calorific value is lower and it also does not help us to obtain good embers in the kitchen.
Among the highest quality hardwood we find:
- Oak firewood. It is one of the hardest firewoods that exist. It has great consistency and long life. The embers that it gives us for cooking are very good. They are ideal for barbecues and restaurants.
- Olive wood. This firewood makes a more suitable flame for heating.
- Almond, oak, carob and orange firewood. All have great hardness and consistency, which is why they are considered of good quality.
With this information you will be able to learn more about everything related to wood stoves and find out which one is the best for you.