News
How a Wood Burning Stove Works18th December 2018
The British weather can be unpredictable to say the least, so there are large spells throughout the year where the tremendous warmth from a traditional or contemporary stove is needed.
It’s also able to reduce your home’s carbon footprint by at least 14% whilst you can begin to make the most of wood’s environmentally neutral and renewable energy. There are four main features many wood burners on the market today feature and they include primary air, airwash, convection air and cleanburn.
Primary Air
This is the air that’s drawn in. For most designs, and this is especially the case with classic log burners, the primary air enters through a control on the front. This can then be adjusted to modify the amount of air entering the firebox, which in turn allows you to decide on just how intense you want the fire to be, or not to be.
Airwash System
Have you ever wondered how or why the glass stays clean on a stove? It’s all thanks to the airwash system. With a specially placed vent (sometimes two or more) to draw in cool air from the room, it is heated and ducted to ‘wash’ over the inside of the glass, preventing soot and dirt from settling.
Convection Air
Many logburners include a convection system and these are designed to distribute heat a lot more evenly around the room. The cool air within the room is drawn into the stove and as it begins to heat up, it rises before easing out into the room, making the entire space more enjoyable and comfortable. The hot air rising inside the stove draws more cool air into the stove, setting up a continuous flow. This ultimately means exceptional heating efficiency.
Cleanburn
You’ve probably read a lot about cleanburn stoves online or perhaps you’ve heard a number of fireplace retailers talking about the many benefits of cleanburn stoves in their showroom? So what does it mean and why is it suddenly so important? To put simply, there is no strict definition, but generally in the industry, when we discuss a cleanburn stove, we’re essentially referring to any stove that’s DEFRA Approved, and the fact is most models on the market are. So what are DEFRA looking for when they carry out their checks? The stove must have been set up to reduce the amount of smoke it produces, since smoke is essentially unburned particulates, but this of course leads to the model being able to burn wood very efficiently.
These are just four of the popular features that are handy to know when looking to purchase a wood burning stove, however, it’s important to understand that every model will be set up differently and will have its own unique advantages and disadvantages. As always, do carry out some homework and make comparisons between different models before making any final decisions, but if you need any assistance, we’re only a message or phone call away.