- Nov 27, 2012
- 0
Question:
My home was built in 1980 and designed to use solar and wood as the heat source. A Buck FS7 wood stove is installed now and I would like to upgrade to a cleaner, more efficient wood stove. The current stove is free standing and has tile underneath and a brick wall behind it in order to reflect more heat back into the room (it is a great room consisting of the living/dining/kitchen rooms). The stoves I looked at on the internet are designed to be placed within inches of a plasterboard wall, does this mean that they don't radiate from the back very much and does this mean that they aren't as efficient? I'd like to use the current installation, is there a specific stove that would use the brick wall and tile floor the most efficiently? Also, what are your opinions on using a blower vs no blower?
Answer:
Mike, the newer stoves have better design that will radiate and convect the heat toward the front and top - which is where you need it most. This is usually done in a few way:
1. Directing the flame - baffles direct the flame forward and reburn the gases in a chamber on top of the fire
2. Heat Shields/Convection chamber - This is a second shell built around the stove which turns radiant heat into convection heat (heated air), which tends to spread better.
As far as blowers, most do work well, but I do not like the sound of them. My personal stove at home does not have one, although if I had a very large area to heat I might consider it.
My home was built in 1980 and designed to use solar and wood as the heat source. A Buck FS7 wood stove is installed now and I would like to upgrade to a cleaner, more efficient wood stove. The current stove is free standing and has tile underneath and a brick wall behind it in order to reflect more heat back into the room (it is a great room consisting of the living/dining/kitchen rooms). The stoves I looked at on the internet are designed to be placed within inches of a plasterboard wall, does this mean that they don't radiate from the back very much and does this mean that they aren't as efficient? I'd like to use the current installation, is there a specific stove that would use the brick wall and tile floor the most efficiently? Also, what are your opinions on using a blower vs no blower?
Answer:
Mike, the newer stoves have better design that will radiate and convect the heat toward the front and top - which is where you need it most. This is usually done in a few way:
1. Directing the flame - baffles direct the flame forward and reburn the gases in a chamber on top of the fire
2. Heat Shields/Convection chamber - This is a second shell built around the stove which turns radiant heat into convection heat (heated air), which tends to spread better.
As far as blowers, most do work well, but I do not like the sound of them. My personal stove at home does not have one, although if I had a very large area to heat I might consider it.
