Can a wood burning stove heat a whole house?

Can a wood burning stove heat a whole house?

Using kiln-dried logs in a wood burning stove is a great way to warm a room, but can it heat a whole house?

In short, yes! Before central heating, many homes were of course fully heated using wood alone, and some homes in the UK still rely on wood as their main fuel source for heating and hot water.

While this may conjure up images of chilly rooms and frosty toes, the efficiency of modern wood burners combines with the insulation of today’s homes means that a single wood stove can provide plenty of heat.

To work out what kind of wood burner you’ll need to heat your space, you first need to work our the cubic volume of the area you want to heat (multiply the height x length x width of the area). If you divide this number by 14, it’ll give you the rough wattage of stove needed to heat it. For example, a stove powerful enough to heat a whole house should be able to produce at least 2000 kilowatts of heat.

Investing in good insulation and checking for any draughts or cold spots will also help your home to stay as cosy as possible.

Since hot air rises, installing a wood burner on the ground floor of your home will also help to heat the rooms above it. Fans and vents can help warm air to move through the house, and choosing an internal wall for your chimney rather than an external wall will also help retain as much heat as possible.

What are the best logs to use in a wood burner?

For wood burning stoves, we always recommend kiln dried logs as the best fuel source you can buy. As kiln-dried logs have been thoroughly dried to reach a low moisture content, they’re easier to light and burn more efficiently, with a higher heat output – whereas logs that haven’t been kiln-dried could be holding excess moisture, making them harder to light, release more soot onto your glass stove screen, and generally a less heat efficient way to run your wood burner.

Learn more about choosing the best wood for your wood burning stove here.

Where can I order logs for my wood burner?

At A&C Logs, we deliver kiln-dried logs to homes and businesses across the Bath, Bristol or Frome area. To order your logs, just send us a message or give us a call, and we’ll arrange your delivery as soon as possible. We also deliver firelighters and kindling, so you’re fully stocked for those cosy winter fires.

Click here to order kiln-dried logs for your wood burner

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