The scent of Tasmanian Jarrah crackling in a warm fire is the epitome of winter comfort. Even if you don’t have a fireplace, free-standing woodfire heaters can bring luxury to your home. Versatile and easy to install and maintain, wood heaters can provide overnight warmth to areas ranging from 200 to 350 square ft.
Radiant and Convection Heaters
Wood heaters can work by radiation or convection. If you have a room with a high ceiling, a radiant heater should be perfect. It emits heat in all directions, transferring warmth through contact with air. A convection heater is more suitable for areas with standard ceiling heights. It draws in cool air from its surroundings and emits back currents of warm air. It can take a little longer than radiant heaters to heat the room, but it can stay warm for long.
Wood Use
Most wood heaters are hardwood type and work very well with Jarrah, White Gum, Sugar Gum, River Red Gum, and Ironbark logs. Ensure that you use cured wood – wood that has been air-dried for 12 to 24 months. Air drying reduces the moisture content of the wood to about 16%. On the other hand, kiln-dried lumber can have a moisture content as low as 10-12%. Very wet or very dry wood can reduce the efficiency of your heater. Damp wood takes a long to catch fire and burns very inefficiently, and very dry wood can burn out quickly, requiring you to refill the heater often.
Installation
How you install your heater depends on the type of the heater and your house’s layout. If you have a single-storied house with direct access to the ceiling, a free-standing wood heater can be installed with minimum complications. Suppose you have a multi-storied house or one with sloped ceilings. In that case, the installation is slightly different, as you will have to consider the insulation, heat distribution, and safety. Consult expert suppliers of woodfire heaters to install them in a way most suited for your use.
Safety precautions
- Maintain at least three feet between the stove and any combustible material in your house – such as furniture, carpets, and drapes.
- Make sure you do not install it on wooden flooring unless the heater has at least 6 inches of clearance.
- Ensure that your chimney is in good condition. One of the hazards of an inadequately vented heater is carbon monoxide poisoning. You can avoid it by regularly checking the flue pipe, connector, and chimney.
- Apart from installing CO and smoke detectors, it is a good practice to keep your windows opened slightly when the wood is burning.
- Dispose of the ashes responsibly. They can stay warm for long and cause fires if disposed of directly into the garbage bin. Instead, leave it out in a closed metal container for a few days before discarding it.
- Avoid using any fuel other than the one the heater is designed to handle. Do not douse the wood with flammable substances before lighting a fire if you have a wood heater.
- Ensure that the heater complies with the Australian Standards AS/NZS 4012, 4013, or 2918.
In Conclusion
Wood heaters are a classy yet cost-effective way to bring natural warmth to your house. Choose from a range of modern, traditional, rustic, or sleek heaters to gather the whole family on dreary winter nights. After all, home is where the hearth is.
