Wood Fireplaces and Stoves

Traditional wood fireplaces and stoves have been used for centuries. Traditional fireplaces are very inefficient in heating a room, as they primarily use radiant energy to provide warmth. Traditional fireplaces and stoves use the air from the room to provide oxygen for combustion. Wood fireplaces are available in a wide variety of styles and building materials. Wood burning stoves also are available in a multitude of styles colors and features, based on your heating needs. Wood burning appliances require a class A chimney. The chimney may be built of masonry or of double lined steel. There are options to consider for both wood burning fireplaces and wood burning stoves.

Wood Fireplace Options

Traditional fireplaces, constructed of firebrick and mortar, are designed to burn logs. The styles and sizes of fireplaces are as varied as the architects who have designed them. Traditional fireplaces are usually built onsite utilizing brick masons, cinder blocks, fire brick and ceramic flues. The chimney of the fireplace needs to extend above the highest point of the roof to avoid downdrafts. The size and weight of a traditional fireplace requires a substantial and stable foundation. Usually traditional fireplaces are built during new construction.

Fireplace inserts have gained in popularity, as they are much cheaper and lighter than traditional fireplaces. Fireplace inserts are built in factories and shipped pre-assembled to the home, resulting in less labor costs for installation. Wood fireplace inserts also are designed to be installed next to wood materials, with close clearances, allowing wood framing to be used in chimney construction. Many metal fireplace inserts have air ducts and fans to increase the amount of heat transferred from the fire.

Both fireplace inserts and traditional fireplaces require the installation of flame proof hearth on the floor. The hearth is required to prevent logs that may roll out of the fireplace from setting the floor on fire.

Wood Stove Options

Traditional wood burning stoves are made of cast iron. Antique stoves are not air tight, preventing accurate regulation of the fire. Because the flame is hard to regulate, more heat is lost in the flue gases, reducing the stove's overall heating efficiency. The thick cast iron used in construction of older stoves allows an extremely long useful life. Stoves built in the early 1800's are still in use with little restorative work. An ornate antique stove from the Victorian era could be a main architectural feature of a house.

Airtight stoves became popular during the 1970's because of their greater efficiency. One load of wood could be set to burn all night. The advantage of the airtight stove is in the long burning time and greater fuel efficiency. Less heat is lost up the chimney. Also, modern airtight stoves have catalytic converter options that help reduce the amount of creosote and other unburned gases going up the flu.

Both types of wood stoves need to be placed on fireproof surfaces. Because of the radiant heat emitted, adequate clearance of the stove from flammable walls, floor materials and fabrics needs to be maintained.

Both wood burning fireplaces and stoves provide an impressive architectural feature for a room. A well built fireplace or stove could be an added source of heat for your house.

Variety of Fireplaces

Fireplaces have been a traditional architectural feature of a house. Fireplaces originally provided heat for cooking as well as keeping the house warm. Fireplaces kept the same basic design for thousands of years. In the 16th century, the idea of raising the wood on a grate improved the heating effectiveness of the fireplace. Ben Franklin implemented the next improvement in fireplace design. The Franklin stove, built out of cast iron, captured more heat from burning wood. Count Rumford modified the fireplace by creating a tall, shallow box, resulting in greater radiant efficiency. Now, fireplaces are available with advanced options and features to meet any design or lifestyle need. The following five fireplaces are the most popular:

Wood Burning Fireplaces

Wood burning fireplaces are either masonry or factory built inserts. Masonry fireplaces are labor intensive, and are built on site out of fire bricks, cinder block, clay chimney liners and brick or stone, depending on the surround. Masonry fireplaces usually include a hearth, mantel, grate, firebox, and damper.

Fireplace inserts are manufactured off-site and are easier to install. Fireplace inserts use a double walled steel chimney that is light and easy to install.

Gas Burning Fireplaces

Gas burning fireplaces come in a huge variety of styles to meet any decorating requirement. There are three major types of gas burning fireplaces: Direct vent, vent free, and inserts. Gas burning fireplaces may be double sided, or any unique shape to make a design statement for a room. Direct vent gas fireplaces use outside air for combustion. Since gas fireplaces have electronic ignition, some have remote controls or thermostats to create a comfortable room temperature.

Vent free fireplaces provide greater options for placing fireplaces in rooms that may not have access to an outside wall or for a chimney. Vent free fireplaces are extremely efficient, as no heat is lost through flu gas. However, the room supplies the oxygen needed for combustion. Some building codes require fresh air sources for vent free fireplaces.

Direct vent fireplaces use outside air for combustion. This type of fireplace has the option of venting through a wall to the outside instead of a chimney, reducing labor for installation. Advanced Do-it-yourselfers may be able to successfully install a direct vent fireplace, with the help of a plumber for the gas connection.

Pellet Fireplaces

Pellet fireplace inserts have become more popular as a source of heat for a room and because of the improved efficiency of a pellet fire over a traditional log fire. Pellet fireplace inserts are available for new installations and retrofits into older masonry fireplaces. Pellet fireplaces offer the advantage of a controlled burn through pellets supplied through a hopper to the firebox. Some models are thermostatically controlled with electronic ignition.

Electric Fireplaces

For convenience and ease of installation, electric fireplaces offer new alternatives. The new electric fireplaces have a more realistic appearing fire than in earlier models. Most electric fireplaces have built in electric heaters to help provide warmth to a room.

Gel Fireplaces

A vent free gel fireplace provides the option of a real fire with the portability of an electric fireplace. Gel fireplaces are starting to increase in popularity with buyers who want a real fire, but want the ease and mobility of an electric fireplace.