Fireplace Insert Vs Wood Stove Efficiency

The internal design of wood stoves has changed entirely since the epa issued standards of performance for new wood stoves in 1988.

Fireplace insert vs wood stove efficiency.

As for efficiency the less smoke that is produced the more efficient your stove or insert will be. Using one third less firewood wood stoves produce three times the heat of fireplaces. Why fireplace inserts work so well. Not much can beat the look feel and smell of a wood fire but many homeowners can get hung up on deciding whether a wood burning fireplace or wood stove is a better more efficient choice while each type has its own advantages disadvantages a little research into the comparisons of both can help you make the right decision for your family your style and your heating needs.

If you want to maximize the heating efficiency of an existing fireplace then an insert is the best option. A nice compromise is to opt for a wood stove insert which would occupy the fireplace area but you might still want to have a standard wood fireplace for added beauty. Modern wood stoves on the other hand can be highly efficient. This insert is approximately 21 31 by 26 5 by 17 3 inches in size and can produce up to 55 000 btu of heat.

Epa s mandatory smoke emission limit for wood stoves is now 4 5 grams of smoke per hour g h under step 1 of the revised standards of performance for wood burning room heaters. With efficiency ratings of up to 85 or more wood stoves convert the fire into useful heat that should provide plenty of warmth for your home. All of these features come together to make this one efficient insert. Another innovation found on this insert is that it has a combustion air wash system that helps to keep combustion consistent and helps to keep the glass doors on it clean.

And a wood stove at 70 to 75 efficiency is almost as efficient as many steam boilers or older furnaces. Top pick for efficiency. Environmental protection agency limits wood stove and fireplace insert emissions to 7 5 grams of smoke per hour for non catalytic models and 4 1 grams per hour for catalytic models. However even newer epa certified stoves release a lot of fine particulates tiny particles including some carcinogenics that contribute to smog and cause health problems like asthma.

Wood stoves are often big freestanding metal units that simply look awkward when not in use and do little to add beauty to a room. But if you want to heat a home or room that doesn t have a fireplace then a free standing wood stove is an excellent choice. A wood fireplace insert on the other hand cranks that efficiency rating upwards past 70 with many models boasting ratings in the mid 80s.