More than 12 million people have added a wood-burning, pellet, electric, or gas stove to their home. The energy-efficient stoves are a popular way to add heat and ambiance to homes with inefficient heating systems or rooms with cold spots. They’re quickly rising in popularity, predominately due to their efficiency.
In fact, a stove appliance can save you money because of minimal maintenance costs and their use of heat. So what do you need to know before purchasing one? Let us point you in the right direction:
- Stove Types
- Stove Size
- Cost + Maintenance Considerations
- Restrictions
- Features to Look For
- Questions
Stove Types
Wood-Burning + Pellet Stoves: Wood-burning stoves are fueled by America’s oldest sustainable resource: wood. This makes them extremely efficient and popular in cold areas of the country. Most wood-burning stoves require manual ignition and need to be vented through a chimney. Indoor wood-burning stoves use blowers to distribute heat evenly, feature large glass windows for viewing, and offer easy-to-remove ash bins when it’s time to clean up.
Wood-burning fireplace inserts fit in existing fireplaces but share many of the same convenience and safety features offered by a traditional, standalone wood-burning stove.
Pellet stoves use compressed wood or biomass pellets as fuel to heat residential or industrial spaces. Multi-fuel stoves can also burn corn, soy beans, cherry pits, and various other items. Models with manual and automatic ignition are available, but most offer automatic ignition—meaning it can be as easy as pushing a button.
A pellet stove feeds fuel from a hopper into a “burn-area” and typically uses a blower to distribute heat evenly. Like our other wood burning stoves, pellet stoves must be vented outdoors through a wall or chimney, but pellet stoves typically are easier to install. They can be vented horizontally or vertically out through an exterior wall, whereas a wood burning stove requires vertical installation with an existing fireplace or chimney. We also offer inserts that fit in existing chimneys.
Pellet stoves usually are more expensive, due to their electronics, but they feature lower installation costs, whereas wood burning stoves have slightly higher installation costs, but aren't as expensive as pellet stoves.
Natural Gas + Propane Stoves: Gas stoves use natural gas or propane as their main fuel source. Gas stoves have gained considerable popularity with the ease of installation, availability of fuel source in the home, and the easy maintenance and usage. There are two distinct gas stove types: direct vent and vent-free gas stoves. Freestanding vented gas stoves offer easy installation, as many are installed where there is access to a natural gas or propane gas line and where exhaust from combustion is vented outside the home or building. In the case of vented gas stoves, you can install them through the ceiling or wall, venting exhaust through a pipe. These pipes can also be installed up through an existing chimney system. Because of the availability of natural gas or propane in the home, they are convenient supplementary heating options, and they present little maintenance with zero ash, soot, or smoke production.
Vent-free gas stoves provide the same heating benefits with a slightly different modification. Unlike vented stoves, vent-free natural gas or propane stoves are not vented out through a pipe via the ceiling, existing chimney, or wall. Instead, the internal burners are designed to burn off combustion, but they create considerable water vapor and carbon dioxide, which can lead to issues with mold growth. For safety, these stoves are fitted with an internal oxygen depletion sensor that kicks off the gas when oxygen levels are depleted. While convenient, vent-free gas stoves are illegal in some states and localities, so check local and state codes prior to purchasing and installation.
Stove Size
Size is the most important thing to consider when purchasing a stove appliance. Our wood burning stoves and pellet stoves vary in size, but they generally heat spaces from 1,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet. For example, the US Stove 6041 Multi-Fuel Insert offers supplemental heat to 2,000 square feet and includes multiple modes, a blower with 9 speeds, and digital controls.
Gas stoves can provide supplemental heating roughly between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet, like the Pleasant Hearth 30,000 BTU Vent-Free Gas Stove provides supplemental heating for 1,000 square feet. Electric stoves generally provided heating for areas upwards to 400 square feet, depending on wattage.
Stoves with blowers are also better for larger spaces, since their power and blowers evenly move hot air. Environmental conditions may influence how much space these stoves can heat.
You also have to consider the unit’s size. They’re larger than most heaters and require a certain distance from walls and combustibles in the front, sides, and back. Although most distance requirements are less than a foot, make sure the unit will fit appropriately in your room before purchasing yours.
Some models also have ceiling height requirements and need floor protectors. Product manuals should provide all of this information, so check out the “Manufacturer Info” tab on our product pages before adding one to your home.
Cost and Maintenance Considerations
Initial costs for the large, durable heaters are generally between $1,000 and $3,000. After your initial purchase, you’ll also have to purchase installation materials and fuel. Besides these items, additional costs for the stoves are minimal since they create heat by naturally burning wood.
Other cost and maintenance considerations include:
- Installation Materials: Most stoves don’t come with all the needed installation materials, but they can found at local hardware stores. Items like floor protectors, chimney connectors, flues, and heat shields, external gas regulators, and flexible gas lines probably need to be purchased separately.
- Electricity: Many wood burning stoves can be operated manually, as they do not feature control panels to operate the stove, which can be a benefit if you experience a power outage. Pellet stoves generally use electricity to power the auger and control board to operate the stove, which can present problems with a power outage. And most electric flame stoves run solely on electricity, whereas natural gas and propane stoves may not need electricity. Check to determine if electricity is needed for any function of the stove.
- Fuel: Make sure the fuel type is available in your area. This fuel is expensive to ship, but it’s possible to order online. Wood burning stoves will require standard firewood, while pellet stoves use recycled sawdust and wood waste and have longer burn times compared to fire wood. For example, one ton of wood pellets typically costs around $150 but can cost up to $300 or more for high-quality grades. Store fuel in a place where the wood stays as dry as possible.
- Natural Gas or Propane Lines: For direct vent or vent-free natural gas or propane stoves, it is important to know the gas line type running in the home and make sure to install them in the coldest area of the home. These supplemental heating stoves should be installed by professionals, and check local and state codes to ensure you can proceed with installation.
- Efficiency: All 3 stove types are energy-efficient, because they use wood, electricity, or gas to produce heat. Most models don’t require electricity to work. Pellet stoves tend to be more efficient because they have fewer particle emissions and smoke. Purchase an additional filter or fresh air kit to increase the efficiency of your stove.
- Cleaning/Ash Removal: You’ll have to periodically check for creosote buildup and regularly empty the ash bin in wood burning and pellet stoves. Clean your chimney at least once a year if you’re using it for venting. Ash should be removed when 2-3 inches of ash accumulate. Wear gloves when removing the ash bin, and be aware that ashes can contain hot embers even after 2 days without operating the stove.
Restrictions
Be sure to check building, local, and state requirements before purchasing one of these products. Many of our wood burning stoves are not approved in California or Washington. Others aren’t suitable for mobile home use, although most models are allowed with the purchase of a fresh air kit.
As with many gas-powered stoves, you should always check local and state codes and regulations. Have a certified professional install, service, and perform any work on the gas stove, as needed. Contact local building or fire officials about permits, restrictions, and installation requirements in your area.
Features to Look For
As with all household appliances, there are convenience and safety features that you may want to look for when picking out a wood burning appliance. Here are a few to consider:
- Air Wash System: Some stoves offer an air wash system that helps push fresh air from the outside that helps to keep the interior glass cleaner, so you can enjoy the flicker of the flames inside the stove.
- Digital Controls: If a wood burning appliance has automatic ignition, then it probably offers various other digital controls (such as multiple heat levels). Make sure to look for these controls that make operation much simpler.
- Removable Ash Bin: Most models include large, removable ash bins that open from the front of the unit. This makes clean up convenient and less messy.
- EPA Certified: Having an EPA certification means they are cleaner options that use less wood, are more energy-efficient, produce less particle pollution, and generally save you money, fuel, time, and resources.
- Firebrick Lined: Wood burning and pellet stove appliances get extremely hot, and firebrick lining helps protect the stove’s parts from this heat, increasing the life of your heater.
- Firebox Size: The larger the wood burning firebox, the longer your fire will burn without any work on your part.
- Fresh Air Kit: The US Stove Company offers a fresh air kit that’s compatible with most of their wood burning stoves. A fresh air kit provides maximum stove efficiency by reducing back draft and allowing fresh air to fuel the fire combustion. The kit is required to run units in mobile homes.
- Catalytic or Non-Catalytic Stove: Catalytic wood burning stoves features a ceramic honeycomb element that ignites particulates and gases for a more efficient burn; however, just like the catalytic converter in a car, it will eventually need to be replaced. Non-catalytic stoves do not feature this element, and particulates, gases, and smoke are pushed out through the flue without this process.
- Accessories: Click the Accessories tab on our product overviews to see if optional accessories are available.
- Oxygen Depletion Sensor: Typically found on most gas appliances, oxygen depletion sensors monitor the oxygen levels in rooms with vent-free gas stoves and heaters. This sensor will cut the gas off in the event oxygen levels in the room drop below 18%.
- Blower Settings: Many of our wood burning stoves have blowers to help disperse warm air throughout large spaces.
Still Have Questions?
For more information on specific wood burning stoves, pellet stoves, gas stoves, or electric stoves, review our extensive product listings and other Knowledge Center articles. Not sure what's best for you? We can take the guesswork out of decision-making. Contact our product experts toll-free at 1-800-934-9194. We want to help you make your indoor environment healthy and comfortable.
